I have a sweet shrub (Calycanthus floridus) overhanging my back yard. Anyone interested in trading cuttings for something on my list? PLMK by direct email (aba563 @ aol.com) Thanks, Ann

I am in Indianapolis. This is a very old discussion, but I wanted to add a note about our experience with 'Athens' this spring. We planted a small 'Athens' in 1998 between ours and the neighbor's driveways. Distance between the driveways is 9 to 10 feet. The area between the driveways is underlain by fairly coarse crushed limestone. That stone is a few inches below the surface and probably averages 12 inches from the top to bottom of the layer. Don't ask me why it is there, but it appears to have been there since the 1950s or 1960s. The stone voids are filled with composted leaves that have fallen in the area over the decades. For several years, the area received midday and afternoon sun from an old hackberry tree that was removed a few years ago. The removal of the tree seems to have had no effect on the 'Athens.' I typically remove a 1- to 2-foot diameter area of the crushed stone when I plant in this area and then replace the stone with good topsoil and compost. Our 'Athens' has thrived in this area. The foliage looks great and it blooms reliably every year. Those blooms are very fragrant in the evenings. The original plant is now filling the space between the two driveways and extends about 15 feet along the driveways. It makes a great border that is contained by the two driveways. I just need to keep it trimmed back from the driveways now, but that is an easy task. I will continue to let it expand along the driveways. This past April 21, we had a record low temperature of 27 degrees. The 'Athens' was leafing out and a few flower buds were beginning to open. The freezing temperature killed most of the foliage and I believe all of the flower buds. The new replacement foliage began to appear within a few days. Then, to my surprise, new flower buds began to form in mid to late May. It's now June 15 and I believe the 'Athens' has been in full bloom for over a week. And it's not just a smattering of blooms. It is in full bloom. The only effect of the April freeze has been the delay in blooming! In general, this has been a fantastic spring for trees, shrubs and perennials. We've had great flowering so far on everything and unusually heavy fruiting on most shrubs. The suckering may be the most concerning drawback to 'Athens' for homeowners in some situations.

idig, here is the email I received from Almost Eden asking about the same thing. ----- Original Message ----- From: John McMillian Jeffm@almostedenplants.com To: Terry Smith Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 8:36 PM Subject: Re: Question about the product Product Code: =B40038 We have more coming , maybe here March, likely 6-10" tall. If you do not find an item, please call, or e-mail, sometimes we have a few 'strays'. We mainly ship on Mondays, by U.S. Priority Mail. You may then expect delivery in 2 to 3 days. The system we use removes items from the availability inventory, when you order. We then ship as soon as possible. Please note....The shipping charge is added into the total cost, but is shown separately for your information only. It is figured like this..$6.00 to box entire order, and then $1.95 extra for each plant..Cost to ship one + 7.95, two + 9.90. three + 11.85, etc... TIP: We have some new plants listed that can be accessed by using the ÂSearch feature !! Would you like a copy of our current inventory list ?. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us. Thanks & Good Growing, and have a great 2009... John McMillian Almost Eden jeffm@almostedenplants.com 1240 Smith Road Merryville, La, 70653 337-375-2114

Sun petal, I think I've seen Hartlage Wine (non-fragrant variety) at the Armstrong in Claremont. You would probably have to get them to special order the variety you want from Monrovia though. Also they may be able to get the fairy magnolia too. Just make sure their Monrovia reference is up to date.