I also live in an urban area in MA, and I've also noticed that I just don't see the pest problems that I used to see where I grew up (about an hour west/south of the city). I haven't even seen any tomato hornworms (thank goodness!), and I've never seen a Squash Vine Borer. Slugs are often a problem (beer traps are my best friend), and like you, I get aphids occasionally. My neighbor has Japanese beetle traps, so I assume he's had problems in the past, but I haven't seen any beetles myself. I did have some powdery mildew problems on my curcurbits last year, as did my next door neighbor (I assume it spread), and I handled it with a diluted milk spray. I actually have seen a groundhog in the city, but he was just sitting on my front walk and alarming the cat, and hadn't made an appearance in the garden. The squirrels, skunks, and raccoons don't seem to bother the garden. I expect that I would have bird problems if I ever got any berries established, but that's still my plan. Mostly, I'd say that you should plant what you want, and deal with the problems if and when they arise.

Thanks, the leaves do look very similar. I guess I won't know for sure until it flowers (if ever)

If the plant is FKH432 the proper name (according to Juan) is Sansevieria francisii Chahinian. I obtained a pup from C. Causey on 6/1/04 who got it from Juan Chahinian several years ago. Mine is a smallish plant with about a dozen terete (tapering cylindrical) leaves sprouting from a common base. Each leaf tapers to a point with a max diameter (so far) of about ¼". Glasshouse ad says, "SANSEVIERIA SP. FKH #432. Remarkable "False Astroloba" column of thickly-set short terete lvs in vertical rows, throwing ungainly side stolons and tipped with purplish-budded tubular fls, tan with odd brown streaks. "Racoon Tail" from Garsen, Kenya". I'll post a photo in the gallery.

(((HUGS))) Ditto everyone else---she is JEALOUS of you. I went through similar stuff with my SS's mother. Opposite situation in that I am the SM, she is the BM. But not all that different in that you and I are good, kind-hearted people doing our best to care for our children. I have a DD and my SS, while you have your DD and DS. We were both physically assaulted. And verbally. And I totally understand, the verbal stuff is FAR more hurtful. BM has pretty much been out of my head/life for the past two years because I had a restraining order on her, and she couldn't send me nasty emails. But, believe me, for YEARS she did, and she would leave me nasty, hateful voicemails. One we played for the GAL in DH's court case---right after BM had assaulted me. In it, she called me a "pubic-haired b*tch" and made comments about my weight. She has ALWAYS called me fat. I don't get it at all because I am 5'3" and weigh about 117 lbs! WTF. I think it's a female thing to go RIGHT to weight/appearance. Women like your DD's SM or my SS's BM---CRUEL women---have this urge to attack and hurt, and they lash out at US in the very areas they themselves are so self conscious and insecure about. You are beautiful inside and out. I don't even know but I can tell that just by your posts here on GW. You are SO much better, so much more of a mother, wife and WOMAN than SM ever could be. And she knows it!!! That's why she is relentless in her attacks on you. She wants to bring you down to her level of misery. Don't let her. She is NOT worth your time or mental energy. Save all the emails, print them, file them away but don't respond and try not to even let them get at you. I really feel for you, honey. I think your situation is so very painful because SM is attacking you as a mother. Mine was less painful/easier to take because BM was attacking me as a SM. I think as mothers our defenses instantly go up. There were times that BM would take jabs at my daughter and I wanted to fly thrugh the roof! It's more hurtful and personal. And,again, she knows it! I don't understand why this woman cannot just parent her own DD, help BD parent your DD when she is there and LEAVE YOU THE H*LL ALONE?! She is really emotionally disturbed.