Boy, am I guilty of some of this stuff. I'm always planting too close and for some reason I seem to think bigger is better. However, as some have recognized, if something gets too big, just whack it down and let it start over again. In the case of succulents one can just cut large pieces of a mature specimen and start them someplace else. In this pic I'm posting, that large shrub in the top corner is a Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis). I have to whack that thing down about every five years. I'm not going to replace it though because it has 3-4 wonderful bloom flushes every year and the Hummers love it. Also, that patch of modest sized Euphorbias next to it, well eventually they get about 40 feet tall! I'm 60 years old so I don't worry about that--but I do take SUBSTANTIAL cuttings and root them someplace else in the yard or give them to friends. One of the benefits I've noticed of planting "too closely" is that I don't get the unwanted weeds and grasses (or at least quite so many) like my neighbors do. Also, because I live in a dry area, I don't have to water so much when plants are more closely spaced (don't ask me why--just doesn't seem to dry out as quickly between waterings). I think one of the issues not discussed is that some like a nice looking yard, but don't really like gardening all that much. It does make a difference (one's attitude). -Ron-

What a great group and great advice!! I do sincerely appreciate everyone's input!! And thanks so much for all the well wishes for success with this project!! lsst, the kudzu is a bad, evil thought joke on my part :-), my grandfather had it on his property and I remember as a child his constant battle to keep it from taking over his garden shed and keep it back out of his veggie garden. I hate that stuff and would never ever consider planting it. Needless to say, I need a LOT of trees. The developer next door decided to clear more lots yesterday and had the bull dozer running all day. I'm going with a layered hedge. The wider, the better for me. I'm going to put in a first line of White Pine. That is going to be my main line down the property line on his side. I've found a great deal on them from both SC Forestry and Arbor Day. I need to find my second "layer" and researching that now. Holly is quite interesting to me, and so is the pyracantha. Both I love. Economical is a key here, as I need so many to form this hedge. I'll be getting more into the magnolia, flowering Cherry, smaller hedge plants up closer to the house in my strategically placed bed areas. I want to define my actual "yard" area more and almost create an enclosed courtyard type of feeling with plants. But my first step is the LONG line of evergreen to block the majority of the view. lsst, I agree, why can't people just read the signs?? My property is posted, and one of the teenagers from the pit bull, yard chicken house has driven once and walked right past the 2 signs at my entrance to come uninvited to ask if I'll sell him one of my classic muscle cars. The first time, he was told no and asked to leave. The second time DH took him and showed him the No Trespassing signs and asked him to leave. One of the same group DH had to run off the back acreage. He seems to have no memory or sense of private property. When I was a child, both my Dad and Grandfather taught me that I was not to even cross a fence line that wasn't posted. And if posted, totally off limits! Both of them were avid outdoors men and even taught me that if I was out for a walk and came up on a pasture, to walk around the farmers fence. I guess that etiquette is now gone forever. Sad to see.

Take cuttings of firm new growth apply 0.1 to 0.5% IBA (rooting hormone) stick in well drained soil & mist taking 25060 days to root,, & 1 year to produce a 1 gal plant. May also use seed but needs a cold treatment to germinate.

Nellie R. Stevens source - If you are wanting a lot of one specific type of plant (especially a fairly common one), mail-order is not the way to go, IMO. I'd go over to John Deere Landscaping on Lovell Road, or somewhere like that, and see what they'd do for you. You could also contact Kinsey Gardens over on Rutledge Pike. Kinsey is a wholesale-only place, but if you tell them that you want to do one single large purchase of a single type of plant and that you don't expect the typical warranties and customer-pampering that nurseries provide, I'm pretty sure they'll make an exception. I've seen them sell retail in this type of situation before. You could even just stop by their Rutledge Pike office and talk face-to-face, if you are in the neighborhood. Do consider that if you go with one type of plant and install them into a long formal hedge, inevitably something will happen to one of them (disease, car wreck, whatever) and you'll end up with a snaggle-tooth look. Also, realize that Nellie R. Stevens will grow very large unless you are vigilant with pruning. Fruiting-plant sources - Sources for Fruit Trees and Plants is my list of nearly all popular and semi-popular edible-fruit plant suppliers. Even many of the ones to avoid are listed separately at the bottom. Pyracanthas source - ForestFarm has a good selection of these, but, like the hollies, if you want a lot of them and aren't picky about the cultivar, check with one of the local suppliers (John Deere, etc). Small trees - Going with smaller stuff is actually a big advantage in many ways. The smaller specimens are much easier to plant, often suffer less from transplant shock, and are sometimes able to establish a much superior root system.