Retail plant nurseries in an area should sell plants that do well within that area. As a garden designer I do find upon regularly visiting nurseries that they tend to sell plants that the customer wants, more so than what is best for the region. Plants that are advertised in gardening magazines that have PBRs attached to them are favourites because they all cost more. Plant losses are frequent unfortunately if you don't have the knowledge of what and how to plant. The best way to learn about plants from a novices point of view, is to walk around your area and look at the plants that are doing well in someone else's garden - ask the home owner if in doubt if you see them pottering in the garden. Alison

Oh. Problemo in da house!! It's night time here and I have school tomorrow so I gotta get some sleep. Tell her I would love to talk anytime and that I posted a Teen Talk Space! Also tell her that I friended her and she is free to look at ideabooks, etc. Good night/Good morning!! :)

We had a similar experience about 30 years ago. Along with that same pine tree we had a huge full blue spruce right next to it in front of our house. Both trees were full with branches right to the ground, healthy & beautiful. It made our house disappear & look like a matchbox house & prevented light to come in. Both were 75' tall & growing nonstop. It started to affect our pipes. I don't like cutting down healthy trees. I began calling some large landscape companies asking them if they'd take them. One company had a customer who wanted live trees as a fence & barrier in an expensive suburb near Boston. They gave me a price & thought it was fair. We were really happy they wouldn't be destroyed. What a day it was when they came to remove those trees! Neighbors came over & cars driving by pulled over to watch. It was fascinating how a huge machine fit around the tree & lifted it up, roots impact & no damage at all. It took two days & the landscaper handed us a check which paid for filling those very large & deep holes. IMO I'd leave the tree for the new owners to decide whether to remove it or not. It's not that uncommon as you'd think.

I have lots of these at my place, very hardy!! Give them some initial love and they will return it for a lifetime. I have also broken off a few of the end pieces from time to time (once it is doing well) and have placed them in water - my oldest one is going on a year in the water alone!