This thread began as a means to discuss the issue of Sunset zones. The secondary motive was for me to try to explore the notion that elevation is a factor to RMG but not the only factor. Over the course of looking at climate data, I discovered that annual precipitation and the time of its occurrence may be a defining feature for the RMG region. Aridity cannot be the only determinate or wed all be over in the Southwest Gardening forum. Previous and somewhat naively, I had thought that these evergreen mountains here and there indicated that there were areas with rather high rainfall amounts - what hadn't quite sunk in was that while that is true, these areas were all at elevations where gardening becomes impossible. I began wondering if a particular native plant species was representative of the broad RMG region. I'm no expert on native plants so this was a fun exercise even if it doesn't appear to be absolutely successful (perhaps, an impossibility). It seemed to me that the Arrowleaf Balsamroot was most broadly representative. I'm hoping that other gardeners are giving this some thought and will comment. By way of encouragement, my question now is - what the heck is this plant whose image is used here on GardenWeb to represent Rocky Mountain Gardening: Steve

Hi! I'm a lurker here because y'all have such wonderful ideas. kittypawz-WOW! You live across from the Priddy Fountain? I went to junior high and part of high school in Highland Park and used to drive past that thing (before it was rebuilt) all the time. oceanna-Your siding pics are too funny. My last home had a huge picture window in the dining room that was 6' from the neighbor's house (all brick). I finally built a trellis on the outside to grow vines over the window and block the view :) Here's what I see outside my windows now..

Carol~Got your check today (Sat)... Here's our current list: VA Jennifer in VA VA $MzSanta Claus - Trish VA $JustaMomofSix - Katherine NC Teresa nc7 AL Grammyp - Beverly & DH CA $Toolgranny - Linda CO $PolarDream - Sue SC Sandlapper Rose - Jeanne SC $Carol OH quiltpartner - Cindy & DH NB Faytay - Faye NB Nancy - Faye's friend MD MRG - Marsha RI/FL Buteau3 - Marge & DH Rip

The house my wife grew up in was surrounded on two sides by a hospital and one side by a railroad track. The ER was right outside a fairly shallow yard, 15 feet from the porch and you were standing on concrete parking bumpers for the ER parking. Trains and the traffic into and out of the ER for a large regional hospital never once bothered me, even when I was just staying for the holidays. That extreme situation will certainly effect your resale value. My wife couldn't even hear the train. The train tracks are hidden by foliage and the first time I visited the train caught me by surprise, when I was asking about it she literally could not hear it. I actually had to describe the noise. I remember this because for years I teased her about it (I watch t.v. too loud and I always responded with, "and you can't hear a train"). There are thousands if not millions of similar accounts out there. Hell, no one could live in most of New York City, Chicago, or Boston if noise like this bothered people. The resale value question is very legitimate, and I really can't answer that. It depends on a lot of things, such as actual distance, foliage, etc. Of course, take this advise for what you paid for it, but the noise thing is really not a problem. In fact, light pollution is a much bigger problem than noise pollution in neighborhoods close to commercial type buildings. If you are not comfortable do some more research and you will be.