Yeah, not so much what I look like in my own yard, but that someone is looking. I've got a 'wary' or privacy gene where I feel vulnerable and exposed...like having to be 'out in the open' with no cover for anyone's predatory behavior or judgment

Well that was interesting...one of the feral cats just tore across the back yard so I looked outside to see a golden retriever eating up the cat food remains. Dog lives up the hill from me and comes down this way when it escapes. Dog was followed by owner's son on foot and owner by suv. We got the dog and the owner and I talked about the extensive clearing happening in our neighbor hood. She expressed the same frustrations as I was typing above!

Maybe we can do something.....like enforce tree replacement and a extra tall fence to re screen our respective houses and properties. Or, just wait our turn in the domino development roulette. Wait! I hear Vermont calling....

I also hear Vermont calling you, dear!!!!!

We'll have three geandies here for a few days before I drive them home to MA on Thursday. They come early tomorrow.
Tuesday's planned adventure is visiting Longwood with extra playtime in the children's water garden area. Thinking I need to bring some dry clothes with us.
I also want them to help in our garden. I want to teach one especially about pruning butterfly bushes.
Looking forward to predicted warmish days.

Judy, maybe you could plant some quick-growing, very tall native perennials for a quick screen. Agastache nepetoides (Yellow Giant Hyssop) and Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-headed Coneflower) grew to 12' in one season in my yard. The pollinators loved them too! Maybe add some tall Joe Pye in to the mix.

I helped one of my daughters prune her butterfly bush today, then I came home and pruned my own. I'm not sure I pruned any of them enough, though. My daughter's bush was about 10' tall and we cut it down to 2'. Mine are dwarf versions, like 'Miss Ruby', so I cut them down to 12-16". I wonder whether I should cut them to the ground. All branches are covered in new green leaves already.

I usually cut the butterfly bushes between 1 to 2 feet or so, trying to choose above a hearty looking bud. They seemed to do well that way for about 15 years, eventually the base trunk getting cracks and splits.

Judy, the new building may choose to do their own privacy fence or screening landscape and spare you that.

Thanks, Sally. It's been a while since I pruned a Butterfly Bush. The first one I ever had croaked after a number of years, I think because it was in one of the wettest areas of my yard.

sallyg said:I usually cut the butterfly bushes between 1 to 2 feet or so, trying to choose above a hearty looking bud. They seemed to do well that way for about 15 years, eventually the base trunk getting cracks and splits.

I used to give careful cutting of my butterfly bushes. But one year I was really busy and just hacked them off at 12". It didn't seem to make the slightest difference in appearance or health that year.

Thanks, Yardenman; that's good to know. I was pretty careful with the first 3 butterfly bushes I pruned today, but the last one ended up getting a bit of a hack job

Muddy1 said:Thanks, Yardenman; that's good to know. I was pretty careful with the first 3 butterfly bushes I pruned today, but the last one ended up getting a bit of a hack job

I think their general life is about 20 years, Mine all died about the same time then and I don't think it was the weather..

We don't have to worry about losing any BBs since we have so many volunteers. We often pot them and try and find homes, but alas many end up in the rough compost.
This time of year I often rotate blooming plants from the GH to our home. I just love having blooms year round. Here's one of the current house plants.
The orchids are so long lasting.

Gorgeous!!

Ditto!

This was posted by 'molanic' in the Growing Milkweeds thread. I Really like this philosophy at this stage of my gardening career. Picking new plants criteria:

"1. Will it provide food for my family?
2. Will it provide food for wildlife?
3. Will it grow well and look acceptable in my garden with little effort? Bonus points for growing in a difficult area, where little else thrives.
4. Do I just love it for its beauty, smell, texture, etc.?
5. Is it native to my county, state, or country? The more locally native it is the better. Plants deemed locally invasive are not welcome."

I like that list!
A lot of us should add "6. Do I have room for it in my yard?"

7. DO I have money in my wallet?

#6 could also read "Do I still have any lawn?"

#7 could also read "Do I really need to eat next week?"

Will it encourage Deer? Is it subject to vole damage?

If it does encourage deer, it would possibly remove the "do I want to eat" question. Especially because at the moment I have a hankerin' for some venison.

We went to see the annual migration of snow geese, tundra swans, Canadians, and a few odd ducks at the Middle Creek Wildlife Mgt. area (originally project 500 or 70) yesterday. It is impressive to say the least. There were an estimated 70,000 geese, and 2500 tundra swans as well as an assortment of other species. The dam created a 360-acre impoundment within 6254 acres. This site has become a diverse ecosystem extraordinaire. It was also designated as a Globally Significant Important Bird Area in 2010.

Anyone want to know more?
http://www.pgc.pa.gov/Informat...