Verbena Babylon Red

Open Question: How much compost and top soil needed for garden borders?

Hi all, I've just moved into a new house and am looking to redo the garden. When I moved in, the borders of the garden were full of dead leaves, dead trees and weeds, which I've now removed. However, the soil quality doesn't seem particularly great, so I was thinking I'd dig out the old borders, put in fresh soil and then put in my own plants. I'm thinking simple, hardy plants (shrubs etc) for the moment as this is the first garden I've ever tended to. To replace the old soil, I presume I'm going to need a compost and top soil mix (1:4 mix respectively) but am wondering if anyone can clarify this for me. Also, what depth do I need to dig down to? I'm on a bit of a budget, so buying bags and bags of top soil and compost isn't really an option. Any advice would be greatly appreciated (The total area needed to be covered is about 10 m2). Also, suggesting some plants which are easy to take care of, not too invasive (i.e. won't out-compete neighbouring plants for resources) and fairly pleasant to look at would also be good. Thanks

Open Question: Why do birds need feeders?

I just became curious because I realized that birds LOVE our porch and yard, despite the fact that we have never put out a feeder. We do have plenty of trees, shrubs, and other vegetation (including some weeds), though, and I am sure our soil is as likely to house worms as any other. Granted, we don't get many exotic or colorful types. Is it the case that blue jays and cardinals need special food that is hard to find naturally (in the Eastern U.S., anyway), and that's why they flock to feeders, while our little brown birds (finches, I think) can eat whatever they find in nature?

Resolved Question: If the leader "trunk" of a young sapling tree or shrub breaks can it recover?

In winter my saplings have broken their top halves off. Then a branch grows and bends upward. My tulip tree has broken three or four times and looks like a cactus.

Open Question: does my story make sense?

i want the readers to understand what's going on and I'm trying not to rush things. the full first chapter won't fit so I'll post the rest in a minute. Chapter One Six years ago… Elmwood wasn’t the safest place to live due to a recent string of mysterious murders. Scarlet King was on her way home when a sudden chill ran up her spine; she heard a whisper: “I’m going to get you." She turned to find the voice, but found nothing. Scarlet walk a little faster practically, running without looking back. As soon as Scarlet arrived home she got out of her wet clothes and changed into something dry. Her entire room was torn apart. Her drawers looked as if they'd exploded with clothes everywhere; books, magazines, journals, and diaries plastered all over the carpet with shattered glass and ripped sheets. Her face turned to horror looking around at the damage. She looked over at the books to find some of her journals missing excluding some pages from her diaries. Her anger grew throwing everything behind her, damaging a small hole in the wall while letting out a loud scream. Scarlet tore the house apart looking for anything else that was missing. She could sense something was wrong. Someone was in the house, but Scarlet didn’t see them, yet she knew. She heard the voice again. “I’m going to get you.” The voice grew louder; Scarlet ran to the kitchen grabbing a knife off the counter. Five minutes later the voice faded. Scarlet looked to the wall not only seeing her shadow but three more caving in. Scarlet saw two cloaked strangers with porcelain masks coming into the kitchen, just as Scarlet was about to flee; one of them tried to grab her from behind. She saw him at the last second, quickly dodging the assailant, causing him to fall hard on the marble floor. The other two loomed over her; one of them manages to cut her arm when she gains her balance. She looked down at the large cut where the blood ooze through her fingers covering the womb. Before she could get a chance to call the police, they grab her from behind taking her away. The outskirt of Deathly Willow was surrounding by shrubs and many plants, not to mention the roots dragging you from the ground. Twisted tongues forking out its mouth, multiple faces one scarier than the other, branches grabbing you from behind. The misty fog grew thicker; scarlet lay tightly bound in the wet grass. Her skin was like ice in the cold winter. Tears well up in Scarlet’s eyes at the pressure of the knife, she struggled against the ropes, as the friction burned her wrists and ankles. Scarlet tried to scream; her claw marks made it look as if she been in a fight with an actual cat. The knife went through her chest a few more time, before they went for her stomach once more. Scarlet slowly turned towards Sonya who was watching from behind the trees taking her last breath. The murders took her body throwing it into an old welled, then disappeared into the fog before anyone see them. Ebony walked over to the welled where her body was thrown the blood was making a small puddle then making its way through the wet grass. Before she could walk away she was in much bigger trouble when the cops showed. Her hands were covered in blood still the tears ran down her olive face; now she was trapped, “accused for murder with no saying but instead she was taken away for three years.” A tall woman with amber eyes and pageboy hair stormed into the police station where Sonya was sitting at the front desk. “Whatever it is she didn’t do it!” Chief Spears and the rest of the police looked at her as if she was some crazy loom. “Ma’am she was caught in the middle of a crime.” Mrs. Chestler kept interrupting pointing her bony unpolished finger. Chief Spears hand closed into a fist taking a deep breath. His normally calm and pleasant behavior slowly changed; his nostril flaring, eyes flashing and closing into slits. Spears tried to keep calm due to his high blood pressure, but Mrs. Chestler kept running her mouth, then Chief finally snap. “Lady If you don’t shut your trap I’ll have you arrested now! Sit down and shut up!” Everyone stared chattering to each other as Mrs. Chestler was still upset with the police storming over to the seat next to Sonya who was still in tears. Sonya was a good girl who would never hurt anyone unless they attack her.

Open Question: How is my first chapter?

Chapter One Six years ago… Elmwood wasn’t the safest place to live due to a recent string of mysterious murders. Scarlet King was on her way home when a sudden chill ran up her spine; she heard a whisper: “I’m going to get you." She turned to find the voice, but found nothing. Scarlet walk a little faster practically, running without looking back. As soon as Scarlet arrived home she got out of her wet clothes and changed into something dry. Her entire room was torn apart. Her drawers looked as if they'd exploded with clothes everywhere; books, magazines, journals, and diaries plastered all over the carpet with shattered glass and ripped sheets. Her face turned to horror looking around at the damage. She looked over at the books to find some of her journals missing excluding some pages from her diaries. Her anger grew throwing everything behind her, damaging a small hole in the wall while letting out a loud scream. Scarlet tore the house apart looking for anything else that was missing. She could sense something was wrong. Someone was in the house, but Scarlet didn’t see them, yet she knew. She heard the voice again. “I’m going to get you.” The voice grew louder; Scarlet ran to the kitchen grabbing a knife off the counter. Five minutes later the voice faded. Scarlet looked to the wall not only seeing her shadow but three more caving in. Scarlet saw two cloaked strangers with porcelain masks coming into the kitchen, just as Scarlet was about to flee; one of them tried to grab her from behind. She saw him at the last second, quickly dodging the assailant, causing him to fall hard on the marble floor. The other two loomed over her; one of them manages to cut her arm when she gains her balance. She looked down at the large cut where the blood ooze through her fingers covering the womb. Before she could get a chance to call the police, they grab her from behind taking her away. The outskirt of Deathly Willow was surrounding by shrubs and many plants, not to mention the roots dragging you from the ground. Twisted tongues forking out its mouth, multiple faces one scarier than the other, branches grabbing you from behind. The misty fog grew thicker; scarlet lay tightly bound in the wet grass. Her skin was like ice in the cold winter. Tears well up in Scarlet’s eyes at the pressure of the knife, she struggled against the ropes, as the friction burned her wrists and ankles. Scarlet tried to scream; her claw marks made it look as if she been in a fight with an actual cat. The knife went through her chest a few more time, before they went for her stomach once more. Scarlet slowly turned towards Sonya who was watching from behind the trees taking her last breath. The murders took her body throwing it into an old welled, then disappeared into the fog before anyone see them. Ebony walked over to the welled where her body was thrown the blood was making a small puddle then making its way through the wet grass. Before she could walk away she was in much bigger trouble when the cops showed. Her hands were covered in blood still the tears ran down her olive face; now she was trapped, “accused for murder with no saying but instead she was taken away for three years.” A tall woman with amber eyes and pageboy hair stormed into the police station where Sonya was sitting at the front desk. “Whatever it is she didn’t do it!” Chief Spears and the rest of the police looked at her as if she was some crazy loom. “Ma’am she was caught in the middle of a crime.” Mrs. Chestler kept interrupting pointing her bony unpolished finger. Chief Spears hand closed into a fist taking a deep breath. His normally calm and pleasant behavior slowly changed; his nostril flaring, eyes flashing and closing into slits. Spears tried to keep calm due to his high blood pressure, but Mrs. Chestler kept running her mouth, then Chief finally snap. “Lady If you don’t shut your trap I’ll have you arrested now! Sit down and shut up!” Everyone stared chattering to each other as Mrs. Chestler was still upset with the police storming over to the seat next to Sonya who was still in tears. Sonya was a good girl who would never hurt anyone unless they attack her. When she first came to Elmwood Academy she was very shy and awkward, until Scarlet gave her a complete makeover inviting her to hang out with all Scarlet’s friends announcing Sonya as her best friend for life or (BFFL) as Scarlet would call it. After two hours Sonya told them what happen and that three cloaked strangers threw Scarlet’s body down a well before disappearing. Chief Spears set her free but not to leave town. “Yes sir.” Sonya nodded fallowing her mother out to her car. Who was swearing going over the speed limited, even though she was furious, Sonya could see from the corner of her eyes that she was grinning a little bit. Sonya begged her mom to go back where Scarlet’s body was thrown. Her mother didn’t know why there’s probably nothing there but a blood stain and no body. The police found a trail of blood that led to Scarlet. Her body was still covered with bruises and scars. Tiny pieces of glass cracked her skull as the dark liquid oozed through her dirty hair. Tears we

Open Question: Native bryophyta (nonvascular plant) and angiosperms (fruit trees + also shrubs) to Santa Clara County?

I have to do a biology project about plants and i need these kinds because I already have the rest, but I can't find any. help please?

Resolved Question: is this good is it confusing?

Chapter One Six years ago… Elmwood wasn’t the safest place to live due to a recent string of mysterious murders. Scarlet King was on her way home when a sudden chill ran up her spine when an eerie feeling came across her panic mind. She heard a whisper: “I’m going to get you." She turned to find the voice, but found nothing. Scarlet walk a little faster practically, running without looking back. As soon as Scarlet arrived home she got out of her wet clothes. Her entire room was torn apart. Her drawers looked as if they'd exploded with clothes everywhere; books, magazines, journals, and diaries plastered all over the carpet with shattered glass and ripped sheets. Her face turned to horror looking around at the damage. She looked over at the books to find some of her journals missing excluding some pages from her diaries. Her anger grew throwing everything behind her, damaging a small hole in the wall while letting out a loud scream. Scarlet tore the house apart looking for anything else that was missing. She could sense something was wrong. Someone was in the house, but Scarlet didn’t see them, yet she knew. She heard the voice again. “I’m going to get you.” The voice grew louder; Scarlet ran to the kitchen grabbing a knife off the counter. Five minutes later the voice faded. Scarlet looked to the wall not only seeing her shadow but three more caving in. Scarlet saw two cloaked strangers with porcelain masks coming into the kitchen, just as Scarlet was about to flee; one of them tried to grab her from behind. She saw him at the last second, quickly dodging the assailant, causing him to fall hard on the marble floor. The other two loomed over her; one of them manages to cut her arm when she gains her balance. She looked down at the large cut where the blood ooze through her fingers covering the womb. Before she could get a chance to call the police, they grab her from behind taking her away. The outskirt of Deathly Willow was surrounding by shrubs and many plants, not to mention the roots dragging you from the ground. Twisted tongues forking out its mouth, multiple faces one scarier than the other, branches grabbing you from behind. The misty fog grew thicker; scarlet lay tightly bound in the wet grass. Her skin was like ice in the cold winter. Tears well up in Scarlet’s eyes at the pressure of the knife, she struggled against the ropes, as the friction burned her wrists and ankles .The Scarlet tried to scream; her claw marks made it look as if she been in a fight with an actual cat. The knife went through her chest a few more time, before they went for her stomach once more. Scarlet slowly turned towards Sonya who was watching from behind the trees taking her last breath. The murders took her body throwing it into an old well,then disappeared into the fog before anyone see them. walked over to the welled where her body was thrown the blood was making a small puddle then making its way through the wet grass. Before she could walk away she was in much bigger trouble when the cops showed. Her hands were covered in blood still the tears ran down her olive face; now she was trapped, “accused for murder with no saying but instead she was taken away for three years.”

Resolved Question: Will my lilacs regrow after being badly pruned?

There was much arguing today between my mother and i over the best way to prune our well over 100 year old lilac tree/bush (as of right now no one is sure whether it is a true lilac tree or just a large growing shrub). It had reached a good 20 ft over the years and was looking reasonably alright with some dead here and there on it that needed to be removed. This woman, my mother, decided that she all of a sudden knew everything about lilacs and ordered me to decimate the tree. There is no more lilac tree, that's how it ended up. She's under the impression it will magically sprout new growth and flowers next year even though it's been taken down to the ground. This tree/shrub had multiple trunks of about 6 inches in diameter give or take an inch or two on some. There was some dead, which was removed, as it should be. But the woman demanded that i remove the healthy trunks and the majority of the twiggy shoots. I had this lilac looking reasonably decent and well shaped and healthy. Then she comes out and starts taking the pruning loppers to it and just destroyed it. It looks like, pardon the language, sh **. It seems there is no way it will make a comeback after this and that's what i fear. All its leaves are gone and all the trunks have been taken down to the ground. So i would like my mother to know, for future reference because we have more of these trees/shrubs on the other side of the house, just how are these to be pruned? Never, and i mean never, has anyone ever taken these trees/shrubs down to the ground or removed all the leaves/shoots. I'm very angry with the woman at this point because she would not listen to me when i was pleading with her to let me prune it and to stop murdering it. I've been in charge of those trees/shrubs for the past 13 years and have done a good job keeping them in shape without her intervention. She steps in and all of a sudden we have horrible looking stumps. Is there any chance this lilac will live and eventually sprout shoots and flowers again? The root system, thankfully, is still there. and please, do not direct me to a website unless it is about multi-trunked lilac trees/shrubs! i've been all over the internet already and would rather have a real answer from someone who has lilacs :)

Resolved Question: Christians: please explain this problem?

The Bible says in Genesis, Ch. No.1, Verse No. 11 to 13…‘The vegetation, the herbs the shrubs, the trees - they were created on the 3rd day And the Sun, Genesis, Ch. No. 1, Verses. 14 to 19, was created on the 4th day. How can the vegetation come into existence without sunlight, and how can they survive without sunlight ? clearly any person knows plants need sunlight to perform photosyntheses so that to make energy for it to live. How can you still believe in the bible after this CLEAR error?

Resolved Question: What are possible causes for this insect infestation?

As soon as the warm/hot months hit my area my house suddenly becomes invaded with what seems like thousands of ants. We fumigate all around the perimeter of our home, which seems to help for about a week or three but after that things go back to the way they were. We are extremely careful as not to leave around any sort of food, sweets or anything else that may attract ants. None of that seems to help so I imagine that the problem stems from another source. While I was outside the other day I noticed multiple trails of ants coming from the house next door over to our house. I thought that due to the extreme heat the ants seek shelter so creep into our home from the house next door. I don't know if this matters but the home next door is in horrible shape. It is absolutely atrocious and in no living conditions (still people live in it). The home has about 20 cats running around, and that is no exaggeration. It is overgrown with weeds, and shrubs. The lawn is covered in dead leaves and debris. There is animal feces all over the place as well as on my yard. The stench that comes from the home is unbearable. There is a rotting lemon tree on their lawn. I almost want to say the home is a health hazard. Anyway, I think that due to all of these factors, ants are ushered on into my home. I don't know what to do. All of this is just driving me nuts. Somebody please help me, if you have now proper answers then don't bother. Please somebody. Thank you so much!