Nice set up, Mes111. Yes, Appleseed70, over the fence is fair game. Although I'd like the kids to wait because they'll grab them unripe and sprayed. I'd give them better apples anyway. The two trees show up there are basically the same. The bushy one is more overgrown because that's how it produces, but I am working on thinning out the top to get more sun to the lower. I'm not sure what the last tree was in the picture in '09. Judging from the description it was sawed off and grafted onto because I didn't like the variety. It's basically the same but bigger. Free standing and ready to go wild now. Hopefully should bear this year. Which reminds me, I want to get out there and put some more room between tiers. I've got two more both spur type this time. If the Macspur survives the fireblight that killed 2 and hurt it and another last year and starts producing the bushy one will be removed (maybe grafted to a free standing spot since it seems to withstand fireblight). The Earliblaze on the right is much better behaved than the Macspur on the left which is acting more like a semi-spur than it did on the free standing one which died. This was the Earliblaze last year before picking and pruning.

Fishlady, You know I emailed Judith Freeman with a question and she emialed me back. Seems very nice! Hostaholic, I like symmetry in curl of the petals and I find both Leslie Woodriff and Dunyazade to look like a bad hair day compared to Scherhezade and Black Beauty. I took pics from the top view- see what I mean? MG- This saddens me too. I would love to trade, but not illegally. Nice website! Information and good pics:) linnea, You might be nearby, and you are welcome to visit/swap :) I'm in NW IL. Not too far from the Mississippi River. You might not like me that much, I'm the one who told you it is humanly possible to yank a lily right out of the ground if you don't like it. ;-0 Karen

Rhizo1, last year arounnd fall, I discovered lots and lots of caterpillars on the passionflower vines I'd planted in with the star jasmine. It turned out to be gulf fritillary cats. I let them eat to their hearts content! In fact, I planted several passionflower vines so they might consider our yard a haven . The winter was very cold, and I do not know if any of the larva survived that, but this year I'm watching for more such larva. I like to plant the hosts for different butterflies, such as the milkweed plants that grow here, and I do seem to have many butterflies frequenting the yard. I had a book about butterfly gardening, showing the host plants, and the nectar plants, and I want to make sure before I "do in" a cat that it is not something spectacular. My criteria for a 'nasty' is gypsy moth or cabbage moth or some other veggie eating borer...because we do plant squash and cukes in my DH's veggie garden. You know, I did not realize that GW had a butterfly gardening forum, so I will take a run at that spot too. Thank you for the link to the Butterflies and Moths of N.A. I would not want to be an indiscriminate destroyer of nature. Might as well have plastic plants if I was.

I was told that my mystery wood that I identified as Red Oak is possibly Arizona Ash (by a neighbor who burned some of it). The smooth thin trunk’s bark is different from other Ash in this area, w/o the outer interior stain from the bark and not as heavy (I have had plenty). Most of all, Ash Firewood burns good and that small stack should give me 2-3 weeks of back sticks (to hold as coal until the next morning). Thanks! Please share any Pics that you know of that might verify the wood as Arizona Ash.