Thanks, Yardvaark. That is a good system for when you're home, and is merited if you have a big plant investment (whether in big plants or lots of small ones). And what a coincidence - I've actually been looking for something just like that to help catch someone stealing my newspaper quite regularly, but had only seen the more expensive version I've linked below. Maybe this one has a longer range, but with a 20' front yard, I don't need it :-) Currently I have a webcam set up which works for images but not for intercepting, should I wish to do so. Anyway, I have no quibble with the merit of the plant information in what you propose. But tied to addresses... shouldn't happen. It may, but it shouldn't. There are so many downsides. Imagine you buy a house with a huge whatever that is revered all over the world, and you want to remove it to do something else. The Occupy movement might come to your front yard! Drtygrl... there's an idea for my new screen name... "silver_lining" I've hated the one I have ever since Garden Web eliminated capital letters and it looks like I've put a #1 after my name, necessitating the correction of a signature :-) Someday I'll change it but the longer I stick with this one, the harder it gets! Karin L Here is a link that might be useful: a more expensive version

This is fun! So glad you are all trying to find ways to have more wildlife in your gardens. A few thoughts. 1. Vaseline on the poles...works until the weather gets too hot, then it gets gloppy, goopy, full of buts, and finally slides right off. (At least, that was my experience. 2. Slinkies are easy to attach. First, open the top ring of the Slinky. It has a little fastener holding the last loop closed. Just push it with a screwdriver or other tool until the last loop opens up. Slide the Slinky over your pole and into the position you want. Slide a hose clamp over the pole, push the final loop of the Slinky through the hose clamp, and tighten the hose clamp against the pole. Let the Slinky hang free at the bottom. The more it wiggles, the less likely they can climb it. Mine haven't even had the nerve to TRY yet. (I'll post a close up tomorrow so you can see just how it works.) For a $2.00 investment, NO SQUIRRELS! Wooohooooo! 3. Anna, you probably don't want to lure owls (or any predatory bird) to your garden if you are trying to feed birds there. It will frighten them away. If you have a large piece of property and can locate the owl box a LONG way away from your feeding station, that would be fine. Otherwise, I'd rethink that one, if I were you. Wood duck boxes are great if you have a pond or lake nearby. Other birds that will nest in boxes include bluebirds, wrens, titmice, great crested flycatchers, woodpeckers and more. Each requires specific dimensions and hole sizes, and specific locations, heights, etc. All of that info can be found online. 4. Tannatonk, as I said in my posts, I always throw down plenty of cracked corn on the ground for the squirrels and doves. But I try to keep the squirrels out of my feeders, and usually my baffles have worked. Now the Slinky is working well, too, SO FAR. I also feed safflower in the feeders that aren't squirrel proofed, as they don't like it. And no, I have never fed a red-bellied woodpecker by hand. Titmice and some other small birds, yes, but not woodpeckers. Let us know if you succeed! Good luck! Today, I had about 8 indigo buntings at once. In addition to the four adult males I've been seeing, there were 4 first spring males (immatures), and 1 female. Hmmm...that's NINE, isn't it? The painted bunting seems to be gone, and I never saw the rose-breasted grosbeak again, but the indigos are so much fun. They fly fast back and forth between the feeders, and often feed on the ground, like a flock of bright blue sparrows. Marcia

Karyn, My A. serpens (the typical red flowered one), which has been living at my mom's, didn't bloom this year either. It was badly attacked by bugs last year--thrips and maybe also spider mites. The new growth is extremely vigorous, though. I think in general they are supposed to be fairly pest-resistant. However, the A. serpens was next to a Crinodendron hookerianum that got killed by bugs, and I think some jumped over... I did a search and the Agapetes species above seem to be found at roughly 1500-3000 m (5000-10,000 ft) elevation. I wonder if there are any species (and any of those in cultivation) from lower elevations and more tolerant of heat? While looking up elevation info, I found another nursery selling several species, including seeds of A. hosseana. This is Sacred Succulents in Sepastopol, CA. I have never ordered from them, but a friend has had good experiences. Here is a link that might be useful: Agapetes at Sacred Succulents

The appearance of hypertufa was a factor. Not anything to do with with ruggedness or earthiness, though, except coincidentally.. I've had six large unmovable hypertufa troughs in more or less continuous use for 25 or so years and wanted the new smaller and lighter ones to be a reasonable match. I also could not think of anything that would be lighter than a thin layer of hypertufa over styrofoam. No question that plant competition may cause some to favor an environment less than ideal for optimum growth. The other side of that coin, however, is the desire to grow plants "in character", as alpine gardeners used to say. In other words, the plants should appear as close to their counterparts in the wild as can be achieved under garden or container conditions. I have not ever created lethal conditions in a container by following the guidance provided by a plant's natural habitat. Doesn't mean it can't happen, of course. As for a plant's relative "happiness", that's way to anthropomorphic for me! The thoughts of alpine gardening reminded me of the articles Jim Borland wrote about container media for the NARGS journal in the 80's. The main one appeared in the famous trough issue. He emphasized many of the same points you have and exploded some of the same myths about drainage and other issues. It ignited something of an ongoing controversy that went on continued for some time. Likewise, Edward Reilly in his book, Success with Rhododendrons and Azaleas, advocated a container mix very similar to your 5-1-1. He prescribed 3 parts bark screened to 1/4 inch, 1 part coarse peat, and 1 part coarse sand, the latter primarily to add weight so pots were not easily blown over. Roy Heath's classic book, Collector's Alpines, seemingly had a different medium for nearly every species. Don Wallace of Singing Tree Nursery just recently published online his recommendations for container media. The Bovees nursery - probably the most knowledgable growers of vireya rhodendrons in the US - has a recipe online as does the Rhododendron Species Foundation for some species. Point is, they are all slightly different and all effective. I do admire the research you have conducted and your willingness to help others. All of us attempting to grow things in containers, whether rhododendrons or tomatoes, owe you a huge debt of gratitude.,