Deebs, I have 5 trees planted, 2 in the back, but it'll be awhile before they get large enough for the birds to nest in them. They used to use my large climbers too. With all the cats they'd have to make them up really high. One is a redwood though hitting close to 20 feet tall now, not as easily climbed so maybe. I can't distinguish really between all the worms on the roses, most eat holes through the buds and eat the roses, others the foliage too. I'd like to think the ones I miss are eatting aphids:) Duchesse, they tried to petition the subdivision owner on the claim they didn't know the ponding basin was going to be there. That's a lie, I went through the same process they did to pick the house I wanted. It was right there on the site plan and the layout. In fact we paid extra to get a larger lot to be sort of behind it, about 20ft. They bought their houses knowing that was behind them, they were all sold at a premium price for that much yard. They wanted the basin filled in. Won't happen, by city law there has to be a basin at each new subdivison for the water to go when it rains to help on flooding. The only activity I ever see at the basin area is a couple times a year they come through with a tractor and take out all the weeds. The basin is home to mud ducks and others and geese off and on all year. I like to hear the honks and bullfrogs over dogs barking anytime. I think some of them walk around and squish them on purpose. I saw one of the neighbors vacuuming them up with one of those shop vacs one year. These are all relatively young people that have never owned a home before. They have no idea what they're suppressing and the price they'll pay. They just want to complain about nature. This was a walnut orchard and home to all the birds in the past. I imagine there are so many toads because nature is responding to the masses of white flies. I imagine over time the number will diminish especially with all the poisons/chemicals they'll put out on their yards and bushes. Sorry, pet rant:) I've admired your roses and gardens Patricia, I'm only resistant because they've already ruined those roses, I can't reclaim that now. It's too late. That one rose in the pics above is Irresistible, a mini. There isn't a bud that doesn't look like that. I found 14 ladybugs on it yesterday. The white looking bush behind it is a floribunda hitting over 5' tall for size on this rose. You can barely see the canes behind the redwood even taller. This was last night and these bushes just don't photo well for me in the sun and not enough light, but it gives you an idea of how large. I did try the flour on some of them yesterday skipping where the ladybugs were. That was almost as much fun as blasting with water, some were startled into flight. Some washed off easier, but others are crammed into every nook and cranny of the buds and leaves and new growth. It irritated the bees, lucky they don't like me:) As far as Murphy's Law goes, I was too pleased with early spring and all the healthy looking bushes. I was last year too and spider mites devastated them about this time. So, yeah you better knock on wood, LOL* I know what you're talking over on the Hover Bees but I think they're called something else, Deebs, still I have all different colored ones. Dark green, light green, stripped not stripped. This one had stripes too, from last year's infestation:) I have a terrible memory so if I find one of these, I kill them. Thanks for all the help, I do appreciate all the advice and thoughts on this. Patricia I may yet resort to that spray.

I'm not sure what lighting you have but I would try sunny windowsills and/or extra lighting. The plants you choose all like sun so for indoors growing I would give them all the light you can. With the mint, I would cut back on the water. Too much water can damage plants - yellow leaves is one of the hallmarks of too much water. I find it much easier to kill a plant with too much water than to kill a plant with too little. If ever in doubt, err on the side of too little water. Droopy leaves or other visible signs of stress will tell you if you are too dry. Learn from that and adjust your watering to be a little more often. With indoor plants about once a week watering should be good unless you have very dry, hot conditions. As an aside, I see herb plants sometimes in the produce section of my local market. On a whim I have bought a plant or two...or maybe more!....this way. They have *never* faired well. All died in short order - I've been a plant person long enough to know it was not my care or lack there of. Some plants have had bad treatment/care and it is hard for the average person to overcome that once they bring the plant home. I'm not sure where you got your mint but it is possible that it was reacting to conditions and care it received before you bought it. Mints are tough so with a little care and love you should be able to nurse it back to health. FataMorgana

The simplest, easiest, best control for aphids is simple a sharp stream of water that knocks the wee buggers off the plant. More will appear and those too can be knocked off the same way. For those seedlings fill a hand spray bottle with water and spray them, nothing else is really needed.

Dig it out. Wash all of the dirt off of the roots. I use a wash pail with a gallon of water it to put the roots down in once I wash most of the dirt off with the shower nozzle of the hose. I then dip, and plunge the plant roots till they are free of the dirt. I hold the plant upside down and wash the leaves, and stems with burst of higher pressure water to wash the bugs off. I shake it dry, pot into my home made potting mix that is 5 parts fine pine bark. 2 parts perlite, and one half part peat moss. I add a couple of table spoons of horticultural lime into the mix, and mix it up well. This is for draining purposes. I put the plant on the porch in a warm shaded area. I then spray with neem oil. Wait a few days to check for pest. Reapply the neem, or insecticidal soap if needed before taking inside. Note it will likely look awful at first. The leaves will drop off. If you do not want to deal with shed leaves then save the trouble, and cut them off first. Put it into a place where it will get light. The most common killer of wintered plants is over watering.