Hi all. Thank You ALL so much for the responses & Emails.I've been trying to get back to everyone,.....But I need some time to go through everyone's emails & trade-lists, so try to have a bit of patience with me. I have a few trades set up, and would like to do one or two more, but I think I have enough offers now. Thanks Again! Dawn

Leaves make great mulch and feed the soil and the worms. They might prevent reseeding of some types of flowers but then they have that effect on weed seeds too, just by blocking light. If your perennials are totally buried in mounds of leaves, they can also be smothered by the mounds. Several inches of mulch around the plant will work great. I do this every fall and I've been happy with the result. Karen

Jean- My 4 o'clocks never come up the following year, they always get frozen by winter. They do not even self seed here. I mean they do alll summer but then again nothing comes up over winter. So I have to start them again, which is a real pain. I had them running all along the front wall last summer until I yanked them to make that big planter box in the front yard were lots of new daylilies are going to be planted. Now morning glories are another story, those always (and easily) self seed. I find that if I leave any or miss any they bloom the wrong colors with smaller flowers, so I pull out self seeded vines and plant new ones from bought seeds. Last year I had some on a tower but they got so overgrown I pulled them out. This spring I think I will plant them on a much bigger, stronger tower were my trumpet vine died. Julie- I love the flowers on the bearded iris but for me the bloom period is too short to go nuts and plant them all over. Also, I do not like the looks of the bearded iris folliage. That skinny bed section in the front will be it for now. The Siberian Iris are different and I think they will be a lovely no fuss addition to my garden. Last night I also ordered one Japanese Iris because the picture was so lovely, I could not resist. I had some Japanese Iris many, many years ago at another house but not since then. I have this empty spot that I tried daylilies in but moved them because I did not like the look there. Its got roses and crosima on the sides and daylilies in front and then empty spot will now be iris. I also bought my first ever Spuria Iris and still don't know where I will plant it.

That is very nice. Looks really bice with the daylilies and other flowers you have,and I like that rail fence, too.Wish I had one around my yard to keep the deer out.Your seedlings are really pretty, too.Your soil sounds like mine. Right now most of my yard is like cement, its so hard.Can forget about digging in it.Some of my front yard is fenced in,as it was put up years ago for a little dog to be able to go outside.When it was no longer used for a dog, then I dug it up and added everything I could possibly think of to it, and have planted flowers in it for years,and the soil is still no good. Jean