I'm so envious of all your cats...I'd love to have a kitten or an older cat but DH has gone thru one broken hip and replacement due to a fall and I have very poor vision. The lovely way a cat entwines around your feet while walking ...or the way they love to pounce playfully from a hiding place...just can't risk it. A little off-topic but I mentioned in an earlier thread our Amazon Parrot "Bird". About 4 years ago I found her a good new home thru our vet who had trimmed her nails and wingtips for years. (Bird was 13 at that time, raised from a 2-month old baby by me.) As we slowed our activity and had fewer guests, she became quieter and less active. I could see her joy when our parttime houskeeper arrived or a repairman. Her favorite was my son who played "drums" for her...she had always loved his rockband practice in the back bedroom and sang right along LOL Anyway, I knew she needed more activity around her plus a younger caretaker as Parrots can live to 50 years or more. She now lives in a house with other birds and 2 teens who have been around birds all their lives so I know Bird is happier. For awhile I got updates and invites to come see the dedicated birdroom with access to balcony turned into outdoor aviary but I just couldn't go. When we moved I decided not to stay in touch. I miss her so. Guess I just wanted to say enjoy your pets...we had lovely cats while my son was growing up named Cat and Momma Cat (one of her only and unexpected litter of kittens "Growler" was adopted by a vet assistant who sent photos to my son for awhile). Those two lived into their late teens. Afterwards we just enjoyed the neighbor's big rabbit who often escaped his cage and headed straight for our overgrown yard. They always knew where to look for him. He must have weighed near 40 pounds. Just rambling but I so enjoyed this thread...brought back many good memories. josh

Beng, While Knuttle seems to have missed the "meaning" (whatever it is) of the picture, the comment about the picture (by itself) not supporting any conclusion is right on target. Let's say that this thread was from someone who's home had just been washed away by a flood. The original poster, in this scenario, came here to tell us about a trend of floods wiping out whole communities. Now, you come along and post a picture of a guy who is forced to live with only 10 ounce of water per day, another guy who is forced to live with only 20 ounces, one with only 40 ounces, and the final with 80 ounces of water per day. I guess you would consider the picture relevant to the conversation? Would you find it somehow "enjoyable"? And finally, would you consider the picture "a scientific fact"? Well this scenario has a lot in common with your posts above. I don't know if you don't fully understand the topic of this thread or meant the picture to be some political cheap-shot, but your picture doesn't add anything of relevance to the topic. In fact, it appears to be an attempt to fool the unsuspecting laymen into believing that there is a direct correlation between carbon dioxide levels and plant health without limits and without caveats. It certainly doesn't take into consideration the numerous other factors involved. Just as people refused (and some still do to this day) to believe that the Earth isn't flat, there are those that seem to want to push the idea that pollution has no consequences. What's really shameful is that many of the large energy companies, with a huge interest in hiding the reality, put out the idea that pollution has no consequences and the foolish buy into the idea wholeheartedly. We are fouling our own bed (as someone wrote above) and the pitiful thing about it is that some among us think it's entertaining or good for us.

Sean - it would be really useful to know more about your location. Apart from being in the North East where are you? On a hilltop? Near the sea? Many of the suggestions you have been getting, while hardy in much of the UK might not be happy where you are. Cordyline, for example can be shredded by the wind and burnt by frosts and really isn't worth looking at in that condition. You need to really get to know your land. You might have sheltered micro climates within it. Or frost pockets. Or wind tunnels.

Laura, you may want to read this. I have made truce many times and even further..) http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4897055/iron-deficiency?n=21 In particular this) Silica Trickyputt, WTF ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Like Bookmark October 5, 2017 at 3:36PM Susanne Michigan Zone 5/6(6) Silica don't feed the troll please :) 1 Like Bookmark October 5, 2017 at 4:22PM trickyputt(8a AL) But Trolls need feeding too. Because you do not care for people learning how to grow on their own I deleted the post that offend you. mikerno_1micha(Zone 6a, Massachusetts) Tricky point, get lost since you have nothing nice to say or I shall have to report you to my friends at Houzz...I have never seen such a crude and rude person here in the ten years or so since I have been helping. There is no place for you here I will make sure of it if you can't be respectful or considerate..I suggest you delete your last one too silica. Just a heads up. Houzz will be coming by as soon as I talk to them. and probably mistake your post for something inappropriate. I don't want him to think anything bad about you since you have been a wonderful help here and I would miss all you have to offer if they banned you by mistake. Waiting on you