I'll have to peruse this work when I get home this evening. I am not a botanist, and it's been at least 30 years since I last had a botany course, so...I'm going to have to brush up on my terms to understand what he's describing. For my own satisfaction, I am going to get a sample and walk through his description. As I said before, the pictures I've seen of L. quihoui (as generously offered by Google, possibly erroneous, but all I have)...do not really compare to what I'm seeing. Nevertheless, from what I've read of many of the Ligustrum species, I do understand it's not anything to propagate and/or encourage. Thank you all for your time and help...with my first foray onto the "Name That Plant" forum! Sharon

The old knot theory is because, while I didn't show it in this pic, this is actually growing out of a knot in the wood that's partially in the ground. And thanks for the welcome, Ken. Some pics: A Pinus sylvestris 'Gold Coin' that I'm likely not to do well with, but am growing to see how it does: Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Samurai' (replete with multiple leaders): Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Mariesii' growing in full (but high) shade: Pinus densiflora 'Occulus Draconis' just starting out: Young Abies koreana 'Aurea': A tiny little newly planted Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Curly Tops': A very slow-growing Thujopsis dolabrata 'Variegata': Those are some of the only ones of which I have full pics. Most of my shots tend to be macro level of foliage, I'm afraid. Neil

Tried Manual settings exclusively yesterday, I haven't touched on that til then...Had it since Dec 2005... Settings: 1st TN 60S F5 2nd TN 40S F5 Regular 30S F5 REgular 25S F5 Last TN 20S F5 Taken in shade, on the ground No flash Exif says 4.7mm away from obect, I'm not sure how much that is, but in inch talk about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches away Used elbow to help steady camera Set on Manual Mode with macros on Camera:FujiFinePix E500 4.1 megapix, 3.2x optical zoom I think I like the 30s or 25s F5 setting best...I've concluded you must not be in a hurry when use manual settings but I think they would make great focused pictures to print...I've also noticed when I edited any of the higher (lower), don't have the language down yet, kind of reminds of tring to understand algebra, exposures that you could edited them easy enough with gamma, brightness and contrast which looks half way decent... I did no editing whatsoever on any of them...

Have promised myself that this will be the year of evergreens - specifically pines, more specifically the lovely spreading Mediterranean pinus pinaster, but also want a weeping p. wallichianum, a row of p.radiata (have become naturalised in my county) and a few more Scot's pines -p.sylvestris. Also keen to add Holm oaks, box and more spindles...even the neglected wild privet. On the perennial front, am having another gentian moment (bit only the calcicoles) after growing the little pink centaury (not strictly a gentian but related) and the lovely spring gentian - g.verna. Maybe add in some more omphalodes too...and yet another go-eound with mertensia. Like Tex, I am also keen to add a few moew asters, especially a cordifolius, a.longifolium and a rather lovely boltonia (inspired by Rob).