Sea Buckthorn is a shrub native to northern europe (Uk, neatherlands, northern france and along the north sea coast. Probably up and down the mountain chains in europe as well. They are coastal plants that grow exceptionally well with salt spray (can tell you how cool they like it). They are nitrofying shrubs and are usually classified as a pioneer species (one that builds damaged and disturbed soil). They have massive, massive rootsystems that can spread out a good 50 or so feet from the main tree. They sucker as well. They need full sun, and start to decline in shade, which is why they dont do well in even the central states (possibly the west coast and people on the east with extreme proximity to the ocean). THey are used extensively in the prairies as shelterbelts (living wind screens), as well as wildlife habitat.] I also believe that they dont respond well to lots of pruning. Yes, one of the harvesting methods is lopping branches, but this isnt the type of cutting that pruning for size is.

Cupshaped, We lived just south of Daytona for over 20 years. We hadn't discovered OGRs, but gave up on the HTs that were sold at garden centers because they were too much work--the constant spraying required was a nightmare. Especially in the heat of summer, when you'd come in needing a blood transfusion from all the mosquito bites. We were on a barrier island, so the "soil" was almost pure sand with a thin layer of leaf litter and pine straw on top. Water & nutrients ran right through it. We found gardening with Florida natives to be a very satisfying, enviromentally friendly way to go. If you want a Florida native that will attract butterflies, get a firebush (Hamelia patens). Wonderful red-orange tube-shaped flowers are great nectar sources for most butterflies, and hummingbirds like them, too. Being a native, it should perform well--there may be a little freeze damage once in a while in Daytona, but it's good to whack the bushes back once in a while, anyway. Another great Florida native for butterflies is Wild Coffee (Psychotria nervosa). Makes a beautiful rounded bush with shiny leaves, small white flowers, and red berries. Zebra longwing butterflies LOVE it. Citrus trees act as larval food for Eastern Swallowtails (the caterpillars look like bird poop, and put out scary red antennae-type things when alarmed, but the butterflies are GORGEOUS.) The caterpillars don't eat that much, so just ignore the few chewed on leaves and wait for them to emerge in all their flying glory. And you can eat the citrus, too. Passionflower vines are larval food for zebra longwings, and have great flowers. Muhly grass is a lovely ornamental native grass that has pinkish blooms. And some of the spartina grasses are also great native ornamentals. Green Images in Christmas, Florida is a WONDERFUL native plant nursery that's not too far from Daytona. Worth a trip over there, and they should have a bunch of natives that will perform well and bring in the butterflies. Depending on your friends' soil, amendments can be tricky. If they're in a real sandy area, the soil is so coarse that it has tons of air & oxygen in it, and organics burn up so fast that you almost can't add them quickly enough to make a difference. Other places are muck (basically swamp bottom) and have much richer soil. The Florida Native Plant Society is a wonderful organization and a great source of information if you want to "go native". Natives are so much easier to grow, provide food and cover for birds and butterflies, and low maintenance to boot. Water rationing is becoming pretty common in Florida, and planting things that will deal with normal rainfall is a way to have a beautiful garden in spite of water restrictions.

Don and Snowguy, I only know of one red oak in a neighbour's yard and it has always struggled with dieback. Though, with many plants having been grown from seed, hardiness will vary. I'd be inclined to give such a tree a try and place it within a protected area of my yard. Another challenge is our often cool Alberta summers, we often don't receive the heat units and thus borderline trees just don't properly ripen off before the deep freeze arrives ... then there's our extreme fluctuating winter temps! Snowguy, thank you for telling us about your climate, I can't help but be a bit envious of the lingering color you enjoy! Laurie, your Ohio buckeye is especially beautiful, mine had always turned an unattractive yellow brown color and then immediately dropped it's leaves ... though, just the same, this really is a beautiful and under used tree! I WISH I could find this particular variety. Here is a link that might be useful: Autumn Splendor Ohio buckeye

Hi folks! Granny!!!!! Of course you count!!!!! I'll take pictures of the Mail Pouch "barn" and other stuff so Lee can show you on his computer. Beverly hasn't even seen them yet! I broke my little finger and am waiting to see the hand specialist to be sure I didn't damage any tendons or ligaments. I hope not. This nine fingered typing is for the birds! I keep trying to use the splinted finger and typing really weird stuff! I also pulled the muscles of my chest badly enough that they thought that I might have a broken rib. Sheesh! I'm still going to find a way to pot up those last few plants! There is NO WAY I'll let if spoil my once in a lifetime trip with the boys. We're going snorkeling, para sailing, catamaran sailing, swimming with the dolphins and even some time for just laying on the beach! No heavy lifting for me until after the cruise! I'm overwhelmed with all the stuff I need to do in the next two weeks so I'd better go make another list and start checking things off! Barbi, was that you who wanted the baby arborvitae? I'll save them for you. I did dig up the campion that seeded itself in my stone path before I hurt myself. (*again*) They are a nice biennial. Mine are white but Beverly has some rose ones so who knows what color the seeds the bees made! I have Solomon's seal that needs dividing and some salvia that seeded into my stone path too. The candy tuft jumped the path but it might have to wait 'til fall. I can't wait to see Betty and Ron all the way from Michigan. I keep killing my forget-me-nots! Wonder what I'm doing to them? I hope everyone is doing well and my penchant for injuring myself is not "catching"! ~~Mimi