Well Jake, I can't resist a reply... I looked at your member profile and now clearly see why you add literary critic to your many skills. I guess you can safely omit reading my replies, because they must be boring and illogical. I will admit that I can be long winded when writing, and no, I don't talk the same way I write, do you? I have slightly more years of direct experience in the design field, but do not proclaim myself to be an expert, I am still learning every day. I also find myself thinking you might prefer reading USA Today to the New York Times, and probably did not recognize or acknowledge some of the people/places mentioned as being horticultural design leaders in their areas. You might find it instructive to do a google search on some of them and find out what you are missing. If talking about the Hortisexuals is threatening to you, no need to worry, I don't think there are any members in Nebraska as of yet. Although for those up to the challenge of plant geekdom, please feel free to use the term. My writing style and gardens designed are my own, and will not please everyone. I think they speak for themselves, and I am not worried about abit of criticism. I have also been paid for giving talks as well as articles on garden design, approached to write at least two books, as well as commissions for projects ranging from a tropical garden for a local botanic garden, to work on palaces in Saudi Arabia and resort hotels in Indonesia. I like to think that my travels and work experience around the world give me a unique viewpoint on international trends as well as here in the USA...

I have one I really like. Its smaller (7 to 9 feet) but elegant, tough, and has bright green stems, even in the winter, which should look good with your brick. The limbs and leaves have a nice layered look. A.p. 'Aocha nishiki' Here's a description from a nursery: Add new shades of green to your landscape with this cultivar. It is quite a bright yellow green in spring and stays lighter than others throughout the summer. Small amounts of cream variegation are barely noticeable but the luminous green branches stand out all year. Fall colors are gold and amber. I've included a link to pictures of some of my maples, and you can see a picture of this one there. I bought mine from Eastwoods nursery. Regards, K4 Japanese Maples - Spring '08

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Most people are well aware of the fact that a pedestrian has the right of way, but if parking lots were reconfigured to more effectively separate them, it would be less of an issue. You have to remember, also, that many drivers are looking at that traffic and pedestrians can get overlooked. It is also true that pedestrians have a responsibility to watch and acknowledge that the driver of the car knows that they are there. In a busy parking lot like the one at my local Costco it is like a game of chance for both pedestrian and driver to dodge one another, like some sort of perverse video game. I just cannot, for the life of me, understand why this is not a very prominent and important public safety issue or that a company with the deep pockets of Costco would allow this liability. I never approach the store through one of those avenues. There are other ways into the parking lot at the back where there is not a concentrated number of people pushing small mountains of groceries. It happened to me just the other day that I was at a stop sign leaving a parking lot. I was at a four way stop and looking for my turn to pull away when my husband warned me to stop. There was a small man in a little low motor chair who was about to cross in front of my car. He was small, low profiled and dressed all in dark colors and I really just did not see him at all. He blended in to the rest of the landscape like a tree trunk amongst the rest of the leafless tree trunks. Shudder!!! People do pull around in a parking lot at unsafe speeds, often. I go very slowly in a parking lot and also when backing out. Even with a back up camera you never know when a small child might run across or someone is speeding around the corner. People will criticize for this and say that I drive like an old person. Maybe that is true because life has taught me a few lessons in hubris and caution. Accidents happen and sometimes they are simply the chaos of the universe at work. To the poster talking about people parking their shopping carts in the middle of the aisle. Once, again, I am without fault in this. Now, don't laugh. (Well, Ok, maybe laugh a little bit. ). Seriously, if you find others at fault for this, try not to commit the same error. I really do try to be considerate and NOT do this. Some people seem to not give any thought to it at all. Still, even though I am clearly a superior person who does not speed in parking lots or block the store aisle there are times when things happen, as I almost overlooked that small man in the motor chair. And, of course, I am NOT a superior person and not without fault. Just kidding.