Wow, that time line is great! I absolutely love these books. The illustrations are beautiful and the descriptions wonderful. I love how earwigs are referred to as "the enemy". Too funny. I would so like to find the Nutmeg gourd of Marseilles or the Orange squash/gourd, but I'm guessing they are probably extinct. It makes me sad. Were the books maybe published in both a four and eight volume set? I know they were first published as a monthly series. Mine is arranged alphabetically and I have the full alphabet plus supplement. Does yours have more? If so, what else does it cover? If there's more, I may have to go on a quest to find it! Bellatrix

Whenever I mentor new interns for the Hort Clinic Hotline, I highly encourage them to use online resources. The callers seem to prefer it as well. Instead of reading something back to them over the phone and/or sending them something via snail mail, it is often much easier to get the client's email address and simply send them a link to the proper information on a website. Any more, most people are online with but few exceptions -- and those few you can always handle the old-fashioned way. Of course, you must use some common sense when selecting those links. If possible, you will prefer to utilize information directly from your own state's land grant college. However, it is called the Cooperative Extension Service for a reason -- each recognizes the information from other states and cooperates in sharing it. For me in Iowa, Iowa State University websites would be my first choice. However, there is nothing wrong with using sources from neighboring states as long as the information is regionally appropriate and also applies to your area. There are several benefits to doing things this way. At least in my state of Iowa (and many other states as well), we have a searchable website that will specifically provide an instant answer, addressing 85-90% of the typical phone questions. Clients really appreciate being able to get accurate, detailed information instantly and are quite willing to follow the link you send them and print the page out for themselves. A secondary benefit is that it conserves the monetary resources of our cash-strapped local extension offices by eliminating all of the expenses (secretarial, office supplies and postage) of using a conventional mailing. A good library is still of great importance and our group has an extensive one. I love going in there and just reading or doing research. However, most of the time, the caller much prefers a quick response. IronBelly Here is a link that might be useful: Searchable question database.

Thank you all for your replies...so sorry it's taken me a few days to check back (my mom has pneumonia). I really appreciate your help, but none of your suggestions are like the plant I remember. I wish I could draw a little better, I would try to draw a picture and scan it in. If I remember correctly, the plant was about 3 or so feet tall, was an arching perennial similar in shape to bleeding heart, but the flowers were very little, almost like little white puffy tires hanging down from the branches. The flowers had ridges around the circumference. Well, thanks so much for your suggestions! And I'm enjoying reading the other posts on this forum...learning a lot! Barbara

Such and exciting subject to talk about the Bancroft Garden! The covers go on around late October or early November and stay on until April. Some of them are very large and it takes several days to place all of them. There is one that is like a very large tent around the most tender species (such as the aloe plicatilis, which they say is the largest in Northern California) and it even has a tent-like door. But most of the plants survive uncovered and are somewhat protected under trees or near larger plant, and even with the covers, the overall beauty of the garden is not spoiled. There is so much to see there any time of the year (this was the first year for winter tours). What kind of blooms are of interest? There always is something in bloom. Right now, many of the aloes are in bloom. There are also masses of bulbinella that look really impressive. I haven't seen the seasonal bloom cycle, but the many of the cacti should be starting in April or May. The tours are on the website and change depending on the time of the year. For example, summer tours are in the morning and early evening since the afternoon heat can be too much for flesh and blood. The tours are on the website and right now through the end of March are at 1 PM on Saturdays for docent tours.