I am happy to see this thread revisited. . I added shrubs to my only full sun bed for the first time about 5 years ago? I am very happy I did. Like Karin, I have found it cut down on maintenance. But more than that it added much needed structure and I’m very happy with the result. I’ve had roses for at least 10 years, but 5 years ago I added two Little Lime Hydrangea and a new ‘Berry Awesome’ Hibiscus. I had some issue with Sawfly 2 years on the Hibiscus, but once I realized what was going on, I was able to remove the larvae by hand and this year I see none and the foliage so far looks perfect. We all love this shrub and it’s pretty carefree. It adds color and huge blooms at a quiet time in the bed. Little Lime puts out a lot of large pretty flowers. It takes full sun in this bed. It’s managed dry summers. I've had two issues - the stems were not holding up the flowers. Last year I read that pruning them back every year was triggering new wood and that was not strong enough to hold up the flowers. Last year despite the fact the branches ended up at an angle and not in the shape I wanted, I barely took off anything this spring and so far this year, it’s filled in a lot with new branches anyway. Hasn’t bloomed yet so we’ll see. I’m hoping it holds an acceptable shape. If I can solve the drooping branches, then I will be 100% happy with 'Little Lime'. 2nd problem with Little Lime was a few branches sticking up higher than the rest and I don't have that this year. This is the first year I haven't had that problem and I wonder if it has to do with pruning it less in the spring? I did do a very light pruning in mid to late season last year instead. I have bloom from early spring to late fall in this one bed and the Hibiscus and Hydrangea really fill a lull that was in the garden after a lot of the perennials and while the 2nd flush of roses was less than the first. I've seen no seedlings from the Hibiscus and it stays in it's place every year. I don’t have room to add any more shrubs in that bed but some of these ideas are very tempting. I do have a couple of beds in half sun that need updating and I’m going to read this thread over to see what I can use. I was just thinking yesterday, that I hope to offer the pollinators enough to keep them around the garden as long as possible. I had a blooming Itea that was covered with them for about 5 days and there’s been a lot for them since early spring, but I have a lull right now and wish I had something that was that attractive to them that follows the Itea which is just finishing up now. I have a lot of hydrangea starting now, and a gray dogwood in the back and the small amount of perennials and roses but I need something covered with blooms for July and August that pollinators flock to, in half sun. in

***doing a happy dance*** gmom! I've got your block all sealed up and ready to go into the mail tomorrow! after asking you to e-mail me your addie, I took a chance on the computer and tried accessing that file of gw addresses. well, that didn't work, but then I thought of how aol is kinda, half-working for me, so I checked in my saved e-mails and there was one with your address in it! I usually delete those once I've input the address into the gw file, but thankfully I forgot to do so this time! lol! so, the envie is all addressed, and I'll be mailing it out tomorrow. I'm glad you spoke up because not knowing who these extras were supposed to go to was making me feel bad. I tried to not short anyone with what I thought was a fool-proof system, but it looks like my "system" fooled me! ah well, live and learn, right? so, in the paraphrased words of the Monkees, your 10th quilt block is now saying "here I come!" -dan

Good Morning Girls, Faye, no reason to be sorry! I am behind too....Jayeanne, I probably will not send your way until Monday, deadline day (Oct 24). *************************************** FUN BINGO (GAME 1) German Shep Boy loves both of his fetches today, especially #47........Good Luck! 47.Cemetary Chasing with Shirley (sjc...) 52.The Tempations sing, "My Girl" Previously fetched........ 29.Bette Midler sings, "Friends" 26.Alicia Keyes sings, "Girl On Fire" 8.Shopping until you drop or your broke 22.Pink Lemonade Cupcakes 43.A day at the pony races with Jeanne (sandlapper....) 50.Doing the "CHICKEN DANCE"...on top of the table....yes you can do it! 17.Gimme some Mud Pie 5.Fun, Fun, Fun at an upcoming Trump/Clinton Presidential Debate 24.Comfort food....Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes 7.Gotta love those girls, The Supremes"....."Stop In The Name Of Love" 55.Roy Orbison sings, "Pretty Woman" 53.An Evening at the Ballet 36.Helen Reddy sings, "I am Woman" 10.??????? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???????.....??? ????? ???????? ????! 48.Getaway for a week with your Girlie Friends 27.Pull a part bread, stuffed with cheese, ham, garlic and onions 3.A luscious basket of delectable fresh Berries 25.An Extra Large Pizza...loaded, including anchovies 11.The GoGos' sing, "We Got The Beat" 46.A big, buttery bowl of POPCORN 19.A tub of Macadamia Nut and White Chocolate Cookie Dough 42.Consuming a one lb. box of the best English Toffee candy, in private 31.PEACE without the husband or the kids ****************************** Possibly another game soon, if I can get my act together. Stay tuned!! Must run!! Annie

kato, sorry, your post above never showed up when I answered above, so I wasn't ignoring you! Thanks for that info. I don't have problems with rabbits (knock on wood) which is surprising since one year I found a nest of babies in my veggie garden of all places. They were so little we didn't even know what they were at first!. I thought I was doomed (thoughts of Farmer MacGregor going through my mind) but they must have all left for literally greener pastures lol, and so far so good. The Cool Splash won't work for what I need in this instance, although I may well try one elsewhere because, well, variegated foliage lol. I really don't want to deal with suckering (I'll be fighting that sassafras forever as it is), so I think I may try one of the Kodiaks, although thinking now of Orange instead of Red. I do usually prefer natives, and have a lot of them, but will try a Kodiak and see how it does, and then perhaps add more or add other shrubs that might work. mxk can I add that this season, due to the covid situation, we didn't go out to the nursery till mid-June, which I knew would be difficult due to all the reading I'd done about the sudden increase in garden activities. They were wiped out of most things, so we headed to a few big-box stores, which I don't like to patronize to begin with for anything, always trying to go to the smaller, local places. I can't tell you not only how unsurprisingly disappointed I was with the same-old, same-old selection, but also how guilty I felt shopping there lol! I usually don't feel all THAT guilty shopping there, but for plants it's a different story for some reason lol. Thank you all so very much for your prompt input. It has really helped me! :) Dee