Greenlydia, you can work with round rocks if you stack the second layer in further than the first, and to the extent that the rocks lean, make sure they lean into the side of the bed. In effect you are not stacking the rocks on each other, but rather embedding them into the side of the bed. I personally hate the idea of glueing and mortaring rocks together as I am prone to changing my mind about things, and the rocks can always be used for a different application if they are merely propped in place, but if they have mortar all over them they are hard to dismantle, and hard to reuse. Quite aside from which, the mortar doesn't actually make the thing any stronger. It just provides a false sense of security so that most people who use it are less careful about placing rocks so that their weight holds them in place. Both types of retaining can fail, of course, but if an unmortared rock rolls out of place... well, you roll it back, or maybe you repack the section where it came from. If a mortared rock breaks out of place, well, there goes the weekend fixing that. Regarding water, my own strategy with beds surrounded by rock retaining walls is to keep the soil level in them flat, not mounded, because I don't want water running down between/inside the rocks taking away the soil that supports them. I want the water soaking in where it lands.

nice tree but I could not find it listed. how fast dose it grow? although I still think I like the Pinus t. 'Thunderhead'. I think I would prefer a 6-8 inch growth rate in a tree. I am not sure the thunderhead is the right way to go as I think I prefer a more umbrella like shape. and more open. I am not sure if it would be be right to prune the heck out of this tree to make it grow like that or find something that grows more like this normaly. plus I am not sure what kind of trunk I would end up with. I think the look I would like to end up with is a larger version of what you see in many bonsai trees. a thick open trunk growing up to a wide open canopy above. I think pine looks best. I prefer a tree that dose not get too big 20+ feet. but I supose I could always prune biger tree to keep it small if that is possible. any one know a tree that grows more like described naturally? or should I just buy a japanese red white or black pine and just prune it to the shape and size I like?

Thanks! Most of the things in the front were there already, I just trimmed some back to allow others to take over more of the spotlight. The hostas have been subject to several harsh trims in order to let the iris and bleeding hearts show through. The shrubs in the background were also harshly pruned so they stay back in the background as I do not really like shrubs but the owner said I had to keep them. I did tear out several large shrubs and bushes though, making open spaces, it was all overgrown. I also added mulch, which made them pop more, I think. I went out today and trimmed the large bushes up above my head, I got sick of getting a face full of bush when mowing under them (the hydrangea and lilac). Unfortunately, they are all being eaten by a wood boring pest that my landlord refuses to acknowledge, so this will probably be their last year, then they will have to be taken out or at least severely cut back to the ground. Hopefully I have found a nicer, more rural apartment by then. :) I do feel like I have improved this one, though, so I am staying positive!

Hi Jon, I feel like I just took a ride on your lawnmower around your house. The unfortunate thing about your video is we only get a few seconds here and there when the camera points up from the ground to show the house and shed. Landscape design is intended to pull the house and garden together in a complementary fashion. We saw the problems that are most on your mind, but not the big picture. Weeds -- there are several weed killing products on the market. Use one of them that has glyphosate. If you read the label and follow instructions, you can use it safely and be rid of the weeds. Repeated use will rid you of the Japanese knotweed, too. Persistent treatment until weeds are under control is essential. A common mistake is to spray, then let the next crop of weeds grow and go to seed before treating again. If a weed is allowed to grow and produce seed, the cycle is perpetuated. Kill kill kill! Then you're done. About moving the garden -- veggie garden, right? It should be located in the sunniest spot in the garden -- south facing, no trees overhanging, no tree roots to compete with your plantings. (In the video we only see the base of the trees -- whatcha got there?) I hope this won't come off as too harsh, but simply removing debris would really make a difference. The scattered bricks and wood planks, pots and whatever make it look like a yard sale after a hurricane. (yes, I exaggerate) But a tire? Come on Jon. :-) Rent a pickup or a dumpster and haul it all away, or put it away in the shed. Firewood, okay, I get that, but split the logs and make a neat stack along the fence with the firewood and nothing else. No random "parts" of this and that. Imagine yourself putting along on a ride-on lawnmower with nothing hidden in the grass, just relaxing and cutting the grass, enjoying your green space. Nice!