I know better but just cant help it when the body bags start coming in. I have planted one so far, Broadway, and am going to get to the others as soon as it stops raining. The bitter cold has gone - I put all the roses in the greenhouse - so they were protected. Got a Comte de Chambourd at Home Depot. All canes on the roses look very green. I do plan to cut them back a bit after Feb. 14, our day to prune. When I pot them up, I carefully cut the plastic bag on the bottom and remove, then cut up the side. Set the rose in the hole, then slide the paper surrounding it off, fill with soil and water carefully. Then I use the paper that came around the rose, wrap it around the canes and fill that with fine mulch to protect the canes from cold and wind. I think one thing that can cause them to not put out is the unprotected canes. I have also used plastic grocery bags, torn hole in bottom and put over the canes then fill with fine mulch. Have found this to make a difference in whether the rose puts out or not. I also trim back the waxed canes. Mine in the bags are starting to wake up - I see swelling buds that are poking thru the wax. I think the warmer greenhouse helps with this. Also think getting them planted so roots can start growing is important. I have a Fragrant Cloud that I got last year that is really starting to put out - I bought 2 body bags to plant beside it to make it a fuller bush. Love this one!! Whatever happens, its fun! Judith

I have these left. Please see my wish list for trades I'm looking for. Seeds I have to trade: UPDATED Feb 06 Amaranthus love lies bleeding (green) catananche -cupid's dart (P) corn ' mini rainbow' and a black/yellow type Cosmos 'bright lights'(A)-orange " 'cosmic cosmos"(A) dbl dwarf-orange Datura 'black currant swirl' mixed with double purple (identical) Eupatorium 'chocolate'(P)chaffy larkspur (a) blue nigella (love in a mist) dwarf dbl blue and single blue Hollyhock chatter's white (dbl) " 'Nigra' single black " 'Peaches n Dreams'- peach double (p) Ricinus castor bean. tall green leaf, 'carminceta', and pink pod (darkish leaf) (A) Salvia sp. ex. pamirs (P) salvia 'transylvanica'(P) salvia 'victoria' blue(A) all salvia trades come with chaff. sysrinchium -blue eyed grass (p) the below are just in from a swap: These are perennials joe pye weed malva bibo feldho - must be mispelled-no info hibiscus blue flax balloon flower-blue dames rocket annuals/tropicals/bienneial love lies bleeding bright lights cosmos tall yellow marigold dill lt pink hollyhock mimose quadrivalvis- cat's claw datura stramonium 'tatula' nigella agrostemma gracilis 'mila's queen' This list would be a lot longer but I keep giving away my seed as bonuses! Here are things I am growing and they are listed in the order in which they bloomed for me: This is not actually a trade list-although I might have some of these available. Maybe it will give you an idea..... Starting with the first things to bloom and going to the last one. for my zone 5a garden. (A) = annual P = perennial B = biennial _____________________________________________________________________ BRUNIFOLIA - draba, (P) groundcover, 1-2" tall, bloooms yellow- mar16-approx 3 weeks. full sun, slow grower SCILLA SIBERICA - siberian squill, bulb, 2" tall, blooms blue- April 1 for 1-2 weeks, can be sown in lawn and mowed later. full sun IRIS RETICULATA - dwarf, (P) 3-5" purple blooms, April 12 for 3 weeks . full sun 'VON SION" heirloom daffoldil-, bulb 10" yellow April 13- for 10 days. full sun RED BUD TREE, 4 ft tall now, pink april 13 for 23 days .full sun CROCUS bulb yellow 2 " tall. a few days full sun FORGET ME NOT- 5" tall, (P)? true blue, April 13- and still blooming on July 1! Part sun ALYSSUM SAXATILE COMPACTUM - BASKET OF GOLD, yellow, 12" tall, (P)!! blooms second year from seed. April 16 for 35 days. full sun GRAPE HYACINTH - bulb, blue, 4" tall, full sun or part sun, nasty grassy foliage. April 16 for 25 days DWARF IRIS- unnamed purple and white - 10 " tall, April 20 for 30 days full sun CAMASSIA- bulb with lovely purple flowers - 18" sun- april 23 for 20 days May flowers May 5 'DROPMORE SCARLET HONEYSUCKLE"- 12 ft + on 5 yr old plant- orange/yellow, (P) vine sun still blooming- 3-4 months, don't do cuttings- layer to propagate. May 7 'SAMOBOR' GERANIUM (P) 18" in bloom. noteworthy dark variagation on leaves- dusty pink, blooms 4 weeks, sun- part shade, not exceptional may 10 IRISH MOSS, (p) groundcover 1" tall, white, sun- part shade, slow grow, 3-4 weeks may 11 'PURPLE SENSATION' ALLIUM, 2 weeks purple ball flowers 24" tall bulb (p)- can be dried, sun , seeds viable, will make new bulbs slowly May 11- WOOD POPPY 'FLORE PLENA'PAPAVER - strange bushy plant with double yellow blooms. I've seen wood poppy in shade, mine is full sun (P) self seeds a lot!, still blooming 8+ weeks May 11 - CERASTIUM, SNOW IN SUMMER (not snow on the mtn). gray fuzzy leaves, white flowers, pleasant mound, sun, dry soil ok, 8" at most- quick to spread, 5 weeks May 11- DWARF YELLOW BEARDED IRIS (P)1 week- think I'll yank it! May 12 BLACK COLUMBINE with double flower, 3 weeks, part shade. black flowers 18"tall blooms second yr from seed May 12 'GLADIATOR' ALLIUM, taller lighter purple than purple sensation, sterile seeds, will make new bulbs slowly, 2 weeks May 12 'MAY NIGHT' SALVIA (P) purple 24", will bloom first yr from seed, longest bloom for my of salvias- 4 weeks, - then cut back for 50% rebloom-still blooming- july 7 May 12 DIANTHUS- unnamed pink (P) grey /green foliage- which is the main reason I grow it. Tough, drought tol, sun, 4 weeks May 17 BLUE COLUMBINE (P)- 2-3 weeks, part shade, drought tol. self seeds, blooms second yr from seed may 17 GYPSOPHYLIA REPENS- creeping babies breath - white, 4 ", sun, drought tol. seeds viable , 4 weeks May 17 COLUMBINE CANADENSE- native, yellow- red, pennant blooms, part shade, drought tol, also blooms second yr from seed, too tall - 26"- DIANTHUS 'TINY RUBIES'(P) pink pom-pom blooms 2 -3 inches tallBlooms May 19- for 2 weeks Full sun DIANTHUS 'FLASHING LIGHT" (P)(walmart) hot pink 2 inches plant and 4 inches blooms, blooms may 19- for 2 weeks. prostrate plant with darker leaves- a splendid dainthus for tumbling over rocks... DAISY (P)- shasta maybe, blooms may 19 for 7 weeks altho tapers off after 4 weeks. Very self sowing and spreads quickly.will compete against crab grass! VARIAGATED BEARDED IRIS. (P) Hold var. color all season. Full sun. I have several types and they all bloom the same color- light purple and same time, may 19 for 2 weeks. The aroma of grape jelly is TO die for!! I have an unnamed one plus, : iris pallida 'Aureo-Variegata'and Iris 'Variegata (Zebra- striped sweet iris) Bearded iris for me have had trouble with bacterial root rot with our soggy springs, I haven't had this problem with this iris however, don't put it in a wet spot. CLEMATIS "Guillain Blades' (P) vine white 3 inch blooms may 19 for 3 weeks the has cool hairy seed swirls. mine is part sun would be taller if I taught it to climb- label says 12' COLUMBINE (P)- pink may 19 for 4 weeks, 16 inches, part sun- blooms in 2 yrs from seed NEPETA(catmint) 'walker's low' (P) light purple may 19th and still going 7 weeks later. full sun, drought tol, collects bees that act drunk on it. shorter at 20 inches but give it room- 4 ft across! I cut mine back last year and was sorry- it took so long to rebloom- I'm going to leave it this year. propagates by seed but quicker by division. GERANIUM'Brookside and Johnson's blue- (P) I can't see any difference in these two.Neither are truelly blue. sun, floppy so I have them propped by neighboring plants so this way they are 2 ft tall. may 20- and still going so 7 weeks+ SIBERIAN IRIS 'Caesar's brother' (P) purple)only 2 weeks of bloom starting may 25, but the foliage makes it one of my favorite 'grasses'. Less fuss than bearded iris. Grows 24 + inches tall.visitor's favorite. Divides well and fills in quickly. DAYLILY'stella de oro' gold/orange(P) longest bloomer of daylilies 20" may 27 and still going on a few plants- 6+weeks can be seed grown but quicker by division .part sun to full sun. Thinking about trying in full shade- anyone tried it? SALVIA'Blue Queen' (p) self seeds. sun 20" height and 3-4 ft across after a couple yrs. purple/blue color. blooms may27 for 4 weeks. TALL BEARDED IRIS 'superstition' called black but actually extremely dk purple. lost 60 to bacterial root rot. Too much 'fragrance' for vase. 2 ft blooms may 27 for only 5 days sun Silene U Druetts ( P) may 27- still going mid July. White Dr. Suess flowers on groundcover. Mine from seed bloomed after two yrs with all gray/green foliage,came from mom's and her's have variagated foliage. 3" tall. sun SALVIA 'East Friesland' (P) redish/purple may 27 for 4 weeks. new and so short 14" sun LINARIA (A) 'dwarf fairy mix' many colors, bloomed first, now full size mix in bloom ,sun, wintersow, may 28- july 6 weeks if you plant both types. 1 ft to 18" LEMON LILY DAYLILY. These were 3 ft tall blooms with 18 " foliage but new to my garden so bloomed .shorter. Lemon yellow, sun/part sun. Flowers appear to hover above foliage. May 28- 3 weeks If you look at my member page you can link to my webshots for some pics of these gardens:) Toodles Karen

I'm so glad some of you remember a lot of the things I do. Some of my most cherished memories are when my playmate two doors down (Ellen) and the girl our age (Mary) across the alley would play in a little lean-to playhouse built against the north side of Ellen's garage. They had a huge wooden sandbox. People don't like the tracking and what it takes to fill and maintain sandboxes, but I've got to tell you it was heaven on earth. The sandbox was under a slightly larger pergola. Over the pergola grew Concord grapes. How beautiful it was under the shade of the leaves and when the grapes hung down as we played in that sandbox. Sadly, Ellen whose parents had the sandbox died from cancer a few years back; we had been separated for years as she taught school and moved to Michigan. The other girl, we parted ways after kindergarten, and she went to the Catholic school. We made new friends and lost touch with one another. A few years ago I found her how? The internet but somebody must have given me some clue, didn't even know what her current married name was. I met her when I was 3. She lives in NC and is such a lovely person. I cannot remember the last time I saw her, before I was 10. We correspond regularly and share these precious memories. Right now I have heard that her husband is facing a terrible ordeal with cancer and his pacemaker; her health sounds good. Tears flowed from my eyes when I read that, and I need to answer soon. I didn't have a video camera, but one beautiful fall day, I walked the old neighborhood with my wide angle lens, walked up the middle of my street and back (there were low hills on both ends of that two-block long street), walked back down then around and up the alley we shared, then around and down her street, clicking all the way. I put the photos on a cd and sent them to her. She was so grateful for them. I'd never met her sister who was older and away by the time I met her, but she sent those photos to her sister, too. I'm so glad I did that. This is the same street from about the exact same spot and one of my photos from that day. The older one I took with my brownie Kodak when I was about 8. The second one was Oct 2005. My house was the one on the right that is yellow now (hard to tell the color) with a red roof and the white rails. Ellen's house was the first one on the right you can see, a grey house with red trim and grey roof. There was a small one in between that isn't visible. I presently live about 1/2 mile from there. The oddest thing is that apart from the cars, trees and a few cosmetic changes to the houses, it has changed very little. 55 years then and now.

I also spotted some inexpensive seeds. The walgreens around me have seeds 5/$1 or 10/$1 when on sale. Also the K-marts by me all have Burpee seeds 40% off retail price all the time, it is not a sale. I just bought some cypress vine seeds that are marked 1.99 by Burpee for 1.19 before tax.