Yikes! didn't want to drown them, but they seemed dry to me... I did take them out of the water, shook off the excess and wrapped the roots up in plastic bags...it's supposed to stop snowing late tonight, hopefully the soil will dry out a bit so i can plant tomorrow. I thought about heeling them into my nursery bed, but they're calling for a low of 20 tonight, and they've all broken bud. THey're from Gurney's, and the trees look really nice. Don't want to plant them in their permanent spot because it's been snowing/raining for 5 days straight, and i just hate the idea of working such wet soil....they're going into one end of the garden i broke sod on last year, and i wanted to do a bit of ammending, too. I live on a glacial sand moraine, my next-door neighbor is a gravel pit, excessively well-drained is an understatement. MAN oh man am I glad I didn't order the other 10 trees yet!!! THanks!

I'm no expert, but agree with calliope. I have one similiar in shape to yours. I'd asked the cutting back question last year, since Mom always said "keep cutting back until 4th of July (you're right, Ken) but that was for ones that get all tall and leggy. I was told this type (or at least mine) is called a 'cushion mum' and bred to remain compact and rounded. I never cut mine back (except for initial cutting it down after dying) and it blooms magnificantly throughout the season. Here's a pic of mine (bad quality) late in the season (fall?) as it was dying off. You'll notice it did start to lay down and have a gap in the center, but because if you'll notice, there's a dark semi-circle thing above it which is a giant bush. And if I don't keep THAT trimmed back, it crowds out and shades the mum so it can't grow in a full 'cushion' shape. But other than that, you can see it kept its rounded shape all season, never got leggy. I haven't tried the pinching back after first bloom but will try that this year, since later on it does start to look pretty shabby so TKS calliope for that hint!! Also, just checked mine out and it's dead inside NOW but you say it's advised not to pinch back now. So I gather these types are not made to rebloom if I cut it back now?? (I'm sure you answered that, but can't see your response now).

I agree with all of you: they're definitely Hollywood Regency. And I should recharacterize my own style, which is probably better said to be "*in* transition" rather than transitional. (: I do like clean-lined pieces, and our DR set is very Mission; the adjacent LR combines Mission and Art Deco; and our bedroom, where these chairs would go, is your basic Recovering Graduate Student/Random Wedding Present room. So funky/eclectic would fit in just fine there. And there's just something about these chairs... The room is a long rectangle. The half without windows is for the bed (not a bed per se, but rather mattresses on a metal frame) and the dressers, which are mismatched yard sale finds. On the other side of the room, I'd like to create a sitting/reading area next to the windows, with a gorgeous view of the mountains (by far the nicest thing about the room!). We got a red and tan handloomed Peruvian folk-art rug for our wedding, and that's what we'll use to set off the seating area. Also on that side of the room, framing one window, are some slender dark walnut modern-styled bookcases. And then the part I'd like to replace: a heinously ugly loveseat that a friend gave us, also on that side of the room. I'd much rather find some reading chairs and an ottoman than a loveseat anyway; the room's not that big, and the loveseat makes it a pain to open and close the curtains and shades. I agree these chairs don't look too comfortable, so they're probably not my ideal reading chairs. But they'd be good for draping the bathrobe or pulling into the LR for extra seating. I love the idea of velvet, and maybe even the box-pleated skirt -- hadn't thought of that, cool idea, thank you! I agree that they're great in a pattern, but I don't want lots of patterns clashing in my bedroom, I don't think. What would you think of a tan velvet on the back and the bottom of the seat, and then the top, round seat cushion in something like this: Here is a link that might be useful: I'd use this pillow cover to reupholster the seat...

For the areas around/under the trees, it sounds to me like you're already doing the basics. Those areas will tend to dry and dense anyway. Adding more leaves is good, if you want to add more in bulk, wood chips (which you may be able to get free or for cost of delivery). I sometimes spread some cheap seeds around for some variety under there. If the trees are healthy, some forking or modest digging won't likely harm them (but may not be necessary either) - just don't hack dozens of substantial roots all at once. For ground around trees that's particularly dense or dry - a big pile of leaves or compost for a season or two (or longer), and the ground underneath will become much more soft and loose. I would say don't bother with anything expensive or try to bring in worm compost, for example - leave some/more leaves and wood chips and the like and let the local worms do the work. None of this should require particularly hard work, just spreading some volume of cheap organic materials.