Yes, I photographed the plan. And I know it works better to do the back first, but we really really really needed the new driveway. The concrete was completely gone for the first 5 feet of the driveway, and one more winter ... ugh. We are taking out the grass on the side of the yard that they will use for going in and out of the back. It will take me a while to fully plan the back, anyway -- we'll just have to work around it. I ended up changing LDs, because my first one disappeared from the firm. Don't know what happened. Whoops. So I talked to the new one, and she has some ideas to add more color to the south side of the house, spice up the front (and take away the globe spruce and roses, putting more interesting groupings than just 2 rows of matching plants). We're also not planting some of the trees, especially the maple by the driveway. Botann is right -- I didn't put enough views on here, and there are trees in the neighbor's yard that are already near there, plus, I think a maple will just be too big. We'll try something smaller. And the hawthorn by the house is turning into a shrub of some sort. I think I have a good handle on the sun and shade patterns -- and the new LD is very excited about working with shade plants. You don't get to do that too much here -- everything focuses on drought and sun tolerance.

Well, Ann... I'm not new to bulbs, such as Hippeastrums, but the Sprekelia are new to me... they should behave very similar to other amaryllis type bulbs, though... Sprekelia are actually from Mexico, I believe... and are also known as Aztec Lily or Jacobean Lily... they have the ability to be cross bred with hippeastrums, and my hope is to accomplish that and harvest viable seed to plant. I'm assuming you have yours growing in the garden? From what I've read about them, they require a dormant period with drier conditions... and they don't always bloom every year, even as adult bulbs. I've included a link to some good cultural information that's more suited to your climate and zone... I hope some of it helps. I just purchased my bulbs recently, and they were already trying to bloom in the packages... I'm lucky to have gotten the two lovely blooms that I had after I potted them! I don't really expect them to bloom next year, but I am hopeful that perhaps my culture will coax them to form buds and flower. Good luck with your Sprekelia! I can tell you that the flowers are something special when seen in person! The red is so saturated and beautiful... and the shape of the flower is very unique! Here is a link that might be useful: Floridata - Sprekelia formosissima

hello this forum mayb closed i am looking for only natural and organic growing mediums, i have used lava rock on and of since about 1983, the first time i used it right as it came from the bag that lasted till about 88, i got some free time on my hands and i pulverized my lava it was about 2 - 5 gal buckets worth when i gave up i still have that batch i just rinse it well if i want to use it i have had real good luck just using it as a normal water as needed medium, our thinking was such great things come from the islands and had seen the great flowers there , pinapples come from there so,,, why not grow in it as long as i keep it well drained and no obstructions on the drain holes it has been some good medium, but i never really had much time to actualy set up a real hydroponics system like u see now days it was just ur bare knuckles pump the water in and cover the medium and drain it out well, since then i have been tryn to utilize some water and slopes and grow fish and plants in our ponds and i have ignored lava rock till the last few yrs but now i am really looking into growing only organic in truly only organic containers and anything touching the water and its been very tricky since my wife does cancer treatments and my background is environmental i have looked at cancers and sickness as a result of what we eat and whats in all of what we digest and the containers that touch it and what its grown in and watered with,,, so,, my point? i have used lava rock but consider it somewhat inert but with my chemistry background and knowing whats in all the water and whats gonna be in the fish excretions from gills and excrement's it will have some affect on anything in lava rock that might dissolve up to the point my fish algae coats it with that slim, so my concern? i saw one blog where the blogger says lava rock gives off dangerous chemicals ,,, but its blog to me seemed to b pushing claycorn ,,yet its man made from who knows what and is imported from china i also see that it starts out and may stay with a p h of 8 my lava rock in and 7 ph filtered tap thru 3 charcoal filters shows 8 depending on whose eyes u use, ,,i see where the most fertile lands on earth are in volcanic soil but upon checking cancer rates in these areas i find that many say they have high thyroid cancers in those areas of course the people are exposed to more than the soil yet i found a very few isolated volcanic areas where no cancer existed but they say its from the general diet high in certain elements,, since lava rock numbers i have seen imply 66% silica, 16% aluminum. 10% iron,, lists only 10 total elements i am wondering if i should be concerned with the aluminum, and its possible affects on humans causing dementia, n Alzheimer and no i do not want to hear its a metal and it will not react i am talking pure submersion in my fish ponds and in my grow beds ,, i have stayed with what i think is river rock for now since thats what i ve always used for fish, (and its probly all conglomerate of marble (igneous limestone), granite, quartz, limestone, with one pebble or 2 or lava rock) but since i am planning on eating the fish and i am tryn to remove all man made items such as plastics, vinyls, pond liners, additives in my fish food and meds and hormones not used and all fish treatments removed ( if they die they get blended for chum), are there any other obsessive people who can give me any reason to not use lava rock over man made clay balls for grow medium my brother n law is sure that the clay balls have been developed by the professionals, my son who is helping with the learning is too young to do anything except as what the hell are ur talking about old man? i have not finalized my choices but i see the professionals as only there to part me with my money and sell me some snake oil when it comes to clay made pellets, ,, so do i have to worry about the aluminum, or any of the other 7 items aside from the silica i know i should not breath when i pound it to a pulp, i am tryn to be as true and pure organic as can knownly be and growing inside greenhouses and enclosed ponds not sure how i m gonna get the birth control pills outs the water if its not truly well water but has been slipped in from the lake if my charcoal filters won t remove it except to maybe us my springs that have p h of 6 and drill my own well, of course when i add the wrong things to drop the ph it actually draws out more of my alkalies but i have probly always grown my crops in a ten due to growing in this east texas iron ore and sand , and in central texas dirt and here i have always added gypsum to cancel out the chlorine added to the tap water if you can sort this out and it gets past censors please let me no if anyone out there can shed some lite on my determination to use all lava rock and river rock and white marble or limestone rock

(1) Create a Drainage Layer: You need to create a drainage Layer for your plants. If the plant's roots are left in standing water, then the roots may rot causing you problems. You can avoid this by using a layer of pea gravel or lava rock to create a drainage area for your plants. My drainage layer is between 1" to 1.5" deep. (2) Non-Toxic Substrate: The quality of the substrate you grow your plants in is very important! You do NOT want to get ordinary potting soil. Potting soil is filled with fertilizers and other additives that is great for plants, but can be harmful and sometimes fatal to your herp. I know a zoo keeper who uses "Edna's Best Potting Soil" to create vivariums for the zoo's herps. It can be difficult finding a retailer that sells it so please visit their website and type in your zip code to find a store near you that will carry their soil. Their website is http://www.ebstone.org/13_ednas.php. (3) Planting your Plants Do not simply stick your potted plant in the soil of your terrarium. Please remove the plant from your pot, and gently pull away as much soil as you can from the roots. Then rinse away the dirt from the roots in room temperature water. I prefer to treat my water by putting a few drops of de-chlorinator. If you don't have this, you can leave your water out in a sterile, non-metallic open container for about 24 hours. This will allow the chlorine and the fluoride to evaporate. (4) Fertilizer Do NOT use synthetic fertilizers! It can be fatal to your herp. If you're plant is in serious need of a pick me up, I would suggest using an organic fertilizer. (5) Don't ever use pesticides on your plants. (6) Maintenance I think this is the best part. You can shape your landscape by religiously trimming and training your plants. These geckos are nocturnal so I never see them during the day. I was sick of looking at what appeared to be an empty sad little terrarium so I created a vivarium that was aesthetically pleasing to the eye during the day, but still a great home for the geckos. I hope this helps! Here is a link that might be useful: The Apartment Garden