Thank you gardengal, You were exactly right. I don't know if you are familiar with the species but I noticed something interesting that you may provide some insight. The plant (about 18" high) was planted last September. (I am in an area where it will get in the teens in the winter) It started leafing about 3 weeks ago down toward the bottom of the plant and one main branch. The other branches and main trunk have not begun to leaf. They look healthy in color (redish brown) and it appears there are many buds. Is it normal that there is such a discrepancy in when the different branches leaf?

Don't know which is best, but googled podocarpus ( I didn't know what it was ) and found lots of pictures showing mature ones growing against walls and pillars, etc. Your idea sounds neat, like a "tunnel of trees", but if the building is wood make sure you keep the tops trimmed too, don't want them touching a wood building as you will get dryrot and maybe termites. Good luck ! Aloha

Asko also makes smaller-size stackables that hold as much as a typical large capacity TL. They also make, or used to, a condenser dryer, though they are not as efficient as direct exhaust dryers (they make those, too.) Condenser dryers, which because of their adaptability to non-standard spaces, seem to find themselves in laundry rooms made from closets. This is not always a good thing, because condenser dryers really work best with unfettered access to fresh room air to operate as efficiently as possible. My own (ASKO) condenser dryer is in a very large room, and on some days it performs even less efficiently than normal when it certain room air temperature and humidity parameters are reached. They'd be reached much more quickly in a smaller, less-ventilated space like a closet. OTOH, Asko, which has a unique type of suspension, seems to perform better than some other brands when installed on second floors of old houses. I have both Miele and Asko machines installed side by side and the ASKO has less case vibration than the Mieles. I don't want to leave you with the impression that I only recommend ASKO for second floor installations. Both Bosch and Miele make similar machines, but at least some people have had vibration problems (perhaps due to unresolved installation issues, as well) in second-story installations. My own machines have always been on concrete floors so I have no personal info on that, other than observing my machines, all correctly installed, side by side. One other advantage of ASKO machines is that they need only have a cold water plumbed in as they heat all their own water during the cycle. On older models of Miele machines (mine for instance) it is possible to jury-rig a satisfactory cold water only feed, but I am not sure about Bosch or the newer Mieles. Not having to run a new, long hot water line is some savings. It is offset by the need for a 220V service, but you were likely to have to have one anyway since most closet-installed dryers are electric, not gas, because of gas ventilation issues. And all of these brands/models (Asko, Miele, Bosch) require only one 220V service line as the washers and dryers are interconnected and fed from the same plug. As for sizes, I think ASKO now makes a stackable 220v model that handles 13 lbs of dry laundry. To assess this for your own use, try weighing a couple baskets of laundry the way you are now sorting it. If your typical loads are now 13 lbs, or less, you'd need no change in your regimen to adapt to a FL. (The machines look small, but hold a quite surprising amount.) HTH, Molly

Thanks everyone for the vote of confidence. Sandra, I tend to be a less is more person, but the black pillow alone seems too dark. My thinking with the monogrammed pillow is to add a little brightness to the dark pillow and dark bench. I found a few fabrics today that are closer to the wall color, but I don't want to get too matchy-matchy. I'm on the hunt for something for the umbrellas, but don't want to spend an arm and a leg. There are some gorgeous vintage pottery umbrella stands on eBay, but at $200 and more, they are WAY out of my price range. I found a ceramic umbrella stand at Home Goods over the weekend and brought it home, but I think it's going back. Even tho it was only $15, it's blue and white, has a little bit of an Asian feel and doesn't really fit in with my decor. I had to try it, tho.