That would have been grueling work for sure flowergirl70ks. Very interesting, any photos of those early fences? I also want a large sandstone block with the name of my school positioned at the very point of my property down front. Right now there is a large stump from a pine tree taken down three years ago in the spot I want the stone. Plus I have my heart set on the letters being carved, not painted, ect. I even bought some stone carving tools off Ebay but haven't attempted anything yet. After reading books and watching Utube videos on the subject I'm afraid I may not have the talent or patience for stone carving. First things first, to get the stump ground out. Best bid was $260. Something else always crops up when I have that $260! this time it will be a new hot water heater. ugh. I used to work with real stone blocks but over the years I've discovered I just can't move them about as well as I used too. So I've gone to the faux sandstone foundation blocks made by a local Amishman, for some of my garden projects. They look ok. The above stone is real though. I guess I should say "Luxor" instead of "Stonehenge". :)

Thanks, everyone. bboy, I commend you on your intuition right from the start! calliope - I think you hit it right on the head - I'm never going to move up anywhere careerwise working part-time. Until recently, I had been very intentional about working only part-time due to various family obligations. Also, my husband was pondering early retirement, so I preferred part-time work in the hopes that we could spend more time together when he retired. So I started my part-time interior landscaping business, with the intention of eventually growing that into several days a week and quitting my other part time job. My interior landscaping business is doing much better than I had hoped, but growth is stalled out now with the economy. Husband will not be retiring for quite a while, also thanks to the economy. So I'm kind of stuck. If I take a full-time job, I won't have time for my own business. If I take a part-time job, I'll never go anywhere, and the choices are much more limited. laag, I quite understand what you are saying about being pigeonholed as a laborer. I don't quite understand what you mean about "putting yourself in a position where you won't be able to do those things at a nursery as it would be a conflict" - can you elaborate, please? I have actually looked for other part-time work in a totally nongreen industry just to broaden my choices. But laag, you do have a point about making contacts. Any suggestions on what might be relevant industries to consider? I don't have a lot of current experience or interest in many other industries.

Your not going to make a decent salary working for someone else. The horticulture industry is basically a blue collar level of worker or retail which of course does not pay like something requiring high level skills like computers. The problem with horticulture is that there is too much free information available out there for people to research and come up with their own solutions. If you have a passion for plants, fine, but how do you leverage your future knowledge of plants (i.e. a degree in Horticulture or Landscape Design). Plus, there are a lot of Master Gardeners out there who do not charge money for their knowledge. My advice is take an entrepreneurial approach rather than focusing on employment. Think of something within the industry that is a niche that you could become an expert in. By coming up with a business idea, you dont have to worry about not having the experience to get a job, or have credible design experience if you have never designed a residential landscape. Believe me, just having a degree does not make you a decent designer. You may have book knowledge of plants, etc. but no field experience or learning what works in different spaces. There is a big difference between horticulture and say landscape design. Yes, landscapes do contain plants, but there is much more to a landscape than the plant material. The hardcape areas including patios, walls, fencing, driveways, gazebos, outdoor kitchens, waterfeatures, etc. all must be designed in a cohesive manner. The softscape, primarily the plants and ground covers that surround the hardscape are basically secondary. You must have knowledge and design ability in all aspects of landscaping to be a landscape designer. So dont focus on horticulture alone. If being your own boss turns you off because its too risky you're not going to be able to switch careers and make as much money as you do now. The "green industry" does not pay well unless you are something like a branch manager for a large landscape company. The only jobs that pay decent wages are ones that you will need years of experience. A CC degree alone is not enough. While working at a botanical garden may seem romantic if you like being around plants, people volunteer to do that so dont expect to receive a decent wage. Instead, get certified or specialize in a type of niche and set yourself apart from everyone else who loves plants: Certified Nurseryman Certified Arborist Certified Irrigation Auditor Certified Lawncare Specialist Water Conservation Specialist who uses primarily native plants, low water irrigation systems, rainwater catchment systems, i.e. Sustainable Landscaping -- which is the buzz word of the decade.

HY, you are not alone! We've all soooo been there. And time after time, we go there again. And again. We persevere and find joy and beauty in our gardens before the next infestation or plague...which occurs right before another frantic forum post and more pest eviction or disease fighting strategies and then more joy and beauty. We gardeners are nothing if not resilient. For the record, your garden looks 1000x more glorious than mine during its low points. PAOK is gorgeous! Somewhere, I have a stack of really embarrassing photos of my garden at its worst. I'll see if I can dig it up so we can all shudder together. Ha, ha. I'm firmly in Jeri's camp where chemicals are concerned, but I also know that sometimes, one-big-hit before organic methods can produce immediate practical and psychological relief. IF I hit a few plants with something toxic, I'd be very selective and then water thoroughly after success. These days, I'm more likely to cut something way back, douse with the strongest but least damaging environmentally friendly solution (Safer products and others) and repeat while bulking up natural predators and plant nutrients. My current antagonists are cane borers that I'm battling with Elmer's Glue All. For #%}€*&$! aphids, I use insecticidal soap. For squirrels, I cage small plants and rose starts. For years of persistent blackspot or rust, I rip out the rose and choose a resistant variety. I (almost) never use toxic chemicals in my garden, but once or twice, I've been cornered into the unthinkable. There was once a ground wasps nest in the parking strip and under our sidewalk where oodles of kids run by and strollers roll by all day long. It couldn't be easily or safely removed, and the situation was looking very risky. My husband and I resorted to chemicals. I mourned each time I saw the straggling wasps trying to return to their poisoned and blocked nest. In TX, I know that fire ants can be a real danger in a garden. I once stepped in a nest. Enough said. I hope more forum members from your region join in with suggestions. I wish I could offer more in the way of advice, but my climate and my pests are temperate rainforest ones. In the meantime, know that you are not alone, and you and your garden will survive and thrive! Carol