THANK YOU Brandon for an answer to the pruning question!!!! Will be sure to keep the cuts above ground level!! And to clarify what you and Ken are saying about a view to the utility boxes- ...actually, forget it... I just typed out a huge long explanation that I just deleted...lol ...in short (or @ least shortER) with the height of our deck and where our seating is located, the size of the smokebush, and my intentions (clearly understood at least in my own head- haha) don't worry guys, I'll be fine. I always envisioned a multi-stemmed tree, which would still hide the view of the utility boxes. ...don't think I will end up trying to do tree-form after all but do plan on pruning off many shoots and thin the boy down! as always, i appreciate the input from you all :)

I have been a lurker here forever...never posted. I know how hard it is to quit smoking. I smoke for over 20 years about 2 1/2packs a day. I quit 5 years ago. I had tried to quit several times but always went back. I quit by picking a date.I told myself that it was going to be hard but every day would be easier. I also read that when you quit smoking your body is over the withdraw from nicotine 48-72 hours after you last smoke. I told myself the first 3 days would be the hardest and after the 3 days it is all a mind game. I really believe that is what help me stop smoking is knowing that my body did not need the nicotine, that it was my mind. i did take a mini vaction from work, some people say they get very tired from not smoking.... The first 6 months are hard....you will give yourself every excuse to smoke again...it has been 5 years and once in great while i will still get the urge to smoke...I know I cannot smoke or even try to smoke...because I will be right back where I was. I wish you the best of luck

Absolutely. Lots of pleasant memories. I remember being with my best friend and her cousins and having a sprite and strawberry ice cream soda...I didn't think about it for years or have sprite with strawberry ice cream...but one day I did....immediately transported back to that night and sitting on her front porch. At an antique auction, I bid on a couple of wooden chairs that I liked. The auctioneer threw in a couple more. One of the big old wooden chairs....I call it my "grandpa" chair....smelled old and musty. The memory associated with that was the upstairs in my grandmother's house. I don't think she had climbed up those stairs in many years, but after she died, I went up there and I remembered the musty smell. She also dipped snuff. Seems like there was a little essence of snuff in there also. And the chair smelled just like it. I didn't find the smell offensive....kind of intrigued that it smelled like grandma's house.

seems to me ...... i recall that mine took 3 to 5 years.. to bloom.. after transplant ... but mine wasnt as large as your ... but yours did go thru serious transplant stresses this year .. you need to think in shrub time.. rather than our instant gratification world ... it will bloom.. when its ready to bloom ... it takes time.. to grow the mature root mass needed ... as to size.. check the link . and look at its potential ... you are not going to make it a small bush .... its has huge potential ... and as noted. if you cut it down every year ... it will never bloom ... and note.. none of those that are flowering.. are small/young https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Royal+purple+smoke&t=ffcm&iax=1&ia=images if you do decide to to prune it .... rather than just cut it down ... . google REJUVENATION PRUNING OF FLOWERING SHRUBS ... yours sure looks like it has the space it needs and deserves .... ken