Deci, you sure didn't get much response to your post on the LD forum. That's unusual; I think what happened is that (a) you provided a LOT of information, and (b) you answered your own post right away so it dropped down the list pretty quickly. If the pace of your posting is any indication you've probably done a lot more by now and maybe solved all your problems, but here are a couple of thoughts for what it's worth: If you want height in the landscaping without blocking the windows, put the tall things away from the house. Don't think of landscaping as only being the foundation planting. A bit of stuff at the front of the property can add a lot. Don't expect too much of yourself all at once. If you're novices, then take it one step at a time or you'll end up overwhelmed with watering and weeding with too many newly planted beds. Novices rarely get all the way to Wow in one season unless they hire it - in fact, no one does. Your neighbour's fence does not look that bad to me and if you cut all that brushy stuff back you may get some nice growth on it in spring/summer. This looks like something you should leave until you have your front border done. If you want stuff to look good all year 'round - and that's a tall order! - then you will need to stick mostly to evergreens. But that can be boring. You can regard the evergreens as bones and intersperse them with deciduous or perennial or even annual colour. Good luck! KarinL

HI DC, you post is quite interesting. I was thinking that an air gap would materialize pretty quickly because the plants will use water thereby causing the level to fall away from the screen in a short time. The thing to do would be to refrain from adding water until the water level becomes to within an inch of the bottom. Perhaps a small dip stick made from a wood dowel would be handy. If you were to drill a hole about 1 inch from the bottom of the tank and insert a clear plastic tube glued to the outside of the container, you could have a visual water level indicator. Yes, drilling a lower hole will insure an air-gap. The function of the airgap is to prevent plant roots from growing down into the tank is it not? Thank you for your post. I intend to follow my own advice and add visual water level indicators to my own self-irrigation containers.

Hi all, Thanks so much for all the feedback! In the meantime, I did find one other interesting resource: ENature.com. There are all sorts of ways of searching, including by zip code. It's not terribly convenient, once you have the results, but it's still interesting. I have another plant that I'd be curious to know the identity of, if anyone knows it. It's in the last two photos of this entry, with one closeup shot and one distant shot. I thought it was flowers when I first saw it, but up close, it almost looks like some sort of succulent (?). It was growing in the marshes beside the Delaware Bay - the structure visible in the background of the last shot is actually a ramp to a handicapped-accessible viewing platform to look out at the water (and it's a horseshoe crab sanctuary, so out on the spawning horseshoe crabs at the right time of year) less than 50 ft from the tide line.

Hi Mike... not sure if you are on facebook but there is a group called Southern Delaware Gardening & Delaware Gardeners. The Southern Delaware Gardening group has alot of Sussex County gardeners. I'm in Lincoln, the North side of Sussex Country. There are a few highly recommended greenhouses in the area... one is Pepper's greenhouse in Milton. A great selection of trees, bushes, perennials, annuals, herbs & veggies, grasses, you name it. "Alyssa" that is in the facebook group ... this is her family business. Also... if you are on facebook.. there's another group to check out... the group is called "Who would you refer in Sussex County". You can ask for referrals on anything at all. You can also use the "search feature" on the group page & look for previous answers to questions.. everything from the "best" pizza, to dog grooming & Dr's offices. Welcome to Delaware! Tamra