That's just silly, Ink, though as usual with a good point at the core of it. Scrap, I think you did start off with a question that sent the conversation in some rather scattered directions. I think it is a natural error given what you are doing, which is to try to practice landscape design at an advanced level without having taken the introductory course. I sympathize, I do it all the time myself - end up specializing in "learning the hard way." I got a real kick out of your self-description of "wanting to do the PhD." Believe me, I relate. If you were to consult a landscape designer, s/he would start off interviewing you about your needs and aspirations for the site and would design according to those identified priorities. What I think is happening here is that, having perhaps not clearly articulated or listed those priorities because you think you know them, you are being distracted from them by one or more of common practice, alluring ideas, or other people's input. These things have led you down paths that move away from, rather than toward, realizing your preferences. I first heard this process described as being seduced by features you don't need when shopping for software, years ago when the department I worked for was shopping for its first every computer program. Same idea here. For example, somewhere, perhaps in your blog, you spoke with some clarity about a fence for the left side, where it should go and why. Yet in discussions here you have zeroed in mercilessly on the right side, where there is literally no point in doing anything because of your neighbour's tree, I think in response to some comments made. Another example is what I tried to point out three posts up. Why don't you make your priority list as if you were going to consult someone. What would you tell them was important, and what you needed the fastest? What is bugging you the most? I encouraged you to look at the walkway as you said you hate it, but if it currently meets your basic needs while other needs go entirely unmet, then that is wrong too. If you consult someone, they would be able to think all the way through the process from your most immediate needs to a final plan. Without experience, I don't think you can. Frankly, in my yard I can't either. I deal with what needs doing at the moment, and while I think three or four steps ahead, I focus mostly on leaving as many options as possible open for the next few decisions I have to make. I often find myself doing something completely unexpected but serendipitous. If I were to put my plans on paper, they would always incorporate a few areas deliberately grayed, labelled "see how this looks when I get there." Perhaps the right first thing is to build your fence. Or even just to set your fence posts. You can figure out the precise style of pickets or panels later once you see the posts installed. You can figure out the plantings later, once you see what it's like with the fence in place. Will you feel enclosed enough, or too much already, with just a fence? You won't know till you get there. Make the decision then. The fence issue seems like a logical place to start. Why not tell us about your fencing needs? Perhaps someone can help you flesh those out. But this time, don't begin by telling us what you have decided so that the discussion has to tear that down in order to get to new territory, and then has no direction once it gets there. Tell us first what you needs are, why you are thinking of a fence, and what purposes it needs to serve. It is the process of articulating those items that generates good ideas. You may not even need any input once you have made all that clear to yourself. KarinL

Like bahia and michelle I'm in coastal NorthernCA, but as an amateur can't suggest any plants (when I left the Midwest, I wasn't gardening, LOL). But I have a long skinny lot, although ours is a double-slope hill. On the long sides of the house, we landscaped around the arrow-straight concrete paths already there. One side is 5' and sunny, the other 10' wide and shady. The issue is, what's your walkway? Is this just an occasional walkway, or is it your main in/out? An occasional walkway can be narrow and charming, but if it's your main in/out you need a good chunk of it to be clear width in case you need to move big items in/out of your studio. We found that with a judicious use of plantings, those hard straight lines get softened up. It's surprising how pretty you can make a straight path with some thought and energy. Because of where you are, you need to think about what it's going to look like in fall and winter. We have found foliage (color/shape/texture) and vertical layers (low/medium/high) to be key in visual interest. Maintenance is going to be needed - plants always grow into the open space, and need to be tied up/whacked back/staked straight. North shady side: From 2002, looking upwards. This is just to give you an idea of this long (25') straight bed. The sidewalk is actually the neighbor's, she lets us use it. We each have 5' of width. Several years later, with vase-shaped Japanese maples, hellebores, aucuba, iris, and rhododendron: Top half of the bed: Close up detail, top half: callas, variegated plectranthus ciliatis, hydrangea, variegated alstroemeria (for the leaves; it seldom flowers in the shade), brunnera 'Jack Frost': The north beds when you're looking down at them, from the top (street) end. The LH side plants are my neighbor's, a 1' wide-bed with iris, gaura, and a leaning cotoneaster I'd love to take an axe to, LOL: If you have or can borrow building skills, some planter beds, at least 1' tall (minimum for safety - 18" would be better), could nicely break up that long "runway". If you do something like this, be aware that the 'jog' in the path should be wider than the path itself, because turning corners visually constricts a space as you go through it:

Mr. Clint, I'm not trying to chase you off, just try to make you understand your ability to crank out food comparatively easy for 365 days a year is a direct function of where you live, not from colossal cultural practices. Yes there are some tried and true methods of agriculture that have been around for ages that continue to be practiced and help in the struggle - crop rotation, trashy cultivation, trap crops, etc. But keep in mind none of the "natural" methods was rarely ever the sole means for protecting crops under Midwest conditions. Along with all that timeless advice, it was not uncommon for lead arsenate, Paris green, and other nasty things to be used to protect food crops. All I'm saying is here growing food is more of a battle and aged agricultural principles, although they may help, won't take care of the problem. Heck, last summer an orchard near here lost 100% of its apple crop due to fungus (black rot I believe). Seriously, I'm on their email list (as part of the Kansas Fruit Growers) and they sent an email indicating they canceled all sales. It is more of a battle to grow food here. Farmers around here have experienced it. Dare I mention it, but even the "evil" chemical companies market their crop protectants accordingly (Warrior, Pounce, Ambush, Assail, Stinger, etc.) I'm sure you'll argue the chemical companies are just doing that to keep the war mentality going, but I disagree. They are appealing to experiences that are already there (i.e. losing a whole apple crop to fungus) That growing food here is more challenging doesn't automatically make it unenjoyable. Perhaps an analogy would be rock climbing. It can be very difficult along the way, but can also be rewarding if successful.

It's obvious to me that the people who claim ants do not kill trees have absolutely no experience with fire ants or any knowledge of them....I've noticed they are all from more northern states than Florida. Yes, certain ants will kill trees. Fire ants kill trees and shrubs. They are a horrible scourage here and were imported from Brazil in the early 1900's into Pensacola via cargo ships. They are one of the most miserable creatures on earth, and a prime example of how careless importation of foreign species is so disruptive to another area. In Brazil there is a fly that keeps the fire ants in check there, and then other birds and animals that keep the flies in check, and so on. Here, our native species do not know what to do with them, and they have flourished and gotten out of control. This is all information given to me by our local extension office. They have become so bad since the last tropical storm on our property, (and other properties in our area that did not flood), that I can't garden or walk to my clotheslines without being bitten. The bites are horrible. They burn, sting, and itch all at the same time, and then the bite forms a nasty pustule. Imagine having 50 bites. Imagine a tree or shrub dealing with them. We are having our farmer's co-op come to treat our whole 10 acres. They are not just present at the mounds. They scout all over the place. Our property did not flood, unlike many unlucky people in my area, so the fire ants have migrated to properties that stayed dry. They literall float mounds of themselves on top of flooded areas. I saw it with my own eyes. They have killed 7 rose bushes on fortuniana root stock, 5 citrus trees, and several of my native holly trees so far since the storm. They eat the roots and they bore up into the trunks of the trees. Once established into and near the trees they are almost impossible to get rid of. I've tried everything, including drenches. I am going to have my husband pull them with the tractor and burn them. Since the roots are so damaged I could actually easily remove them with a shovel, but I won't go near them any more. In addition to all of this it appears that they have displaced many of our native ants, who do not bite, and whom are important to the balance of our ecology. They've even appeared to have eaten all our earthworms. I can't find any in my composted areas. So, unfortunately, we have to "nuke" our whole property and then try to introduce the beneficials back in. So yes, ants may have killed the original poster's tree.