Looks interesting. What is it?

On another topic, I noticed the baby stuff in the background of your top picture. It made me think of the fact that I am a new daddy of a 5 week old baby. And the funny part is that all the crying going on inside my house has driven me out into the garden, where I've been digging in the wet soil all spring. Now maybe if it would stop raining here in St. Louis, I could get something more accomplished. I've got a Japanese maple coming in the mail before next weekend and it's like a swamp out there.

It looks exactly like what I got from that same un-named auction site. In addition, I got a Metasequoia 'Ogdon', Picea Pungens 'The Blues', Cedrus Deodara 'Aurea', and a Korean Horstman's Silberlocke. They all looked pretty good, except for the above unmentioned, which is also a little leggy.

I see that both of the previous posters live in St. Louis. My wife and I make a trip to your city every other year to visit the Botantical Gardens and to check out your local nurseries. We are going next month. Can you recommend any top nurseries in the area? We always make a trip to Boxwood Farms, Sherwood Forest, and a few others.

Thanks Conon
Evansville, IN

Congrats John, mine is a six month old now. Trying to figure out ways to get him outside so I can do work on these Mondays I'm alone with him. Easy enough if I'm plucking weeds or planting flowers. Haven't quite figured out if I can mow with the kid in the pack n play on the porch.

The tree I got is a Picea orientalis "Skylands". I've wanted one for awhile. Was just so cheap. Don't even have a great idea where I'll plant it lol.

What part of town you in? I'm way north by the river confluence.

Yeah, I'm in St Louis with a big puddle of a yard myself. Got a few places on the hill I can probably dig.

Conon, Sherwood and Boxwood are probably about the best for being anywhere near MOBOT. I do some driving once a year out to Forest Keeling probably 60 miles from MOBOT out in the middle of nowhere along scenic Highway 79.

The drive is fairly scenic one you are a few miles north of I-70. If you were driving up to Hannibal also I would say stop there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Forest Keeling

I'm in St. Charles, in the Harvester area.

As far as local nurseries go, it sounds like both of you have a better idea of what's around here than I do. I've only been into planting things for the last 2 years or so. Learning as I go. A lot of the nurseries around here aren't so hot... although the World Outdoor Emporium in the Wentzville area isn't bad, but it's quite a drive from Mobot. It's a pretty big place, so they give you golf carts to drive around in. Unfortunately, the last time I was there, all the carts were broken. LOL.

Thanks Toronada 3800 and Johnplace. Those places looked pretty interesting. Maybe we'll check them both out.

In addition, I love the MOBOT website for looking up plants. It is without a doubt one of the best plant database websites I have ever seen! In fact, I've had a link to it on my laptop for a few years now because I go to it so much.

Toronado3800: I burned up a Skylands last year. In our zone, which is same as yours, they love afternoon shade. If you can give them that after about 2 or 3, the tree will do well. Some people, including myself, shade trees like the Skyland with burlap held up around the plants in an attempt to provide shade in the afternoon. It didn't work for me. Just find a shady afternoon spot and it will do well. It is without a doubt one of the most incredible trees I've ever seen!

"The tree I got is a Picea orientalis "Skylands". I've wanted one for awhile. Was just so cheap. Don't even have a great idea where I'll plant it lol."

Pick your spot carefully and screen it. Stake it for vertical growth.

Dave

hey DAD's .. stay at home dad here ...

mine were raised in the yard ... from a few months on ...

check out the link ... the best thing EVER!!!! ... and a great portable bed.. for familiarity away from home ...

ours had a tent top ... placed in the shade... all bundled up ...

hours upon hours in the fresh air ... and crying is not quite so grating outdoors .. lol ...

it got to the point.. that i could never plant much. because the girl had to play in every hole i dug ... lol ...

i had to dig her a hole.. and then go plant everything else ...

and then plant in the original hole while she took her nap ...

copy/paste this one too:

http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&biw=1098&bih=938&site=search&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=greyco+pack+and+play&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

and then figure out how to work something like this into your landscape ....

{{gwi:250981}}

oh.. nice 10 buck conifer ..

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Interesting links, Ken. I keep telling my wife I can't wait for the little guy to get older so I can give him an excuse to get covered in mud. lol.