Yeah, I know I'm really late, but I've been trying to avoid going to the local nursery to buy my Sungold seedlings because, honestly, I just hate them, lol. I haven't seen a single Sungold at HD or OSH, sadly, although I've been to both places probably 5 times each in the last month or so. The one place I'm almost positive they'll have the seedlings, I'm avoiding like the plague. The people are really rude and nasty, and when I had tomato psyllids last year, they basically told me I was crazy until I had the county extension office confirm it (and even they hadn't heard of anyone this far north having them - lucky me...). I didn't start any of my tomatoes until the end of May last year. Transplants went in and I started seeds at the same time, and the ones I started from seed did eventually catch up, although I'm not sure what they would have done in terms of production had I started earlier. I'll cross my fingers for a long growing season, and I'll order the seeds anyway, but I'll probably end up buying a seedling if I come across one, just so that I don't miss out on the awesomeness that is Sungold.

Alexis, Congratulations on the new house! What a great adventure you and your DH will have doing all the landscaping and garden building after you get settled into your new home, Your garden looks so lovely right now---it would break my heart to have to yank it out, but sometimes you have to make tough decisions like that. You'll have a lovely garden next year and every year thereafter. I assume you're going to disassemble all the raised beds y'all built and take them and your great soil mix with you? That will give you a great head start on the new garden. Look at it this way---the 100 degree days are arriving this week in the parts of OK that haven't already started hitting 100 degrees and once they arrive, the plants begin to struggle in the endless heat, so the garden productivity would start dropping off anyhow. That fact ought to make tearing out the garden somewhat less heartbreaking. I do hope you tear out your tomato plants last thing so that you can harvest as much as possible from them. Remember that any tomatoes that make it to the breaker stage will color up fine and taste great, so pick and save all those when it is time to take out the plants. What a wonderful adventure you two are about to embark upon. I have such fond memories of our first home and how much fun we had not only with furnishing and decorating our home, but also with landscaping it, planting fruit trees and berries, and putting in our veggie and herb gardens and flower beds. So many wonderful decisions lie ahead for y'all and I know the two of you will create an awesome landscape and garden around your home. Keep us posted on how its going. Have you broken the news to your dog that he's going to have a much larger yard? I bet he'll love it. Dawn

Yeah, that's the trouble with the cane berries. I can mess with all kinds of treatments, but with the few shrubs I have and the close proximity they are to my patio living area, it's the "unsightly" factor that is making me want to rip them out. That's why I'm torn, their appearance vs. the yummy berries they do provide. What I should really do is try and find a community garden plot somewhere for my more unsightly loves. That's the real challenge for me with edible landscaping, not the edible part, the aesthetics. I mean a well maintained vegetable garden is a "pretty" thing to my way of thinking, but in the right setting. Somehow for my courtyard, it's a different animal. Yes, I am asking a lot, but that's the fun of it, it's a real learning experience. The raspberries looked great until they became riddled with problems. I'm trying chemical and pruning schemes but it's an uphill road, like you mention Carol. Funny you should mention "wolfberries." I was just thinking about them today. They grow in huge lush hedges around here in the wild. I pass by some along the road on my way to work every morning. They are on a bank next to the road, competing with every kind of aggressive neighbor imaginable. And I was actually thinking about currants too. There is a clove scented currant bush. This has given me some more options to think about, so I won't feel quite so sad about ripping out my raspberries. Like I said, I'm just whining because I look at them every day and fuss with them to no avail, and this voice in the back of my head says, "Chuck them, they are a mess" and then this other voice says, "No, no, I like those raspberries, yum!" Which will win out, my stomache or my eyes? :) The whole yard is due for a major overhaul this fall. I'm tearing out one wild rose that was a case of "good plant, wrong place" since it is sending out runners into my neighbors yard, plus it wasn't that pretty. I gave most of it away to the arboretum where I used to work, but have to root out the last of it. That's why I'm thinking that spot I pictured above might be good for another rose. At least the runners can't get to my neighbors garden from there. Luckily they are patient with me, since they like to garden and have their own rose and grape battles!! There is another rugosa, called "Snow Pavement" which is supposed to be a bit smaller, but I haven't seen that one in years. I know those landscape roses would be perfect for my yard, but they aren't as fragrant and don't have the large hips. I gotta have a rose though, due to my last name--Rosenberg, which is where I get the "pinkmountain" from. Decisions, decisions. Lots of great options here! I may have to mail order though. As a side note, I have just been hired to teach a horticulture class at Temple Ambler!!! I am sooooo excited. What a geat place that is, they have an absolutely gorgeous arboretum. I'll bet I can find someone down there who would know where to get some of the less run of the mill plants. I'm in seventh heavan, surrounded by plant weenies!!!

I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!! The Knob Shop is an ebay store and they also have a store in Walker, MI. Their prices are VERY reasonable! They sell 3 different finishes of ORB and 1 finish is ORB with dark, matte finish (no highlights)! I ordered some knobs and pulls and I got free shipping since I ordered over 25 items. When I received them, they were very nice. However since my cabinets have a dark walnut stain, the matte finish blended in too much and I thought a highlighted finish would look better. I returned them hassle free, I just had to pay for return shipping. I shipped them back in the same small flat rate box for around $6. The owners are very nice. You can call or email them and they will help you find what you are looking for (if you don't see it in their online catalog). I've done a lot of research on cabinet hardware. ORB varies SO much and it is often hard to tell what kind of finish is in the picture. The Knob Shop specifies the type of ORB finish the item has which is very helpful. HTH, Good luck! :) Here is a link that might be useful: The Knob Shop Ebay Store