Plant sterile varieties like 'Diana' , 'Helene', 'Aphrodite', 'Minerva', 'Lucy', Here is a link that might be useful: rose of sharon varieties

debelli, by means of explanation..tourist cities like Charleston area and Charlotte the land value is just too high to be affordable for the better garden centers we prefer. It takes a fair distance away in less pricey suburbs to find these garden center gems run by people who know plants and area soils and growing conditions. They are much fewer and farther between than they used to be and if they don't have a good website with directions, they're doomed. One year they're there and you've made an exciting discovery. Next year, they're gone.

We put in a patio as well; we ran natural gas and electricity out to it too. We can't see your whole yard, but it looks like you don't have a lot of room; I would hardscape (slate, fieldstone, pavers, not concrete) or put a deck on that entire left side of the picture. It looks like you have a small (?) area of grass/dirt on the right side, where the basement door is. I'd till that up and plant a garden of some kind; veggies, herbs, flowers, a mix? Oh, and a discovery that may change my life; I will never again bother with raking and seeding a large area of lawn. Patches, sure. But when we had the patio put in, they put sod around it. It was surprisingly affordable for our small space, and that instant, thick green lawn was wonderful. So, that's my advice to you. Sod. :-) The picture is the last day of installation; it's the only one I have from above.

andrew-love dormers, that is an amazing transformation. Are you living IN it mid demo? I am a fellow Michigander as well. Michelle-ummm, well yes there are a *few* things I would change, lol. Overall it's fine but I really really really wish we would have buffered the master area a little better due to the opposite shift thing. I love that I can get into the bathroom/closet without disturbing dh (and turn the lights on and see my clothes and all that fun stuff) but wish we would have had the closet between the bedroom and the bath instead of the other way around. I do wake up when he comes home at 3 a.m. and that is a bummer because I never used to. But for normal schedules the layout we have would have been just fine. The other thing is I think I would have put a door in by our locker area that faces front - a friend/family type entrance. Not a big deal but I think we would have used it. The locker area is functioning well and I like that it's not in the walk way if all the gear doesn't get put away every time. According to dh I still have boxes in the barn that belong in the kitchen - say what? My kitchen is already functioning so what could they be??? Lol. After it warms a bit I will have to check it out. We are mostly settled though and I know where most everything is now, hehehe. My current hearts desire is grass. The dirt of course is covered by snow right now but I know it's there! I love my closet organizer system, that I have room to dress in my closet. I love my cabinets and my blum glides and my woodhollow inserts in my kitchen. I love my property and that our living areas face the back and that we get to enjoy that view every single day. I was also going to comment on your back yard discovery, did you snow shoe or cross country? I can't remember now but I remember that pic - awesome. We found a whole trail system behind our house and I feel like we hit the jackpot. It is amazing. It is an equestrian trail but this time of year no horses on it - there are snowmobile trails too. DH and I have been doing some hiking. I love the fresh air and it is so beautiful to look at. I will be checking in time to time. I still covet your office off your kitchen. :D aimless-I keep reading my head Horton Hears a Who and was looking for a Dr. Seuss sign or something!