For me there is a difference between a yard and a garden. I had a yard at the apartment house I lived at before I moved to my current place. I never planted one single thing, even though I had permission and packets of flower seeds and good physical conditions. I noticed that my yard here at my new place became my garden when I started thinking about how I would change it... how I could bring out the grace of the forsythia by cutting some branches... how the privacy of the backyard could be enhanced by extending some already established lines just a bit further, so as to work with the circulation of sight and of perambulation... It became my garden instead of my yard whenever I thought about the spirit of the trees and plants instead of their utility. I plan to plant a cedar in order to block the view from a neighboring apartment house through my patio door, but that is for utility, and if that were the only change I ever thought about making, this would still be a yard. But in the process of choosing that particular tree, I learned that in nature, cedars grow right along with black walnuts, as they will do here, so it seems like introducing two new friends to each other in my backyard -- "Walnut, meet Cedar, just moved in from the clan farmstead. Cedar, meet Walnut, established and respected in this neighborhood for years." They nod and shake roots and become friends. This yard is becoming my garden as I meet and collaborate with the spirits here to make a place where we all feel good about spending time with each other.

Thanks, Marlene...lots of good 'weeds' this early Spring in March, still doing strong, too! For the 1st time ever, our March weather average is warmer than April! Weird, uh! I do love container gardening...hope some other GJers will share ideas! Jeanne S.

Thanks everyone ... right now my farm is a disgusting muddy mess! Can't wait until it gets colder this week .. and freezes. Floota - yes, my farm is Mystic Meadows Daylily Farm ... and I often have misty mornings like that. And I just love my pond! Avedon - I'm sure your gardens are lovely too! Please do copy my gazing ball ... I actually have a couple of them around the gardens. mantis - I can't post pictures from work, but I've attached a link to the Pets forum where there are quite a few pics of all my furry kids! Marg - that's a tree peony, I'll have to look for the name at home ... it's amazing in the spring. Here is a link that might be useful: My furballs

Thanks again. Yes, I admit I plant somewhat closely for impact. Even when you think you've given things enough room, you sometimes need to reconsider! I found this pic from 2012 of the rear bed (against the woods) and you can see my original arborescens planting locations with the daylilies behind. I cannot believe how much everything has grown since! But each year I'm always moving things, sometimes once or more monthly throughout each growing season (the neighborhood probably thinks I'm nuts!). Even things that need moved only a foot or two I don't mind doing, because that's another hunk of solid clay I'm loosening up and allowing for root expansion! Other things have naturally spread voraciously as well, like the daylilies, irises and fuzzy-leaved rudbeckia (these are no joke!). Hostas are even getting huge now. I'm at the point where I'm composting overexpansion; wish I had time to give divisions away or sell them! With the most recent transfer of non-bloomers to containers, I find there is a reasonable amount of room for everything with the inventory as-is. I will be cutting in Invincibelle Ruby and Incrediball Blush soon, but those are the only immediate plans. I also prune various items throughout the growing season, as new branches always seem to be growing where they shouldn't. Guess only by chance really, but I subconsciously seem to like the way the Japanese hydrangea gardens are laid out, like a sea of flowers. Without an overabundance of rain (fungal issues) the hydrangeas are very happy planted closely around one another. I will be using large stakes and fencing for Annabelles next year though, as they still manage to spill over onto neighboring macrophyllas. For me, some things seem to bloom more profusely in shade, while others don't. There's really no rhyme or reason to it I've found yet. *shrug* At the current time, I would tell anyone to go ahead and try planting at the woods' edge and see what happens. If adding a completely new bed you'll probably need to chop through some tree roots unless the bed is partially raised by fill or new soil.