Well, I just spent the last hour looking at spectacular(sp questionable) gardens. Thank you Bernd for that link. It is now on my favorites,great to have since we in the PNW are now snowed in. I can't even get out on my deck, too slippery. And we are just above freezing so it is all melting and will do so until evening when it will all freeze again. An unbelievable amount of snow and ice for us. (well for a few years anyway). But Bernd's link has helped alot except that I added eleventeen(new number) plants to my want list! Can you believe some of those gardens? Like I said Thank you , Bernd!!!!

They've ruined Photobucket in my opinion. I just hate their "improvements". I have slowly found my way around to delete and add, but the editing options aren't near as good as before. I paid for a Pro account years ago so no ads would come up on my albums since I have the Inspiration albums for our Forum and also did one for the Garden Junk forum many years ago. And I'll keep paying the yearly fee, but I sure am mad at them. LOL. I sent the tree stand info to my DD and my DDIL, in case they would want to get one for their big trees next year. I sure would if I had a big tree!! hugs, Karen

I planted a bunch of Hosta about 4-5 years ago around my cabin in the hills, but I really didn't like the looks of the #9 types at the time. I gotta get some:) Anyway I did a video last month. They have leafed out more since. I just hope they don't get mangled by bugs (not necessarily slugs) like they have in the past. I battled that one year and it was a losing cause. I did have a gold standard (bought off the web) that had a disease, but I didn't realize it until year #2. It did affect two nearby ones, but after moving them they're now okay. Most were purchased at a mom and pops nursery nearby...out of the way place in the hills in one of the most beautiful settings I've seen along a trickling creek. I have the names somewhere. I think I started with 15 or so. Now after dividing up to about 30. There are also two natural wild ones in there. Not much character. I have plenty of them growing along my creek that I've scattered here and there.

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.