I've already lost one oakleaf hydrangea, and am quite skeptical of trying again. The New England forum is fairly consistent in calling them only hardy to zone 6. Paniculums do well here, and my Endless Summer is definitely earning it's shady spot under an oak tree. Azaleas and Rhodos are a struggle here because of hardiness and pH issues. So far I haven't found anybody doing well with any of the Northern Lights with a pH above about 6.5. I have a swamp azalea doing reasonably well, but it's planted in a peat moss swamp. Basically, there are reasons I grow roses.

In my yard one large crepe mrytle (even though much smaller ones in pots closer to the house are fine) has not leafed out as well as a neem tree and all my vitex and lorapetalum. I lost a total of two salvia which surprised me since I planted many right before the frost and they were pushing my zone a bit. All the other perennials are leafing out again and looking lovely despite this cruel heat and not a drop of rain. It's always a challenge isn't it? Adele

Lee - Up to a point I incline to agree with your antipathy to exotic plants in a Japanese garden. Perhaps it amounts to feeling uneasy with anything that looks somehow out of place because few things of that shape grow in the wild here? For instance, I feel a bit uneasy if I see Phormium Tenax or Pampas grass. I'd probably feel even more uneasy with a Monkey Puzzle tree, especially since somebody who'd seen them growing in their native habitat in S. America said they looked out of place even there. On the other hand, a restrained use of bamboo doesn't (to me) give that feeling. That brings me to what I'd call exotic artifacts. I wonder for instance, how a sleeve fence made from cedar lath compares with one made from bamboo? Here in N. America does the one made with cedar lath look more at home in its surroundings? I lean towards using the cedar lath. Coming back to the Bear artifact, I've got some more pictures of it (of them actually - it's a mother Bear & her cub). The carving is rooted in the ground - the owners told me that it used to be a big tree in their garden, & when it got too big, they had the top removed, leaving an 8ft high stump - and a young fellow then carved the bears from it with a chain saw. They said he did it in no time. When I consider those stone foxes with a red bibs round their necks that you see in some Japanese garden settings, it makes me think of the Bears as their western equivalent (though the red bibs don't suit!). Another artifact that I saw illustrated a year or two ago - I think it was in this forum - was a wooden post or tablet, carved in the style of Native Indian work, that somebody had positioned in his garden. He may have referred to it as a Stele, but I'm not sure. (It certainly wasn't what you'd call a Totem pole), It was in just the right place & it looked entirely at home - it was just as effective as a stone artifact like a lantern. Does anybody remember it? Herb

Christine, if Zee's tulip poplar doesn't make it (and Suja decides to stay where she is instead of moving closer in), there is a source in Bowie as well. I got one last fall that did well after transplant but didn't make it through the winter. The person I got them from has many more seedlings/saplings, and I'm sure we could go get one if we ask. You can come dig my spirea (and some hosta) whenever you like. There is a big spirea that has your name on it now. (Sigh of relief!) I'll bring some parts of smaller ones to the swap though, in case anyone else wants some. And I'll try to remember the fork, but if I forget it you can have it when you come get the spirea..oh, wait, maybe I should hold the fork hostage, and you can use it to dig up the spirea.. =) Lynne