Novie, call your builder and ask them if it will save you $$$ by helping prep the site in any way. Mention the tree and if cutting it down or removing the stump will make a difference. I am thinking they scout the area and bring the appropriate equipment to level your soil, excavate, pour the gravel base and all that. Its probably like painting a car. More prep work you do the cheaper it is or the less chance a step will be skipped or a stump used as backfill. They would probably appreciate not having to clear shrubbery also. Let me know what they say. I still think they will destroy that small of a tree with a dozer or some piece of equipment in three minutes.

>>you are on the verge of killing your plants with too much love ... be weary of such ..... Not even close. While using some fertilizers is unwise without a soil test, most are OK and there's no real danger of killing your plants. Standard in the gardens for me is 18 pounds of Milorganite per month from May to August, plus a half-strength Miracle Gro feeding weekly through mid-September. Deaths so far...well, the rabbits do nibble a few. But otherwise, zero. I'm starting to limit phosphorus sources in the garden as my numbers are finally showing where they should be for flowers. Potassium is actually slipping a bit and will probably need specific enhancement next year. Most micronutrients are in the correct range, except boron, which rides a little low. I'm working on that. Nitrogen is the kicker, it gets used, absorbed, out-gassed to the air, and leached out. Which is why the heavy hitter is organic, to limit leaching. Your water would be safe. Just as mine is, and has been every year. >>if you change your potting media every season ... [and you better for all the salt build up] ... i cant believe you would need more that one or two fertilizings PER SEASON ... The soil in my pots is now six years old and of better quality than it was when it went in...because I keep pouring organics into it. They sit in the rain, get flushed (by accident, mostly) when they're watered, and sit out all winter. No salt build up.

Such sad stories my heart goes out to all that have suffered through the pain of losing a precious pet. Last July we lost our beloved Joey while he was getting his teeth cleaned at the vets. No chance to say goodbye until after he was gone. We had still had 3 dogs, a 16 yr old maltipoo and her 2 11yr old "pups" to help us through the loss of Joey. You can imagine our devastation when our little girl Jessie only 11yr was diagnosed with a highly invasive aggressive spleen cancer in Nov. She died in my arms only weeks later. Three weeks later her mother 16yrs had to be euthanized after some strokes. We expected to lose her soon due to her age but it was very hard after the other two losses. I told DH I didn't want any more dogs...we still had one left and that was it for me. Never again I was done. Radar, the one dog left, was very special to me. DH missed having the others so much I relented and we bought a havanese pup. This pup was a little hellion and after 3 wks of tormenting my Radar we went back to the breeders and bought the little devils' sister. So now we had the devil and the angel a calm, sweet little girl and they played so well with each other that Radar wasn't being harassed and ambushed at every turn. This was working well for all. One week after getting the second pup I found a lump in Radar's side. We rushed him to the vet.....he had a very large, inoperable tumour on his liver. All we could do was give him meds to hopefully slow down the tumour. He seemed the same happy boy he always was for about 5 wks but things changed and he went downhill almost overnite. We had him euthanized last week. I'm glad we got the second pup when we did cause I know wouldn't have been able to bring another pet into my home after 4 losses in less than 8 months. These were pets that were at the vets for yearly check ups and shots ate premium dog food and we still lost them too soon. Sorry this is so long.

Ingrid, I've planted another Anna Olivier (removed 3 that had canker badly, and were planted far too close together), Etoile de Lyon and WR Smith (bought as Amelia Anderson, but I think they're the same). They are next to each other, and then there are 2 mature Marie van Houtte (I had to move one which was too big for it's spot, so they've ended up together) next to them, and then the unkillable Mrs Dudley Cross. So they're all pale, and with the exception of AO, pale pink and/or yellow. Also in the circle, but in it's own small bed is Mme Berkeley, which is already topping 4', and about to have it's second flush. I'm so hoping I like it better. I'm like you - this is my third chance at this circle, but I'm not happy! I would love to have Rosette Delizy - I love the rose and it would be a great contrast, but the blooms balled and burnt here. I'm almost tempted to try it again, as I see brightstar grows it in Sydney in fairly similar conditions to mine. But I did have it for 2 years, and it was around 6' tall by then, and there was rarely a good bloom on it. I've got a deep purple buddleia in there, and am planting some blackbird penstemon, a blue lupin and an aster, so they'll give some contrast. Also there, are some perennial wallflower and a phlomis. Right now, I'm edging the whole circle in box, which is a lovely fresh green. On the cards for next year, if I'm still not happy are Mme Antoine Mari (she was on the list for this year, but I changed my mind!), and perhaps Triomphe de Luxembourg. Recently I went to the nursery I order online from. It's about 10 hours drive from here, so that was my first and probably last visit. They'd had heavy rain (which we get from time to time here), and it was interesting to see which roses had stood up to it. T de L had stood up well. Another rose I'd never heard off - Purpurea di Bologna - was in full flush, with not a spoilt bloom. It was a glorious rich purple (though HMF describe it as mauve). I'd love to find a spot for it! kittymoonbeam, that's curious about that study - it's goes against everything I've heard. I'd love to know more.