I'm thinking it's a Lactuca of some type, maybe Lactuca serriola, prickly lettuce. Here is a link that might be useful: Prickly lettuce

Hi All, I appreciate your wisdom. :-) Even though I may have sounded nuts (and I was!), I realize "Rome wasn't built in a day." I'm glad I've gotten to the plantings this year and think they will help a bit in time. Heaven knows that's the truth for the house--there was *nothing* here when I bought 4 years ago. So, it's come a *long* way. But, I'm a school teacher and during Aug-May I have *no* time. Honestly-none. So, I do what I can in the summer (although we have work on prep and admin. now). While I enjoy the product of gardening/interior design, I enjoy process less--esp in the garden where it is physically hard for me to work (due to an injury that makes walking/digging painful). Soooo...I'll admit I'm looking for something that works the first time, if possible. That said, I'm not beyond moving things if I have to and next year will move 2 laurels--somewhere--as they don't work where they are. And, I do enjoy it at its core. All this reminds me of the "what I learned from gardening" thread. I do need to learn patience and to enjoy the modest things that the garden brings. :-) So, resalesally--you are right that I should just "go" and stop obsessing. HA! :-) Nell- Thanks for your comments, too. It is a great door that they have. (Wonder if I might be too lazy to clean those panes?? Hmmm....) Memo- Thanks for the awning suggestion. Trouble is, I just don't like awnings. I know I'm getting away from the authenticity of the house a bit...but based on my completely crude "paint" experiments in WORD, thing something raised a bit will help give me what I'm looking for. But...you might be right about the awning being so tiny compared to the stoop. (Man, I have *got* to learn photoshop to test your theory out.) As for the lattice...so you're saying to post it in the ground *perpendicular* to the stoop? Is that right? Hmmm...possibly. Hadn't thought of that. What do you think about covering the concrete w/ wood and a railing and giving the house a more "cottage" feel? EVERYONE - Paint trim vote for the bottom of the house?? Thanks, ya'll! Keep those ideas coming.

Well, I have more minis than I realized. I put the first ones in small pots. Hmmmm, that just did not work too well, because they dried out quicker, and were easy to overlook. So I began using big flat bowls and put from 4 to 7 minis in each one. I think I have about 4 or 5 bowls now. If I can afford to get stiffer plastic bowls, or maybe make some sturdy hypertufa bowls, I will have the problem licked. Next spring, of course. I have a few small/mini hosta that are holding up nicely. If you like the mouse series, be sure to check out Snow Mouse. It is very thick leaved, and durable. Then Cracker Crumbs is hanging tough this late in the season. Atom Smasher seems to be shrinking a bit, but is still very green/yellow. I love Little Jay and White Dove--reverse variegations. Then a strong grower seems to be Verna Jean. Never heard of it but what the heck, my best friend's mama is named that, so I got two of those. Lemon Lime is doing well, but it does not have heavy substance. I ordered a second Grand Tiara, the first one is in a nose dive to oblivion, and as many Masquerades as I've bought this year, I'm hoping at least ONE will survive. It makes a gorgeous clump. It will be very interesting next spring to watch for little eyes peeping out...or maybe not....and then we'll be off and running for a 2nd year of hosta addiction. Some really fine plants came through my garden gates this year. I'm already looking forward to spring!

Thank you all for the help! I'm going to keep the mystery dicentra/spectabilis where it is and see what it does... It's smaller and more "open leafed" than a different dicentra that I put in last fall which still look more like shoots... I'll post more pictures as it grows! :-). The galium will be moved somewhere else- I might be ok with a bit of spreading somewhere else, but not in this little area that I'm trying to make have a more organized structure and planting plan....