I really like it, and it's not something you see every day (at least not in my neighborhood)! :thumbsup:

Caroline, for your landscape you will need a larger(taller) plant at the end of the house under the pines for balance. And put your Camellia about 2/3 of the way between your front door and the fence!!!

Caroline, will you promise to keep us posted with pics as you add these plants to your house? It will be exciting to watch it take shape!

Yes!! Al and I both love Impatiens. I can't WAIT for the warmer days and for the local nurseries to open!!! We finally got our lily garden dug out. Al worked like a fiend all yesterday afternoon and last evening, finishing the digging out and levelling. Then he laid the landscape blanket down and replaced all the crushed red stone. This morning he was outside at 6:45 a.m. washing down the stone, then painstakingly picking out every dried leaf, twig, weed etc that had blown in amongst the stone in the fall. The temperature was cold and the wind was nasty. He worked in his winter jacket. He was out there for about 4 hours!! All that's left to do is to add about 4 more bags of red stone to top it up and we're ready to add the big pots with flowers which will come of course, when it's much milder!!! :cheers:

Or two! Our house is almost exactly the same size as yours!!! :cheers::cheers:

Nancy, your lily garden sounds wonderful. Post some PICS this summer Please!!!
For Impatiens, have you ever grown the New Guinea Hybrids???

Ours was built around 1968 or 1969. One of the nicest parts of this neighbourhood is the beautiful trees that are as old as the houses!:cheers:

(Al's excitement comes from the fact that the plumbing is copper....:rofl:)

:mouthtape:mouthtape:mouthtape

Are they the ones that are also referred to as "Sun Impatiens"? If so...yes...I did one year...but went back to the originals in the end!

I believe you are correct about "Sun Impatiens" being the hybrids. I have not heard them called that here in Chicago but they are for full sun. The really cool thing for me with the hybrids is that I took care of them back in 1978 when they were research plants in a college greenhouse. I handled all their cultural requirements and was glad to see them come to market!!!

Would you happen to know of anything with foliage that's yellowish?

Not off hand but I have a book on ground covers and can take a look!!!

Hey Leo, what's your background? You sure seem to know your stuff re horticulture! :cheers:

Al, I have a degree in Horticulture from Southern Illinois University.....
Thanx for noticing and asking!!!
I give you credit for your patience in cleaning out your lily pond. I will remove all debris and weeds from our flower borders. And I hand water all gardens every week during the summer...

I forgot to add that I'm an expert on house plants/foliage plants(been growing them for 39 years).....

Guys, I will certainly post pictures as it goes! :thumbsup:

Lisa, could the plant you are thinking of be Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' (Golden Creeping Charlie). Leaves are evergreen and nearly round, to one inch wide. Growth is moderate to fast, is invasive but wants sun.....

Lisa, from one book I looked into there is not anything with yellow leaves for moderate to full shade. I did find Ardisa japonica 'Hinode"(Japanese Ardisia or Marlberry) which has leathery, elliptic, evergreen leaves with this variety having large splotches of yellow in the center of the leaves. They like fertile, cool, moist, acidic soils and are not drought tolerant(you would have to water) and prefer light to moderate shade. The flowers produce fruit which is showy, red and matures in mid fall and persists into winter.

Yes, keep us informed and if I can be of more assistance let me know. As a suggestion checkout some books on landscaping from your library. I would think the books would be geared toward your area/climate. I can also give you ideas(if you want) on mixing the plants to make an interesting border and look up the info on specific landscape plants!!!

Leo, I found a pic and description of it and I think that's exactly what I was looking for - and what was planted at our old house that I liked so well. A big plus is it apparently will do well in moist and shady areas.

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/groundc...y/charlie.html

Dang, you're good!

Thanks, Leo - you are such a helpful guy! :thumbsup:

Hey, I'm a pretty good guesser, sometimes I amaze myself(as I pat myself on the back)!!!

Man, the storms are just crazy here tonight!

We went to our Good Friday service tonight. Our pastor scheduled a list of readings, along with some beautiful acapella hymns. For dramatic effect, after each reading/hymn, an alter server would extinguish one of the candles on the altar (the rest of the church was dark). Just as the final reading was concluding - it's Good Friday, so you know the story - the church went dark and the storm hit full force!

Verrryy scary! Especially for the kiddos! :chuckle:

Caroline, it's time to confess, were you scared and your children came to your rescue(stickers and all).....

I was (just a little). I'm a sucker for the dramatic flair, I guess! :dummy:

Truth be told, my children used to be petrified of storms, but have learned to love them -- each time it storms they know they have a free pass to sleep in our bed. :chuckle:

Ahhh, you are a good Mom with a kind heart. I love storms and will stand outside and watch the lighting until it starts to rain.

I know you are going to think that I'm crazy but last year I was out on my bicycle with an approaching storm. The skies began to get dark and the wind picked up and I continued to ride but was working my toward going home. Well the air raid sirens started going off(approaching storm with a tornado sighting) and I continued to ride. As the sirens from the surrounding towns got louder and closer I decided to headed home. Just as I made it in the door the skies opened up and the wind was tremendous. Next morning we heard a tornado had touched down in the town next door which was only a mile from where I was riding.....

Yes, I do think you are crazy! Bikes and storms do not mix. :dummy:


You're a dad, so you already know this... Take a child, in bed and close to tears due to a storm that just blew in. Transport same child downstairs to parent's bed (parents are in another room watching TV) and child smiles, curls up, and goes to sleep. Meanwhile, same storm is still raging outside.

It's a beautiful thing! :cheers:

You are absolutely correct and a very good insightful Mom with a big heart. We would always allow our son to join us in bed when he was frightened or scared.... To see the relief in their eyes is precious and you can see the anxiety melt away!!!

The power of positive parenting.

I love to know there are good parents out there when sometimes I feel the world is in short supply...

Caroline, I think we're due to get 2 inches of rain on Sunday. I love storms... but the kids do get scared, especially if we lose power. We just stay together and light candles.

Just think - all the rain you're getting should make the ground nice and soft for digging.... oh, wait - I forgot it's clay. Does water make it worse?

Generator. Nothing like the power being off and having the only house with all the lights own. Yes I can be a pig.:chuckle::chuckle: