Not to hijack the ninebark thread but - I know people who's job it is to know all the commercial farmers within the state growing certain crops. And when you walk around the farmers market with them you hear some pretty upsetting stories (not criminal, just not truthful advertising). Like they will see a vendor representing a certain farm, and they will notice a certain fruit being sold at that stall. Then they turn to me and explain how they've been working with that very farm over a disease issue and they know for a fact that that farm's entire acreage in that crop had to be destroyed due to the disease. So where were they getting the fruit they are now selling? They either buy from another local farm, or they bring it in from another state. There are loopholes that allow them to call it home grown if they possess it for so many days before they sell it. But the wording is designed to deceive the customer into thinking that they grew it themselves. Not that all of this is bad - if they didn't have these hidden loopholes they would not be able to sell year round at the farmers market. Most of the time things are grown by the people you hand your money over to, but sometimes that person has absolutely nothing to do with the farm they represent, they are just hired help pretending to be farmers. Some markets have very strict rules where the only person that can sell a product is the person that grew it. As I understand it the state market has such rules but so many of the vendors have been selling there for so long that plenty under the table favors have been granted. One of the biggest selling items at most farmers markets is home made cinnamon rolls - how healthy is that!

Goodmorning Everybody ! :) I heard from my swappers last night...:))) Mariann I have a couple of surprizes for you...We love putting surprizes in our boxes Regina started it.. Chell you are so creative and your writing is so much fun to read... I bet the boys loved playing pirate.. I can see their smiling faces now...What a great idea to make a hideout.. They will always remeber their hideout mom made for them... Norma I havent traded with you but I am sure you went way above in sending her nice cuttings..I seen pics of what you send...They are awesome boxes..:)) Please dont be sad..:)) Regina howdy :) I am so sorry about Mark having to have surgery and the heart condition would just send me into heaven.. Wow I am so glad to read it all went well...Shooo My heart sank for a minute...He will be all healed for college this fall..:)) You empty nester dont go through what I went through...Stay busy and call them alot... I miss my kids so much it hurts sometimes... Dogs are okay but they cant replace our true babies...I love reading about chell and her boys... It makes me smile so much... Frances lol You poor gardener..ahhah You need a break from mother nature..Really..:)) Oh big snakes yucky... I would be screaming... I love chippies...They are so cute...Havent had many around with a cat now...Kiki has brought home two gardener snakes...He was very proud of himself... Yesterday I was getting ready to go out and play in the dirt...The crows or blackbirds were screaming...It just like a scene in the movie the "birds"... It creeped me out really bad...I couldnt see what they were yelling at.. I watched tv...Than got bored and went coleus shopping..lol The master gardener sale for the next county over is tommorow... I cant wait to see what they are going to be offering..I have never been to this one...Oh I almost forgot..I heard from the master gardener I met...Looks like we are building another gh..lol She wants to do it closer to fall since everyone is busy with their gardens...I am glad we could help her..They are a pain to build.. well I gabbed enough lol must be the strong coffee and I got a lot of sleep...:)) Have a good day everybody..Barb

Cynthia, you enabler you! Thanks for posting this. Criniums (powelli sangria and morei), species gladiolus nana (Elvira, Halley and Charm), crocosmia (Lucifer), phlox (Bright Eyes), and solidago rugosa (Fireworks) are on the way. Some of the gladioli hail from home so I'm eager to see them. No idea where I will be planting them, nor how I'm going to tell hubby he's expected to do more digging (injured foot and can't do heavy stuff). May I blame you?

Most crinums do require a lot of room. Some get pretty tall and the leaves are long. They also make offsets, which increase their circumference. This is how you get a nice clump and multiple blooms. When planting, try to pick a forever spot. They do not like to be disturbed and may not bloom for a couple of years, when moved. They don't need to be divided every few years, like some bulbs do. A good smaller crinum is 'Summer Nocturne'. It is shorter and the leaves are not as long, so it requires less space. It does make offsets freely, so will increase that way. The bloom is white, blushed with pink. As you can tell, I love crinums and have grown quite a few over the years. I'm in my 4th garden now and hope not to move again.