Boy, that shows how much variation there can be in a species. Liatris aspera around here is commonly 4-5 feet tall when blooming. Agree with the G. andrewsii and Symphyotrichon laeve (Aster laevis in the old, easier nomenclature). The great thing about railroad rights-of-way is that they often haven't been messed with for many decades, and frequently are the only true prairie remnants left in an area. I know of a rail line west of Madison, WI that has maybe 15 feet of gorgeous prairie growth on either side of it and then the inevitable corn or soybean fields begin.

Both Leymus and Panicum send up new shoots from spreading rhizomes, but I like to refer to these types as clumping spreaders ( hey, an oxymoron :) ). Santa Rosa Gardens says this about Leymus Blue Dune, "Best used in open areas, but can be contained with minimum effort." It's the matting rhizomes that help stabilize the sand and control erosion, so you give up one, you give up the other. If you are filling with other flowering natives and want to contain it to a small area, Leymus may not be right, as it willl likely spread some, even with the dry, sandy conditions. What's nice about Blue Dune is that it's a cool season grass that's tolerant of hot weather. You could start both Leymus and Panicums this fall. You could also try to find some wildflower seed mixes, and possibly seed out virgatum as well. Plugs are always easier on a sandy, dry hill, but with some attention, seeding could work. Donn is quite a seed master and may have some advice in that area. Here is a link that might be useful: Leymus Blue Dune

Congrats on your salamanders! It was nice meeting you when the guy named Jim was holding the Mississippi Green Water snake. I thought I had some good film of my son holding it but when I returned home I found out my camcorder was not recording correctly. Time for a new one! A real bummer about my film but still had a great time there last weekend.

Any time there is something the general public wants that you don't, it is a huge opportunity for a bargain. Supply and demand...the best way to get a bargain is to demand something that others DON'T demand. But if you focus too much on "resale value" then you end up looking for houses that have things you don't need or really want because "others want it and it will increase the resale value". Last time I looked for a place I specifically said I wanted to avoid open floor plans (I hate them) and didn't care about the kitchen (I don't cook much). Confused the heck out of the realtor, who kept trying to persuade me high end kitchens increase resale value. Half the time the things people say "increase resale value" are current fads that may change 10 years from now. A house that has what the current trends demand will often seem overpriced when the trends change. One thing some people will tell you is "buy the most house you can afford". This is truly terrible advice...if it's the most house you can afford, it's more house then you can afford if you lose your job or have a medical problem or any other setback. Life happens...you should plan for disaster. This post was edited by edlincoln on Thu, Sep 4, 14 at 9:50