Just today read this post. I also prefer Yardvaark's and Timbu's design to yours. Yardvaark's plan provides a inviting, welcoming look to the front of your home and softens the hard edges of the house, while still remaining symmetrical to complement the architecture. Timbu's asymmetric design adds a uniqueness that kind of replicates your tastes on the interior, but it's still calm and appealing to the eye. To my mind, the mock-ups you created with those jagged edged are jarring --- I don't know how else to say it. You said that you don't like how plain and rectangular your home is, but your designs actually emphasized those qualities. You might wonder how that is possible with all those different plant elements I've put into my design? How could it end up being so rectangular? The reason is that when looking at your designs, the eye does not know where to "rest". The eye wanders from shape to shape, edge to edge, and color to color and finally settles on the symmetrical house facade. The fact that you like wild, free-form garden design but own a very traditional, very symmetrical house is hard to reconcile, so I'm glad you've decided on hiring a well-known landscaper from your area. The end result will be a house that's even more beautiful, that pleases your tastes, and that looks as if it's properly settled into the ground. Definitely post the results when done! Molie

Hope you don't mind me butting in Yaron, but I have a question which may help if answered. I have a Whichita Blue Juniper which - apparently - is a fullproof plant, yet it doesn't grow as well as I would expect. Barely any new growth last year. I've had to remove three Rocket Junipers for 'browning' and lack of new growth... What would be an ideal PH level for these plants? We have high acidity being in the nor'east. Great for native pines/spruces/rhodies, but what about Junipers? Do they prefer a more alkaline soil? I spent a couple of hours yesterday doing the google things trying to find an answer to this, but no-go. I'm starting to think this may be the issue.

I actually think the only Asian Abies worth trying is A. firma. The high elevation ones are all going to find it too hot I suspect. It may or may not mind the lack of seasons. It can grow in Orlando, which cools down in winter, but not by much. As for Cupressus-like plants, well, Cupressus torulosa is found at elevations as low as 300m, which would certainly be hot and humid for most of the year in SE Asia. But again, north India, SW China, and N Vietnam still have seasons. So, who knows. Googling the spelling, I just stumbled upon this nursery that I'd never heard of: Fokienia hodginsii (Chamaecyparis hodginsii) | Xenoflora Fokienia hodginsii is also in the Cupressaceae... Finally, one nobody has mentioned is Juniperus barbadensis. Probably hard to get, as would be various Mexican junipers or J. bermudiana. However I suspect these are the least demanding of seasonal change. Bermuda does cool down in winter, but compared to SE Asia, there's less variance in rainfall and I suspect the plants wouldn't miss the change at all. The Fairchild in Miami has both species, but none of the Mexican ones. I'm surprised we haven't heard from pineresin.

my garden contains the following variegated juniper: Juniperus chinensis 'Daub's Frosted' Juniperus chinensis 'Gold Lace' Juniperus chinensis 'Hollywood Variegated' Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone' Juniperus communis 'Gold Totem' Juniperus communis 'Golden Schnapp's' Juniperus horizontalis 'Golden Carpet' Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode' ---probably the best Juniperus sabina 'Variegated' Juniperus scopulorum 'Snow Flurries' Juniperus scopulorum 'Sparkle' Juniperus squamata 'Star Dust' -- is really cool Juniperus virginiana 'Schotti Gold' they are all fovored .. ken