Auteck, I've been warned against afternoon "watering" as opposed to light "misting". Which one are you doing? I will try to get some updated pictures for you. heelsfan, I just came back from columbia, SC which is only 4 hours drive from here and what a difference in climate. It has rained here twice in the last 2 months yet yesterday in SC I got thunderstormed on 8 times in one day. It was like a rain forest. That is the kind of humid coastal plain weather that puts that tropical swamp grasses into high gear and we haven't had that here and we don't normally even get that kind of weather until August. If you're having or have had that kind of hot humid weather with temps in the mid 90's and above then that really isn't what I'm having to contend with. I did see some tall fescue that actually looked like it was in excellent shape though.

Well, the only reason why I put the heat mat in the bin is because mine is a weak one. It does not have a thermastat either. But I have taking the temps and it was still in the 70's inside. But then I should caution~~~~~ Depending how hot your heat mat gets, will determin if your mat should be in or out of the bin! I only had mine in the bin since it put off a very low heat and did not have much affect on the outside when I tried it. SO PLEASE TEST YOUR HEAT MAT TEMPS when deciding to put your mat in or outside your bin! Thanks for pointing that out to me :) Christy

1. Yes, that is black spot on your roses. 2. Yes, you can prune your privet. I prune my privet up from the bottom like a crape myrtle to create a small tree. I underplant it with shade plants like columbine, ferns, etc. Pruning it up will give you the same options - more space for planting perennials giving the garden more color and texture. 3. Best groundcover? I think it would be whatever you want to plant under that tree. It is small now, but will get shadier as it gets larger, so think of things that might transition well into a shady condition in the future. How about growing rock rose under your sweet gum? It blooms in sun or part shade. Autumn sage would work too. 4. Rose pruning should have been done in February. I wouldn't worry about pruning it now. I have read that you really don't need to prune that rose, but it will grow to around 6-8 feet tall and wide. Let it grow this summer and if you still want to prune it next February, then wait until then. 5. It looks like that third one is growing. Maybe try moving some of the mulch away from the base. It might be smothering the roots too much. Sometimes pulling the mulch away a bit will help it grow better because the sun can get to any new buds that may be hidden under the mulch. Another thing that helps is to "fluff" the mulch a bit with a digging fork. Sometimes it gets so packed down, that it makes it difficult for air and water to penetrate. So, just loosening it up a bit will help all your plants. 6. If the Belinda's dream roses are going to be in the shade (roses not receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight) due to the crape myrtle, I would move the roses now since that would be easier if you just planted them. The crape myrtle can also be moved to a different location if it is also newly planted, but would be difficult now if it is established. You might have a problem with transplant shock. Good luck with your garden. It looks very nice!

Bump. ***Attention Buehl***----- I emailed the GW Staff to ask if it would be possible to add ALL your wonderful compiled info to the Sticky. They emailed me back saying they want you to contact the manager and they would be happy to update the Sticky. (You probably have an email from them in your mail.) Thank you Buehl for all your work!! I know I have saved this thread and referred to it several times. You are a jewel!