The tree is 8' from the house. It is a shrub in tree form, and is supposed to get 6 - 8' wide when mature. Even if it gets a 10' canopy, I'll still have three feet of clearance between the tree and the house, and it should never get to the eaves. If it gets huge, it is an easy late spring prune. The sandcherry is not supposed to be very long lived. The two Annabelle hydrangea might be too close to the house at 30", as they can get a 6' spread, but I've not seen any that big in my neighborhood. I'm also going to cut them back every winter. If they do wind up too big, I'll move them. I plan to expand these beds sometime in the future. The path to the hose is eventually going to be rocked, but that is a project for another weekend. As is the edging. And the other side of the yard. And the whole north side of the house. I have a question about dioecious hollies. I can usually find all of the 'China Girl' or 'Blue Princess' I would want, but the male plants aren't always as easy to come by. I could easily stick a male plant on the barren north side of the house, but will I be able to find them?

Oh good! More posts & pics ;-) -hoovb, O.M.G. That is an absolutely amazing transformation. I'm in love with your front design. So many textures. I'm surprised your garden isn't on the cover of a magazine ;-) Ps. much improved taking those bulky blue shutters off your house! -kato, I think the color of the Picea might be difficult. I've long debated whether a blue (even a "mild" blue) might end up looking odd because I tend to go more for gold or green evergreens. Although I have decided to take a 'Gold Coast' Juniper out in that area (you can kinda see it in the Main Garden 2008 pic). It is old and getting too big. Plus it makes me itch whenever I brush up against it, lol. I tend to really like the look of weeping evergreens and trees in general. I thought it would look pretty good there, but am open to suggestions if you have any. ;-) Ha ha. Funny your SO doesn't like the weeping look. Until I started working at the nursery I didn't realized how polarized opinions of weepers are. People either love or hate them. One customer even said they were "depressing" looking. LOL. Ps. is that an Arundo donax at the end of your bed?? What did you end up ripping out in that area and what annuals do you plan as replacements? CMK

If you are referring Dryopteris (autumn fern), they are quite hardy. They can be a bit late to emerge, sometimes late May, perhaps early June at the latest, but if they're not up by now, they're goners. I've had numerous clumps for many years, all survived this past whopper of a winter easily and are growing gangbusters, so I'm surprised you lost yours. Was it planted in preferred conditions?

Well, I've been making a mad effort to get lots of odds and ends plants I've been collecting all season into intelligent, aesthetically pleasing groups in the ground before winter. This weekend I grouped my 'Kleim's Hardy' gardenia with Pyracantha 'Mohave'. I love the way that the leaf size and shape is practically identical, but the gardenia is yellow green and the pyracantha leaf is a very complimentary blue green. I think the plant forms will make a pleasing contrast also. I also included a 'Heatherbun' Chamaecyparis and a 'Limeglow' Juniper in this same group. The 'Heatherbun' has a purplish tint and the 'Limeglow' is a mellowed chartreuse. It feels like an inspired combination although I was just dealing with what I had haphazardly collected and found on sale. I just hope I can balance watering so that it continues to look as good.