Hi bzzybee, if you still need herb seeds, I have a swap going on called Spring Forward Vine & Herb Swap. Some of what you need is coming in and we would love to see you there. Don't worry if you don't have the 25 packs, just send in what you have if you are interested. Stacy Here is a link that might be useful: Spring Forward Vine & Herb Swap

I have some lotus seeds you are welcome to for SASBE. E-mail me, and we will arrange it if you are interested. Natalie

Rosegarden Here is an updated written version of our system, it is not on my website cause I had trouble cut and pasting it into the website program. Did you tell us how big of a pond you're making? Our Pond System... Our system is a gravity fed system which means: The filter tubs are buried in the ground. The water in the tubs is at the same level as the pond water. The entire pond bottom is slightly tilted toward the bottom drain so that any accumulation of fish waste that settles on the bottom naturally gravitates toward and through the drain. We do daily water changes by adding 10 to 15 minutes of fresh water every day and letting it run over the pond sides. Fortunately for us we dont have to use de-clor. We estimate that these water changes amount to about 30-35% water changes in a week. We also once or twice a week lay the hose on the pond bottom to help sweep any accumulated yuck toward and to the bottom drain ( this way mulm doesnt have a chance to accumulate if you keep this up on a regular basis). If you do this you have to make sure you have an anti-siphon valve, to prevent the pond water from going back into the drinking water.. The dirty pond water is continually exiting the pond and going through filter tubs, the first tub has three compartments, each compartment has various filter material, to filter the water and trap fish waste etc. After the water goes through the three tubs it travels (gravity fed) underground to a separate biological pond that is filled with vegetation. The water enters this biological pond from tubing that is on top of a waterfall, the water spills down the waterfall and travels through the biological pond getting scrubbed by all the vegetation in it's path. The water then exits the biological pond, travels underground again (18 feet) and re-enters the pond from under the small wood dock in back of the pond. This process is continually in force 24/7. There is three filter tubs daisy chained together. The first compartment in the first tub gets cleaned every 5 to 14 days (the clarity of the pond water governs this task if the water loses its crispness we will clean it more often. In spring every few days may be necessary cause we are surrounded by oaks and all the pollen that falls into the pond and sinks turns the water a tea color if we don't keep on top of it. Once the fist spring pollen droppings are over every five to 14 days is sufficient. We use various filter material, quilt batting is one of them. As I said previously, the first tub is divided into three compartments, each compartment has filter material wrapped around a divider. The filter material in the first compartment is what gets cleaned every fifth day. My head groundskeeper fills 5 gallon tubs with pond water and rinses the filter material up and down, then waters all the plants with this water, he re-fills the 5 gallon tubs and keeps rinsing the material until it is clean. This takes 45 minutes. Now he could just rinse the filter material by hosing it off this would take only five minutes, but it is all how you look at things....to him it is therapeutic and he enjoys doing so. And since he is an avid gardener he enjoys walking around watering all the plants with this water in the tubs. We also have underground sprinklers so watering the plants by hand with this pond water is not necessary but to him it's enjoyable. My point being that with a bottom drain you could clean out the filter material every fifth day with a hose and have it done in ten minutes. The advantage to the bottom drain, is the pond never needs vacuuming, never needs to be emptied in early spring for cleaning. We also have a skimmer that is under the little dock in the back, this only traps the stuff that floats on the surface, in early spring when the trees are dropping their pollen the basket needs to be emptied 2 to 3 times a day. In summer we don't even have it hooked up because we use the pump that operates the skimmer for additional waterfalls. The skimmer is only used spring and fall. I hope I covered everything. The bottom drain is very effective in a large pond. In my opinion, it is the single most important thing you can do for your pond, everything else you can improve upon later. We added the skimmer and biological pond the second year. It is a system that has served us well for 11 years. Our pond is always clean and has crisp water to view the fish, which are the main attraction. We do not use a UV light because this filter system works so well, we dont have the need for UV light. I, as well as many others always tout the merits of the Bottom Drain, and a rock less pond floor so that the waste doesn't get trapped in between the rocks. The only part of our pond that has rocks is the 4 x5 section in front of the lower pond deck. These rocks are hosed off and turned to expose a clean side usually every two weeks, usually a large amount of crud is released from these rocks when the beach is cleaned every two weeks...when we hose the beach, the crud is released into the pond and flows toward the bottom drain.

http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/buyanewhouse/vwp?.dir=/Outside+Pictures&.dnm=DSC00635.jpg&.src=gr&.view=t Thanks for the feedback. If you have a Yahoo account, check out the "before pics" in this Yahoo group I made in 2003 to share pics. The pics were taken a week or so before the old owners moved out, so try to ignore the ugly furnishings and mess in the yard! Although I love the traditional southern bushes you suggested, I'm a little afraid to plant a lot of shrubs at the lower end of the yard because of all the developed honeysuckle and virginia creeper. Before long they'd be covered. The vines have been growing for MANY years and are probably the only thing holding up the fence by now! I do want to incorporate some shrubs into certain areas. My first Priority though- I need to think of preventing grass seeds from taking root when they blow from the neighbors' yards and also about killing the grass I have now. I COULD just mulch heavily- but I'm not sure that would do it. The areas I have mulched and planted in the front parts of the yard have helped reduce my weed issues, and I want to fix the back yard to be just as low-maintanance. Sometimes I can turn around twice and find a Weed as tall as I am staring back from the back yard! I say prevent them from starting in the first place! I hear you - when you mention the slide of mulch and landscape fabric- I was concerned about the same thing. However, I know that I personally cannot create flat areas in the back yard or make concrete paths. The concrete also seems to present a "planned" look. I want it to look at natural as possible, since I have cut down all the "typical shrubbery" in the front of the house and gone softer with Butterfly Garden plants. I think it better combines with all the english ivy in the front yard. I heavily pruned the shrubs around the deck and they have grown back nicely. I planted 6 inch Mimosa trees in the back yard 1/2 yrs. ago which have grown into 18 foot tall trees in three corners of the back yard. There is a new 18X6 Red Block Patio between the deck and the house which reaches to the AC unit. The patio blocks will be extended out in the "forward" backyard to border a new garden pond to allow for entertaining. A new large flower bed begins at the other side of the AC unit and continues beyond several feet of the fence. My thought was to use some of the same blocks in a more scattered pattern, to access the back section of yard. Nobody will be walking back there except during emergencies. I mentioned I have lots of ankle pain- I won't be dragging stuff up the hill- I can barely walk it. There is a huge shaded area for the dogs underneath the deck and either side, depending on sun direction- but they don't stay out long enough to suffer- I'm a woose who spoils them to AC since they both get overheated in our summers. The rest of the backyard bakes in direct sun until the trees develop more branches. After seeing the pics- would you possibly have any other suggestions? I don't mean to be obstinate- I am just trying to work with limited mobility and hoping for the most natural looking and low-maintainance yard possible. Priority one: I want to get rid of the grass and weeds without making the yard slick or dangerous to walk on. Oh- and I have clay soil which has developed nice earthworms and a darker color than most of my neighbors here in Charlotte. Thanks! Here is a link that might be useful: Backyard prior to any changes