I think I agree with John - and my one calycanthus is too little to have flowered yet, so I don't have that to wish for, yet - but it will be almost impossible to keep weeds, including new calycanthus, from sprouting. I have had relatively good luck with laying down cardboard or 4-6 sheets of newspaper, and mulching over that 4-6 in. of shredded wood mulch. BUT, it wasn't much of a hill, and I planted shrubs or established plants in it, not seeds. Can you use the above ideas for winter-sowing and bottom-less boxes to start seeds for the initial spreading of the "wildflowers", and then transplant individual plantlets from the 'bunches', come spring? As John said, you will have job security - no-one else would want it! And, you do, I know have to show willing to follow her desires, and and have something to show for your efforts come the spring. You would almost have to use a Bobcat to even make a token clearing out of the hill, and it will make an awful mess! I would think doing it by hand would take a couple of weeks..., and also make a mess, half of which would probably wash down the hill into the lake, and get the HOA mad at them, even if you put up silt fences.... Opting for the best of bad choices, if it were me, I would try for the "spotty" smaller swathes of flowers, and not for the massive sweep that the client may have had in her mind's eye.... If for no other reason, that it ain't gonna happen, unless you go for all-out chemical warfare, and mess up the lake and do major damage to YOUR sensibilities! Not to mention what it might do to your license, if you used the heavy guns near water, and it came out.... I think the herbicide for near water works, just not quite as well or as quickly as Round-Up. Anyway, good luck, and let us know what you are able to persuade your client into.

Yum, I'm with you... I only have room for 2 tomatoes in my new retirement garden. (I used to grow 24). I also agree with Carolyn... Taste them in your own garden to try them as I did using pots if necessary. I tried Sweet Million a couple of years ago and it was terrific, but it cracked!! Then last year I tried Nectar. It was even more delicious and no cracking. I planted it again this year but also taste tested it in a pot, along with 5 other cherry tomatoes grown in 1 gallon pots. Now before everyone jumps in to tell me these pots are too small, please note they are TASTING SAMPLERS, not intended to be full grown tomato plants. When I get a taste of the tomatoes to compare, I'll toss the tomato plants. Nectar had to be one of the plants grown in a 1 gallon pot so all tests would be equal. It had ripe fruit second behind Ample which was also very good, but not good enough to bump Nectar out of first place for taste. Still waiting for Sakura, Sunsugar, Sunpeach, and Sugary to ripen. Sugary has the most blossoms at this point... Absolutely loaded beyond belief!! This experiment has been totally perfect in every way for me. It allowed me to see which cherry tomato was the best for my garden and my tastebuds with my qualifications... Early. Sweet. Delicious. No cracking, lots of tomatoes. Nectar wins the test. If I run into a tomato I feel I can't live without, I buy a bigger pot and plant one. :) I encourage you to try it next year and enjoy the ride!! Rebecca

You made it about your "friend" not us. Why was "he" even part of the post if he's not relevant? And, hardly anyone believes in cheating, but still many do it. Cheating starts in the heart....look up what "Covet" means. Why is he even spending time with a married woman? If your husband was doing the same "non cheating" with a woman what would you think? I mean, physical sex aside, it sounds like you are considering maybe someday marrying this "perfect" guy...that must fall into some sort of cheating. Right? I don't care if you even believe in God, but you brought up the Christian part, again, not us. And, your story seems to get worse depending on how defensive you get. At first, your husband never laid a hand on you or his real kids, now it appears you are "abused and beat". Which is it? And by the way, none of God's Christian laws that I know of say anything about "THOU must be Happy"....you may "THINK" and "HOPE" God wants you to be happy because you want it, but it has never been one of his laws. Happiness is often found in the next life, not this one. Of course, no one wants you or your kids to be abused unmercibly, but you should be working on resolving your problems one way or another WITHOUT another man in your life. I know you want to hear..."Your husband is so awful, so go be with the man of your dreams and live a wonderful happily ever after life that you deserve"....but that's probably not going to happen no matter how much you want it. I have friends that have done and thought the exact same way you did, and you may think I am trying to be mean and hurtful, but I really am trying to help you. Things just won't turn out all rosy like you think, no matter how much you hope or think you deserve it. Believe it or not, I really am trying to help you and your kids. I could recommend some books about living with people with chronic pain, even abuse, etc... but it doesn't sound like you're interested in anything but approval to do what you want to do. Sorry, you don't like my advice. But sometimes the hardest things to hear are those that are true.

He sure will think you're his mother when he opens his eyes. You'll have a friend for life...I agree the colostrum is very impotant for his immunity but with your excellent care, he'll make it.