Oh- Sandy!! I am so sorry for you! You know what ever I can do for you I will- Just let me know! Manual labor included! You really rescued me last spring with helping to transplant seedlings into individual pots- by the hundreds - I would love to return the favour of your kindness and skilled labour- My seed box is yours- and we can take a walk through my yard again next spring and fill your truck up again! There is more for you to choose from!! This time though- we will be sure that no one gets left behind! I am so glad that your house is still standing- and with minimal damage! There is still so much clean up and rebuilding going on all around that area- Hugs to you and yours- Julie

Hi, Leslie, If your box comes tomorrow, that is a bonus, but I see 3 days being the norm, so you probably will get it on Thursday. Be patient, grasshopper. I acquired an optimara something yesterday from Home Depot. I hardly ever see a decent av there. They had one, no blooms, and there was this broken leaf laying on the shelf next to it. "I swear I did not have relations with that leaf." So I plunked it into my cart and proceeded to checkout. I was about 5 miles down the road when I remembered the leaf, and went back to see if it was meant to be. My cart was still in the corral, with its treasure. The only other Optimara I have out of 163 diferent av's is Rhapsodie Susi. Don't worry about the trade, I am pleased to share with you. By the way, you have a couple of AV shows coming up in your state, hope you are able to go. Barbara

I'm the guy from SC pnbrown was referring to. In 2002, my father and I built a road worthy vacuum from an old 2-horse trailer and an 8HP Agri-Fab vacuum. I attached 6 feet or so of PVC pipe to the end of the flexible hose as a nozzle that I could hold. I soon found that it was easier to lay the nozzle on the ground and rake to it instead of moving it around because it would get jammed pretty easily if it was overwhelmed. I used it for a few years and then moved to another place where they bag their leaves, so I quit using it. I still have it. It should still work with a little tinkering. I'm in the process of upgrading, though. I have found that I have a tendency to bring home plastic bags and dump them whole and then they turn into a mess in the spring that I don't want to clean up. I do dump a lot when I get them home, but when I haul 200 at a time and head back out for more, I can't dump them all on the spot. I got over 1000 one year a few years ago. i still have plastic bag pieces all over the place when I till in certain areas. The upgrade... Same vacuum mounted on the rear of a 16 foot flat bed trailer with 6 foot sides and a conduit top covered with a heavy tarp. That's the plan anyway. I calculated it and with 4 foot sides, capacity would only be double what I had in the horse trailer. Maximum possible, that is. Not that I ever filled it that full, but it did come close on occasion. I have acquired the trailer frame and need service on the electic brakes and other wiring. And safety chains and a jack. And a tray welded on the rear for the vacuum to mount on. Once I get that done, I can add the bed of 2x6's and build the sides. There are stake pockets on the front and sides. I'll use metal roof pieces to make the sides solid. Then I'll cover it and give it a go. I drive a F-450 with an 8x12 dump bed on the back. So it's not great on fuel. Having a larger trailer means more collection per trip. More efficient (yeah, right). I have a couple of sub-divisions close enough that don't bag their leaves that make it worthwhile enough for me to visit. I live in Pendleton (Anderson county) about 2 miles from the county line (Pickens) where they vacuum all leaves in the city of Clemson. They will deliver vacuum truck loads of leaves to folks in the Clemson area if they are in Pickens county. Otherwise, I think they haul them 20 miles to the landfill site where they are composted. They will not deliver them to me even though I have offered to pay something for them. A vacuum truck load of leaves is worth paying for. So if they won't bring them to me, I'll take them. I got the funny looks from folks when I'd pull up with the horse trailer and start sucking. But quite a few folks would come out and talk to me about it. I can't wait to unveil the new and improved version. Probably next fall. I'm already popular with the baggers in Pendleton. They see me coming and some actually help load them. One old guy was complaining about how expensive the bags are, so I brought him a bunch back one time. Nice ones like he was using. What I really want is for some of the folks that are putting out bunches of bags at a time to quit using them altogether and let me suck them up. They'll like not having to bag them and I'll like getting clean leaves. Often pre-shredded and mixed with grass clippings! I love leaves! Here is a link that might be useful: The horse trailer vacuum - 2002

Cindy, thank you, I do love a variety! Isle of Zanzibar still mesmerizes me when I see it bloom! Lisa, I've had Morrie Ott for about six years in my garden. It is one of my all time favorite mini's. Some of those pretty edges you refer to had a hard time opening this morning. Mississippi Memories being one of them. Sharon, thank you. Enchanting Esmerelda is one of those that need to be in the garden for its performance and beauty. Will always reside here! Julia, I love my neck of the woods because the dormants do well here as well as MOST of the southern breds. I feel I have the best of both worlds as far as what I can decide to grow here! I've had Cerise Masterpiece three years. It has not increased rapidly for me here. Started as a single fan, now has three fans and the blooms still are not pristeen. Hopefully it will show itself off a lot better by end of this season! dreamingdaylilies, I moved Way Past Cool to my new deer protected bed last fall, so this picture really doesn't show it in its full beauty. I'm sure it will settle in nicely tho. As far as Morrie Otte goes...I've never had a problem with Morrie here. You might be right as far as temps being too cool. Rita, one of the reasons I like looking at all your picks! You have so many things I don't that I get nothing but pure enjoyment looking at yours! I have to admit purple being my favorite, I still fall for all those pinks with gold edges! Thank you all for taking the time to take a peak into my neck of the woods! Nancy