Lol, just about all of the above mentioned plants are botanical perennials, though many are used AS annuals. I think that larkspur is a true annual. Many of our most popular 'annuals' are tender herbaceous perennials, which means that in colder parts of the world, they are killed by freezing temperatures and do not return though many of them reseed. That behavior still doesn't make them annuals in the botanical sense of the word. It makes them tender perennials. ;-) We'll see them labeled as annuals in catalogs and seed packets and on-line because that's how the vast majority of us use them. The annuals in your data base are perennials, with the exception of the genus Linaria, in which there are true annuals and perennials. Canna, for example, is a rhizomatous plant. It's not hardy where you are, but actually quite long lived warmer temperate zones. I'm only being a stickler on this because you seem to be taking great care in compiling your database. I know that you want it to be accurate. And you really couldn't be faulted by clumping many of these plants together because they are used AS annuals. You should do a search on true annuals so that you can add to your list. Zinnias and marigolds qualify. If you are collecting information on other categories of plants besides those known for their flowers, there are lots of grasses and food crops that are annuals, too.

Folks thanks for the kudos on that seedling. That's whats so neat in hybridizing for us....the unknown factor! With the little hybridizing we've done...we've had some dumb luck involved with crosses produced. As the old saying goes...even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then. With all the possible combinations of genetics in a cross; does anyone think given any one cultiver, that all attributes have been discovered in it? We sure don't! Bob, We know where you live and you'll be the first in line if we decide it's not going to stay here. We'll bring our shovel with us when we visit you this year. You have some things we'd like to talk you out of in your seedling beds we're sure! We're lilydude on the LA...remember the email about the seeds you purchased? moongardengirl, Get some Ed Brown or Mandalay Bay Music. Both have produced good seedlings although in our limited experience with Ed Brown it doesn't like to give up some of it's attributes so easily. You'll get seedlings from both that will make you happy in your first experiments. Cheers, Bruce and Tanya

I'm not as extreme as you are, Wantonmara, but I only watered the yard once or twice a month and the potted plants got by with weekly waterings. I've got the lovely black clay soil that Dallas has, with little of it amended. I did water my rosemary occasionally when I watered the potted plants, it's still getting established and I wanted it to grow. I lost my thyme, lavender, and Mexican oregano, I think to heat and possibly being left out in too much sun for the amount of water that I gave them. I may have lost one of my guaras, but the other one is coming back. The Carefree Beauty rose did just fine. In the front I tried to put in a row of pincushion flowers that I started from seed and a row of cosmos. One of each survived the summer, the pincushion really took off over the winter. My iris is blooming, the Lady in Red salvias reseeded and didn't die so they may be coming back from the base, too. The cenizo and salvia greggii came through just fine, although the latter has some bare spots that I thought were dead but the wood's still green. The Henry Deuhlberg salvias were so happy that they gave me two volunteers during the summer/fall. The Mystic Spires Blue salvia did fine, although the blue salvias did slow down flower production during the intense heat. The althea that I planted last spring survived without me remembering that I needed to water it (it gets afternoon shade from the house). I'm waiting on the lantanas to start growing again, but they all still had green wood when I cut them back. I did lose the silver ponyfoot, probably not enough water and too much sun. Most likely, I lost even more grass in the backyard...guess that'll be the next project. :)

rhome, that sure is true. We all have our desire to share and help others get the most out of their new kitchens . It doesn't matter at all what the skill level, we can all learn and grow and enjoy. I see tons of talent everywhere I look and I keep looking even though I know I can't begin to make or don't want to make what others are able to do. I still love to look. I hope that everyone realizes that it is out of a sense of community spirit that we all post here long after our kitchens are "done", also I am not sure we are EVER done :) Here is part of what we did this afternoon. DH's fingers were still sore but he wanted cookies ! He has perfected his Italian Seed Cookies and wanted to make them. So here are some of the steps and the finished product. shaping the dough: place in water/toasted sesame seeds /parchment finished : These are almost exactly like the cookies from Brocato's bakery in NOLA. We just had 4 bags of them from SIL's visit and it sure was hard to tell the difference. The Brocato cookies are a tad sweeter but I like DH's best :) It has taken him years to get them perfect. He purchased ammonium carbonate as the rising agent and also twice bakes them. It makes all the difference. I wanted to show you Alto and Sax ! They are my starters. They are now about 2 yrs old. WOW do they love me LOL. Here are pics of them before and after feeding and then of the 2 breads I am in the process of making. It is a couple day thing to make bread with wild yeast starter so stay tuned to tomorrow . before feeding - fresh from fridge: after just 3 hrs: San Joaquin Sourdough auto lyse ( I let it set about 30 min) Polish Country Bread ( a light rye) auto lyse - Polish Dough is beaten in the KA mixer for 4 min on speed 2 and then let to rest 40 min. Then you do 2 stretch and folds. Rest 40 min and again. Then rise 2 hrs or so and bake. in KA: First way to do stretch and fold - pat flat : fold like a letter: Here is another way to do S and F. In the bowl with a spatula. Do 30 turns with the spatula around and around quickly bringing the dough up and over a little each turn. Do this every 30 min X 3 times. You will be amazed at the strength the dough acquires with a small amount of work. Here are pics DH took :) Tomorrow I will show the finishing touches and the final product. Hope everyone has a lovely Summer Friday night. c