The response of the guy you talked to sounds strange to me too. Every plant group I have been involved in has been very much open to new members and visitors. They are the life of a club. Don't hold back. Besides, these clubs often have a turn over that brings new life into them. You might need to become active in the club. That worked for me. When I joined the SF group, I was attending for about a year, when I had the dumb luck to be asked to join the board. Then a year later I found myself president. That was strange. When I first joined, the show and tell table (aka Jeff's brag table) was not much to look at. I really promoted it and got others to start bringing in lots of plants. In not that long a time, we had two 8' tables crammed with fascinating plants every month, usually with a theme succulent and a theme cactus, plus anything else that someone wanted to bring in for whatever reason. I think that having beautiful live plants to see and discuss really makes an interesting meeting. I led the plant discussion for many years, and people would tell me it was their favorite part of the meeting. Its always been my favorite part. I finally quit the board after 12 years and since then the board has gone through quite a change, with only one person from when I was on it. There are a lot of new members and I am happy to let them run things :))). Jon

LOL curiouscomputer! That's awesome! I actually know all about Fleetfoot and foulweather--I have about 30 of his plants, no joke. I actually met the man, and he's super cool!--he just drove his van full of cacti up from Oregon, and I got to help the buyer for the Volunteer park conservatory gift shop pick out plants--I've been volunteering their for about 3 years (I was SO excited I could barely contain my check book!). His stuff is always great and problem free (with great little tag notes on care and culture)--keep an eye out for the one's his daughter grows for him (usually string of hearts but a few other's as well) her hand writing is miles better! So to answer your question, I picked up the uber-obesa at "Young flowers" in downtown--on the corner of 3rd and spring. They always have great stuff, although I believe they're only open from like 9-5:30 mon-fri. Also, as I'm sure you can imagine, get a lot of stuff from the volunteer park conservatory gift shop and their annual spring plant sale--May 10 (always the Saturday of Mother's day weekend). The other place I LOVE is the "Indoor Sun Shoppe" in Fremont. I love both things they carry, Cactus and succulents and carnivorous plants. They also carry Fleetfoot & Foulweather and Courting Frogs Nursery (another good grower). So everywhere I know of that carries F&F would be: Volunteer park gift shop, Molbak's, Sky Nursery (pretty sure), Indoor Sun Shoppe and City People's Mercantile. I do some online shopping as well, for random stuff there's nothing better than ebay, seekrack.com or shoalcreeksucculents.com--although I usually go online when I want to grow from seed, since I've always been leary of getting live plant shipments--the weather here is so varible that you can't order anything too tender unless it's between late may and late september--not a very large window! To my great secret shame, I sometimes find cool random stuff at the "Depot" home and garden area. But usually I'm saving something that they put on the clearance rack because they were killing it and I wanted a project to nurse back to health. :)

Being a generalist collector of all types of plant(although I'm positive i dont, and wont ever have, a rep of every type of plant)My years of seeing and buying...I think my favorite succulent is ..Euphorbia ammak variegata. There is NOTHING else like it than can be grown here in the bay area outdoors. There are no other(Oreocereus take decades) huge white cactids.Plus,it's fast,easy plant, and takes high 20's. Finally,it looks great. Pachypodium lamerii gives it competition-but isn't nearly as hardy,or even approaches the size of ammak outdoors. Beaucarnea recurvata...is great,but let's face it,when grown outdoors to most people, it's another Yucca-lol. Everybody notices E.ammak. Cactus?..Golden barrel...hands down. The great Pasacana's in a dream way(20-60' tall)but not likely to get past the height of a basketball hoop in your lifetime. And my little purple dwarf Opuntia 'santa rita" give so much while asking for so little. Like a good puppy. Good also are some very blue cereus on the market nowadays. A neighbor down the block had one reach a good 8-10' and wide in about 10 years..they cut it down for one of those cheap plastic sheds. Nothing rare mentioned-sorry. But,take the plants mentioned and place together and you will have a very flashy,colorful and easy to keep dry garden. Try 'em. btw,I cleared the mess under my old Ponytail and can now post some photos later of the base. And also,I noticed the very smooth branches. Aloe like.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Barb! look at all of those flowers! Those violets are pretty but they are a real pest here! spread like wiregrass! You really make me miss tulips too! (I knew winter was good for something!) Is that a trillium at the top! I can't remember the last time I saw a trillium!I am sorry to hear that Al has pain, I have suffered from hip/joint pain for several years, the doctors have told me the best treatment is 'keep moving' grrrr, sometimes it is very tough to do. Regina I am happy that you are getting some rain! (I hate to complain about water from the sky but it is still raining off and on here! The plants are loving it, but it sure makes it unpleasant outside (muggy, mosquitos and soggy) That Brug is beautiful! I can't wait till mine bloom, I have 3 potted and one in the ground, I just love those leaves! Even if they didn't have flowers My elephant ears hit the ground running too, all this water really perked them up. I cannot believe the size of the leaf on one of them (Is it my imagination or are those leafs still growing?!?!) Here is a photo of some of the plants Michelle sent (see the little rose that bloomed in the box!!! 9 different coleus cuttings!!! can't wait to pot those up! they are gorgeous! Michelle I am sorry to hear about your little GH! Glad that is was not worse and that you and your family are fine! Last of the Iris Peony my herb garden Hummingbird magnet! Tropical Sub-Tropical Surplus Swap Status 1.bigmama4ever sends to chellflower 2. ladygreensleeves sends to rosepedal SURPLUS SENT and RECIEVED! 3. fcoffill sends to Tina_2 SURPLUS SENT and RECIEVED 4. rosepedal sends to deig01991 SURPLUS SENT AND RECIEVED 5. deig01991 sends to divahethr SURPLUS SENT and RECIEVED 6. chellflower sends to ladygreensleeves SURPLUS SENT and RECIEVED 7.divahether sends to greenthumbgrow SURPLUS SENT and RECIEVED 8. greenthumbgrow sends ro Micyrey SURPLUS SENT 9. tina_2 and micyrey send SMALL (yes SMALL please) boxes to fcoffill miceyrey - SURPLUS SENT and RECIEVED Have a great day everyone! Frances