Gracie, It is OK. Perhaps, if we are successful, we will help you grow into a gardener. You know, as beautiful as any home is and can be, each home needs a lovingly planted and well-maintained landscape to showcase it to its' best advantage. If you are in the Oklahoma City area, you are in zone 7. If you have clay soil, the absolute best thing you can do for your plants before they are planted is to amend the soil so that it both holds water well and drains well. To do this, add the following to your soil: peat moss OR compost, composted manure and finely shredded pine bark (or cypress) mulch. You don't have to add tons and tons, but at least 2 to 4 inches as a minimum. Till it into the soil (if you don't have a tiller, perhaps you can rent one or borrow one). Then, rake and level the soil, and plant. You will notice that the improved soil is mounded up somewhat higher than the surrounding grade, and that is a good thing. Improving the clay even a small bit will help your plants to grow faster and to maintain good health. If you want to go one step further and make the area low-maintenance, cover the prepared soil with a cloth-type landscape fabric mulch. Peg down the ends of the fabric mulch with the landscape staples (U-shaped metal things) or plastic pegs (usually green, they look like large green plastic nails). Cut an "X" shape in the fabric and plant in that spot. When you're done planting, cover the fabric with the mulch of your choice. This extra step will repay you many times over by making that area low-maintenance. The plants will benefit because they won't have grass or weeds competing with them for moisture or nutrition. Now, about the plants. In order to decide what you want to plant, figure out what you like. I'd rather plant shrubs and vines that have a look to them that I like seeing, and not just a plant that someone recommended. If you don't know what you like, go to local nurseries or to the Botanic Garden or to the Myriad and look at the plants. When you see one you like, try to find out what it is. (Hopefully the plants are well-labeled.) BEFORE you buy, research the plant and make sure you understand its' needs. For example, some plants need full sun, some need full shade, others tolerate partial shade/sun and some (especially the holly family shrubs) can grow in either one. Also make sure you understand what the plants mature height and spread will be. It can be tricky. The red-tip photinias, as Randy and I have already said, can get very large. I have seen them get 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide in less than a decade. Since most people plant then only a few feet from one another, they begin to crowd each other out. Pruning them works for a while, but after several years of that, you have pruned them back to the point that all you have are huge limbs with lots of stubble covered by leaves. They are also overused, and I like using plants that aren't as commonly used. Your clay soil may be a faster-draining clay because it has some sand or loam, or it may be a heavy, thick clay that bakes brick hard in summer and holds pools of water in spring. Take the type of clay you have into consideration when choosing your plants. Last year,I compiled long lists of clay soil-tolerant plants for Emily. I'm going to go to this forum's back pages and find those and bump them up to the top for you. You might find some additional ideas there. You'll know them when you see them as they are titled "A Tree List for Emily....", "A Shrub List for Emily..." etc. Good luck and keep communicating with us. We'll do our best to help you. Dawn

I am still thinking so this is not my answer. What annuals have you been buying? A fellow like you could grow them cheaper yourself. I buy plants I could grow myself too but I am more impulsive than you. Annuals bloom their heads off in the heat of summer and many have long bloom times. Most of my perennials bloom and then are done. Some will rebloom if deadheaded. You have shade. I can't at the moment think of a yellow and white theme for most of the summer. I think foliage plants would provide the most attractive display for the longest time. Heucheras are foliage plants not yellow and white and they look better in spring. They are nice attractive plants. July and August are not the best months for them. Sun coleus are annuals in our climate, but I don't buy them every year. You can overwinter them on your basement window sill in plastic tubs and take cuttings in spring. Most bugs don't bother them. Besides needing water they are easy plants. There are some nice yellowish sun coleus but it is not short enough for you. Do you have any luck with hostas? My best ones are in pots and mid summer is not their best time either. I think Sandy has a shade garden so maybe she will think of something. It is not raining here and my plants don't look so good. I am trying to keep the squash bugs from killing my one squash plant that has survived and they are on my cucumber now. I planted too many tomatoes that need water which is in short supply. I hope someone thinks of something to help. We like to hear from you.

Hello all... thanks for all the kind words. I am still trying to struggle through the day. Somedays I am ok, but others not that great. It was her birthday on October 20th. She would have been 64 or "39" as she would have said. We went to the park and fed the ducks... she always liked to do that. I also brought daisys and popped the tops off and placed them in the water. I miss the way that I would call her and she would be willing to go with me on what ever adventure I wanted to go on that day. She was always there for me. I know I am lucky to have a person like that and that it was my Mom, but it hurts no less. I am trying to build a new "normal". It is rough though because everything I do reminds me of her. I started to move around furniture in our house and I was thinking that everything I touched we bought together. She was a great decorator and I have no decorating sense at all. I just wonder when the feeling that I am completly lost and alone will go away. The holidays are coming and I hate it. I think we are going to plan a vacation at Christmas so I don't have to think about it. I don't know about Thanksgiving. Mom used to make the best mashed potatoes. This is so freaking hard. I think I am going to check into counseling again. It is so hard because I put on a strong face when I am out, but crumble when I get to my car or at home. I talk to my husband, but I don't think he really understands. What do you all do for the holidays?? Any ideas on how to get through them?

Slowmedown, I remember last Christmas , a group was purchasing items from us at a flea market and said they were putting them in shoe boxes. I guess I should have ask then, I just thought it was for kids at their church. Is there any particular item that you are looking for ? If I can help you out in any way, please let me know. Spiderwoman, I checked out a magazine at our local bookstore and didnt see anything in it, but I just kinda thumbed thru it. Thanks for the info, I will check again and see what I come up with. Ladyronnie, Man .. am I ever glad that you posted for Jerrysartrama, I looked at this one this morning and bookmarked it to go back and order from it, it has been a busy day and I completely forgot about going back to it. I just went and ordered some of the brushes that he can use. It looked like good prices to me, I really do appreciate all of your help and if there is anything out there I can do for anyone just let me know. By the way........ a bowling center not to far from us, told me that any of the bowling balls that are on the racks, that does NOT have the bowling centers initials on them, have been left by customers, and they are free for the taking. You might check with your local bowling center and see if the same applies there. Some of them are so pretty that you dont want to mosaic over them ! But... they are FREE ! Just a heads up and its worth checking out. Thank you so much for all of your help, and still just one post on the painting board ! Sandra