LOL Ken, I stuffed those in that spot late last year. It's not really a full-fledged garden, just an oak tree that was boring and homeless hostas that got paired up. In light of hosta safety from lawn mowers, I put the small eyes relatively close to the oak to avoid the mower blades. I can move them out if they get too crammed, but I kind of like the look of it with certain varieties. I typically plant now and create the garden later. So far, I've not received approval from hubby to put in a formal edging and make a "real" garden because of proximity to the neighbors. I suppose one way around it is to get rid of the grass and forego the edging, but I'd rather be working on grass removal in areas I won't have to perform that task again (areas I can edge). At the very least, I'll probably pull a few clumps of grass this spring, mulch with oak leaves and call it a day. It's a good thing you called me on the hosta abuse, they will thank you, Ken :-)

Just curious- I have the same equipment as you but I cant get that kind of quality using the 50-250is . I can get similar quality with the sigma APO 180 MACRO. Do you use any photo shop help with your photos. If not Im doing something terribly wrong.

Dave, Your 560mm shots are very nice and you got some unusual poses with his tongue out and beak agape... and I notice you're still getting good shutter speeds even without optimal light....(the S3 can only dream of such low-noise images above ISO 200 at any zoom or in any light). And of course it's reach is limited to @430mm where some aberrations annoy. I talked myself out of the 1.5TC because I think I'm kidding myself that I'd ever have enough light to make that work. The 400mm shots are noticeably cleaner at the lower ISO (and probably better light). And the 300mm lens w/1.4TC looks excellent... perhaps better than the 400 although the light and/or distance may have been better in those shots. I'm always so impressed with how tightly the MkIII focuses... the DOF in that last shot is almost exactly the depth of the bird. :) So enuf camera envy already huh... As usual, you fill your lens with such lovely birds. great shooting, Kenn

I've had them planted for about 3 weeks now, they are doing great! Climbing up the twine just beautifully with little to no help from me. I will probably end up taming the "new grabbers" (I have no idea what you call them) that grow off any original vine, I am still scared they are going to end up waaaay to heavy. I planted these before researching as much as I should have, I ended up using Miracle Grow Potting Mix (I have them in planters) before I knew about them not liking fertilizer. I can tell they probably won't bloom just because the leaves are SO big and I know it's from the fertilizer. I didn't expect much from them anyways since I was so late on planting, but as long as I have some large foilage to block out my neighbor, I'm good!