i used to germinate seed for a production nursery. i don't remember the procedure for penstemon but i've noticed them growing wild in every colour in washes, so it can't be that hard :) germination can be tricky in arizona, i think because of opportunistic, moisture seeking molds and insects. one method i use is to germinate in a sealed container, eg. tupperware. use a layer or perlite or coarse sand with the water table below it so that seeds are not in direct contact with water (after an initial overnight soak). if mold starts, i add a drop of hydrogen peroxide (or perhaps diluted bleach) and then rinse after ~20 minutes. the real problem i have is with gnats stripping seedlings of root cilia. the only solutions to this i know of are to use a sealed area for seedlings (which takes diligence and is a strike against the plants due to air circulation) cold-pressed neem (would need to order) or a pyrethrin or other toxic insecticide :/ (i'm not sure if BTI works on gnats). not having grown penstemon in my own garden (though there are plenty of them out there!) in the nursery, we grew bedding in plug flats, eg. the seedling would be transferred after ~3 weeks from a 1" cell. naturally, if i were concerned about the survival, i'd probably transplant after ~3 sets of proper leaves or so. if anyone is interested, i have a batch of neem seedlings started, i'll probably offer some next spring :)

Well, I just have to get in the conversation here (it would have been sooner but I was trying to take pics and learn how to post them). I think Cornus alternifolia is my favorite tree of all. HereÂs a picture of the one I bought as a balled & burlaped small tree about 5-6 years ago I have had many opportunities to buy more, since I ended up being a Wild One in that Rock River Valley chapter, whose fall tree & shrub sale has them every year. But I havenÂt had to, because mineÂs had 4 babies so far, and IÂm hoping for more! I couldnÂt get a good shot of any of them, but terreneÂs is perfect anyway. ItÂs actually an easy one to spot--if I can do it anyone can! (And look for the greenish bark, too, that you canÂt really see in her picture.) Terryr, hope your aunt is happy! I also happen to be the one in charge of that WO spring sale! If anybody out there wants to be on the mailing list, feel free to email me. I also love Natural Gardens, wish I could afford to go more! Red Buffalo Nursery in Hebron has retail hours by appointments, and he does farmerÂs markets. But I sure do miss Enders Greenhouse! Having a source for native plants 10 minutes from my home was a real blessing.

2009 HEIRLOOM TOMATO LIST Abe Hall OH/KY Ace 55 Amish Oxheart Amish Paste Amulet Arkansas Travler Aunt RubyÂs German Green Australian Heart, ÂJoe Thieneman KY Barnes Mountain Pink KY Barnes Mountain Yellow KY Bear Claw Beefsteak Black Cherry Black From Tula Black Krim Black Master Black Mountain Pink KY Black Pear Black Plum Black Prince Black Truffle Black Yum Yum Brandy Sudduths Pink Buckeye Yellow KY Bulgarian Triumph Red Butler Skinner KY CalfÂs Heart KY Caspian Pink Champagne Cherry Cherokee Purple Chris Ukranian Clustermato Cows Tit Creole Depinto Depp's PinkFire Fly KY Dr. Walter Dr. WycheÂs Yellow Dwarf Champion Early Girl FrankÂs Large Red KY Fresh Salsa George OÂBrian German Johnson Giant Belgium Giant Italian Paste Giant Sicillian Paste Gift from Woodland Grandfather Ashlock KY Grandma VineyÂs KY Granny CantrellÂs German PL KY Green Grape Green Zebra HaleyÂs Purple Comet Hasting Mildglobe Hazelfield Farm Red KY Hege German Pink Hog Heart KY Indiana Red J.D.ÂS Texas Special KellogÂs Breakfast Kentucky Striped KY Khaborosky King Umberto Kosovo KY Heirloom KY Ky. Beefsteak Ky. Light Yellow KY Ky. Pink Stamper KY Ky. Plate KY Ky. Wonder KY Large Red Cherry Lenny & GracieÂs Red KY Lenny & GracieÂs Yellow KY Lichi Cherry Lime Green Salad Lincoln Adams KY LinnieÂs Oxheart KY Livingdon Globe Lumpy Red KY Mama Leona Marglobe MariannaÂs Peace Matina MaxÂs Large Green KY Mikado Ecarlote Monk KY Moraviqua Del mercato New Jersey Championship New Yorker Old Kentucky KY Opalaka Paste OpalÂs Homestead KY Orange Strawberry Ozark Pink Pale Perfect Purple Palestinian Pan American Pasture Cherry Peacevine Red Cherry Persimmon Pike County KY PikÂs Yugo Pink Climber Pink Ice Cherry Pink Ruffle Plum Lemon Polish C Pink Potato Leaf Cherokee Purple Pritchards Scarlet Red Topper Purple Dog Creek KY Red Calabash Red Grape Red Kimberly Red Lightening Red Robin Red Russian Riesentraube (Red) Riesentraube (Yellow) Romeo Roma Rose Beauty KY Royal Hillbilly Rutgers San Marzano Santorini Salad Sicilian Saucer St. Pierre Striped Roman Sungold Cherry Sweet Baby Girl Sweet Meat T.C. Jones Yellow KY TappyÂs Finest Pink Thessalonia Tigerella Tondina Maremmano TonyÂs Italian Paste Uncle Mark Bagby KY Kentucky Heirloom Viva KY Walzer KY Wes Williams Striped KY Winsall Winter Grape Yellow Pear Cherry Yoders German Yellow KY/TN

Thanks everyone. I was walking around the garden with my husband last night. Even he was commenting about how great the roses look. I think because the last 2 years I have been redoing almost everything. And my whole yard was dug up for construction and I had to move a lot of roses and wound up with a lot of new space. So I have about 170 roses. This is the first year that most of them have been in the ground over a year and will bloom well. It should be a sight to see! I haven't planted the r/w bed yet. I'm getting a soil test done. I am testing 3 beds, the new one, another newish one and one of my oldest beds. I'm curious to see what the results are. Especially the two newer ones that are from the construction and have lots of back fill in them, and gravel. Oh, and the Olympiad I bought in Lowes is not Olympiad. It's some pinkish rose. Another mislabeled body bag :( towandazz, I have Leda and I love her. I planted her two years ago, but this year she put on a lot of size and is blooming well. Here is a pic