read at the link about planting in clay ... do you remove all the peat based media before planting in such a diverse soil??? can you get and store a load of regular soil .... so that when you plant half the pot ... you can berm the rest with good soil ... drainage is key to conifers/trees ... digging a cauldron in bad clay.. and amending.. does NOT change the inherent drainage of your clay ... by planting high.. we let half the roots out of the clay cauldron.. so that it has a chance to get established.. and in the mean time.. it will go down into the clay.. of its own devices.. trees have no problem with clay ... its the planting process in clay that causes the trouble ... if the buds are still good.. then all you have to worry about.. is how that clay will hold water all winter long .... wonder if your location would make a difference ... next to your GW name... you can add a big city name next to your 7 .. on your members page .... else wise.. we are going to be asking all the time .... 7 is kinda vague .... ken Here is a link that might be useful: link

I got Niagara Falls in late 2012, so it was mostly dormant then. Which made 2013 the first year to see it rise up in the spring. In July 2013 it had bloomed and set one seed pod In 2014 it emerged looking like it had spread out a bit. I'm liking it and another Olga ruffled greenie, Manhattan. The picture I saw of it last year on the alphabet was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. Deep lavender pink blooms, ruffles, looked like the Queen Mother! This year, Manhattan looks good, but the fire ants have invaded it after all the rains. So when they are dead, I'll repot it to keep the roots from aerating too much. Both of these seem very easy to grow ... so far anyway.

In Toronto, a visit to Casa Loma is always fun. On the way back to Mich, stop in Stratford for some Shakespearean and other theater. I've never seen a bad performance there. I'd recommending coming back over the Ambassador Bridge because the view is good. In Detroit, if you a baseball fans, take in a Tigers game. Also in the Detroit area, in Dearborn specifically, Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum are good for a couple of days. we've also done a tour of the Ford Rouge plant, a very environmentally car assembly factory - that was really interesting and was a great visual showing how people don't make cars any more. I hope this helps.

Every year they change the design of the Floral Clock, and it is worth seeing. Right beside it is the Lilac Gardens with many different varieties. When they are in bloom it is fantastic. The Horticultural School is also worth seeing and it is that way. Lots of picnic places on route as well.