If you run out of options for a yellow hedge in blackspot haven Pennsylvania but still want yellow, how about the Clement's rose shrub Morning Has Broken. It is supposed to be about as disease-resistant as the Knock Outs. Can't tell you about the size because mine has been moved 3 times in 3 years (I'll find the right spot yet!), but my neighbor always comments on it when it blooms. I think it is supposed to get about 4 x 3. You can see a description at Heirloom Roses which sells it as a band. I think Roses Unlimited sells it in a larger size. Kate

We have BM Straw in our kitchen/dining/mud rooms and it also has an apricot undertone. I like the color quite a bit during the day, but not so much at night - at night it almost looks like a dirty color and is considerably stronger looking. We used Ellen Kennon's Honeysuckle in a previous home and I think that had somewhat apicot undertones, too, and I liked it in all light levels. I am currently working with a designer to help revamp and update our dining room as I just can't do it myself. It was already a struggle, but my job has me traveling a ton now and I just don't have time for all the thinking and research that would need to go into it! Anyway, she tells me that the yellow is dated and has suggested I go with a more up-to-date color. What do all you yellow people think about that? I have mixed feelings - I like yellow and find it sunny and cheerful. I feel like I need it to perk up my space in the woods, where we have natural low light. At the same time, I've never been completely sold on Straw given its odd color at night, and I guess I'm ready for a change. I am not one to realy follow trends, but I also don't want to have a house where everyone walks in and says, WOW, this is so 1996 or whatever year yellow was so popular. (I know, I know, I'm supposed to decorate with what *I* like, not for people who come to our home.)

I LOVE the couch!!!! It works SO WELL with other pieces of furniture. I can do cream, brown, taupe, AND charcoal with it. Let me Greige is a better color for it than true gray! In fact, I'd say that color you selected is PERFECT. Here is what I've done with the rest of the room. This is far from complete--it's been tweaked several times, in fact, since I took these pictures because it's a work in progress. :) But this is a general idea of what else you can do. I'm not sold on the abstract, BTW, and there's more art coming. Also, you can dress it up more or down. This is the old, horrible gray wall. And ancient carpet. LOL. And I didn't make the kids pick up the cruft of the day before taking the photos, either. This is also before the throw (yellow, gray, and white chevrons) came in that I cover the center section of the sofa with to give the younger kids something safe to sit on. I've already had to wash it once!

I don't mind the white, but in that latest rendition it looks very washed out. If you had a terra cotta spanish roof tile, it would be fine, (Like this one) but w/that gray asphalt roof? I think you need some contrast or some wood. I love this style garage door in a dark color. I'd also do the roof fascia trim in ithe darker color, the window trim, and I brought in the wood slat under this front window (but you could also do the slat wood around the front door area too) Even w/the landscaping in first pic, notice the stone pathway, the urns, the DG, and I love those garage doors. Here's a stucco home w/a very light grayish white, white trim, but again, notice the dark garage door Imagine this home w/the white trim and white garage door, and a white retaining wall! see what I mean? Maybe Celery could somehow work in the darker trim, door and wood? maybe some slats in front or the retaining wall? another way to spice up the retaining wall: I still like a dark stucco color