Even if a turf lawn is small, it can add a great deal of beauty as a setting for other plantings. Keeping it "relatively" small can make it do-able. Confining it to a central location in the back yard is where it might give the most bang for the buck... being the "white space" for the plantings closer to the perimeter. (I can't speak to what greyhounds might do to it since I have no experience with them. Do they like to tear directly across open space, or use the perimeter like an oval track? The latter could be to your advantage insofar as turf goes.) An oval shape seems like it would fit the back yard nicely and if it was a pronounced, distinct, perfect shape, it could add a feeling of strength and organization to the overall design of the yard. Since the back lot line has low trees already, beefing them up with Palo Verde or Mesquite, so as not to see buildings beyond, seems like a good goal. I agree that neighbors could not expect that you wouldn't plant trees or that you would assume responsibility for their view. (When was the last time you thought about asking anyone to alter a tree on their private property to suit your needs? Where your trees cross the property line into neighboring yards, it's the case that they own the crossing portion and can do with it as they please. It might sound like be a harsh legal reality, but plantings at yard perimeters that provide some privacy or shade USUALLY work to the advantage of both parties. Usually it's not much of a problem.) Combining some views-below-canopies with privacy, where needed, seems like it would be easily workable. Along the cul-de-sac area, you might consider breaking up the run of wall with small groupings of small tree-form shrubs with open space between the groupings. Where I live, freestanding walls and fences are frequently treated by placing a lower hedge to run alongside them. To my thinking this is a complete waste of material and effort. It does nothing to interrupt the boredom of the wall length. Just like how periodic columns add interest to a plain brick wall, periodic plantings that exceed the height of the wall add visual interest. Large flowering shrubs make good small trees for this purpose. Grouped tightly in 3s, they also add depth to the planting. As pointed out, the TYPE of thorns that plants have make much difference. I would not think thorns on TREES would make much difference (in general) to people or pets as the thorns could easily be placed overhead and out of reach. Plants without thorns can be placed at lower levels. And in some cases with certain plants, thorns that are highly visible and obvious may be acceptable. The patio area is somewhat like a stage positioned to play to a 180* view. Of course, the actual viewing occurs in the opposite direction of what it would in a theater. Here, the audience sits on the stage and views the "theater seating" area, which is the back yard. After you determine the actual square footage of additional patio needed, you might consider making its distant edge to be arranged in a semi-circular, octagonal or similar, bay-window-ish shape so as to "play" to the rest of the back yard. It would need to fit with lawn shape. Setting small groups of trees to both sides (not between "stage" and "seating") could provide shade and maintain an unobstructed view to the lawn and remainder of back yard. Trees selected for what their canopy could become (as it relates to patio and house) would be important. The discussion of wall heights surrounding the back yard can be confusing. As you refine your ideas you might submit a revised plan for the wall that only indicates what portion of the wall is ABOVE your back yard grade... as that's what really matters from back yard viewpoint. Also, for discussion purposes, I suggest that it would be easier (especially since your house is set at a diagonal to cardinal directions) to refer to right/left/fore and aft--as one would view the yard from standing at the street facing the house--as opposed to NE/SW/SE/NW, as those require one to memorize the directions or to go back and look at a previous drawing. Right, left, fore and aft is easier.

I'm a little confused on dosage, I have read the forum and am confused on this dosages are they straight out of the bottle or diluted, I have 33 lb dog that have been using Advantage at 9%,. I've ordered the Imidacloprid from the link Larry listed which is 21.4%. I got the dosage recommendations for Advantage, which is 9.1%, and I want to make sure I am converting the dosage right. Does this look right? 1 cc or ml per 5 pounds Recommended Usage at 9.1% concentration should be around: 0.23ml for kitten under 5lbs/ = 0.1ml of 21.4% 0.4ml for cats 5-9lbs/ = 0.17ml of 21.4% 0.8ml for cats 9lbs++/ = 0.33ml of 21.4% 0.4ml for dogs under 10lbs/ = 0.17ml of 21.4% 1.0ml for dogs 11-20lbs/ = 0.42ml of 21.4% 2.5ml for dogs 21-55lbs/ = 0.04ml of 21.4% 4.0ml for dogs 55lbs++/ = 1.67ml of 21.4% I have a bottle of imidacloprid 27.5 oz at 21.4%. Mix 0.7 oz of imidacloprid 21.4% to 1 oz of water to get approx 2oz of 9% concentrate. For 4 oz of concentrate double the amounts. According to Nancy you need 2.5ml of the 9% concentrate for dogs 21-55lbs. 1ml = 1cc if you prefer. Dose is 0.05ml/pound. Multiply 0.05 times your pet’s weight for the dose (Used in lower doses with same effect) Cats up to 9 pounds – 0.4ml Cats 10+ pounds – 0.8ml Dogs 11-20 pounds – 1.0ml Dogs 21-30 pounds – 1.2ml Dogs 31-40 pounds – 1.6ml Dogs 41-50 pounds – 2.0ml Dogs 51-60 pounds – 2.4ml Dogs 61-70 pounds – 2.8ml Dogs 71-80 pounds – 3.2ml Thanks I don't if this will get to my email or just listed here, (billmcvoy@yahoo.com)

Yep, pee is a great fert...but not neat. Diluted by at least 10:1 it is a sovereign plant food...and I do clamber on top of the compost hill for a pee when no-one is around. Truthfully, I find the hidden cat presents far, far worse than any doggie droppings...nothing much wrecks your day as much as plunging your ungloved hands into the soil only to sniff (and feel) that unmistakeable odour of felis domesticus...and if dogs were allowed as much free reign as cats, not to mention the slaughter, they would be caged and muzzled. Always a bit problematic since here in the UK, cats tend not to be house cats as they often are in the US (and not something I could personally condone anyway) and since one's own cats rarely use their own abode as a toilet, it is always a cause of neighbourly wrath in my part of the world when catching that huge red tom from down the road, squatting in my troughs again.

Please help me!! We have a place by a lake in Burr Oaks MI that we go to 6 months out of the year, April through Oct. Last year almost everyone was having problems with bites around their feet. Even the dogs where getting bites all over their stomachs. I put this stuff called Seven all over the ground and it seem to help a little. The wired thing is these bugs didnÂt bit everyone, my husband and I never got any bits but my daughter was getting eating alive and she was sitting next to me. I would say about 95% of the dogs where getting bites too. ItÂs like these bug are picky about who they bite! You canÂt see then or feel them when they are on you, but you see and feel the bites after they are gone. Some how we brought the bugÂs home with us! Now my cat is itching too!! She has licked almost all her fur out of her stomach and back legs. I have spent over $300.00 at the vets and he keeps telling me they are fleas!! I wish they where fleas, I know how to treat them!! I worked for this vet of over 8 years and he couldnÂt find a flea on either animal. But he keeps saying they are allergic to the bit and that is why they are getting the skin reaction. I use frontline" on both the cat and dog, it seems to work for only 2 weeks before they start starching again; its supposed to work for 4 weeks. I bought "Mycodex" to spray on the rug and furniture and I bought a flea and tick mist (a repellant) to spray on the animals every couple of days but still my dogs stomach looks beat red and my cat still isnÂt getting better either. ItÂs driving me nuts!! I was just watching the animal plant when they said something about sand fleas!! Could this be what I have?? Do these sand flies live on animalÂs likes fleas do?? Someone please help!! I wont to prove to my vet that I am not crazy!! Or am I ???? I have pictures of my dogÂs stomach that I took tonight!! I can send them if you can help!! Can anyone tell me what to use to get these bugs out of my house? How do you kill something you canÂt see?? Nancy