Debi, I don't know if you would be interested in doing a trade for just one item. Though if you would I would be interested in your Monarda fistulosa, Wild Bergamot. I also was looking down your want list and I have some Castilleja coccinea, Indian Paintbrush. I will send you an email.

I don't have any to offer at the moment but any type of bean seeds are fun to grow since they sprout so quickly. I place seeds on damp paper towels and place in a zipper baggie. The kids can see the roots start and watch them for a couple days to see how fast they go. Then after a couple days they can plant them and see how fast they pop up. I just did this with my 3 year old granddaughter (thus the reason for no seeds) and she loved it. I will do again in the late spring since these will probably get too leggy before we can plant outside. I also hope to get her a small garden this year since we moved into a new home and have NO plants...I am in total shock after leaving behind my 3000 sq ft perinneal garden. At least I can still go take some back since my daughter now lives there. I plan on making her a little square foot garden that will be 2 ft x 6 ft so she can reach everything easily. Hope you all have great fun, Kim Oh just remembered, another fun thing to do is to sprout grass seeds. I saw this on TV and it looks like fun. Take an old nylon and place in some grass seeds in the toe. Then add some soil and tie off. Turn so seeds are on top and the knot is down. Glue on some wiggly eyes and place in a Dixie cup with some water in the bottom. Leave part of the stocking to act as a wick. Watch him or her sprout some hair!

AMAZING tomato pics and harvests! They're so fun to see! I never really think of this as a GREAT tomato climate since timing seems so critical. I do usually do a few plants of yellow pear, or Sungold (my favorite cherry tomato), or some other small fruited type, but you all are maniacs, I love it! You're definitely making me want to be more dedicated to them next year! Great artichoke pic too! You definitely got your money's worth with the camera. Keep the pics coming! A variegated form of Hibiscus tileaceus, which I fell in love with on previous trips to Hawaii. It's done great in my garden unprotected for 18 months now. I love how the foliage emerges red/pink and then fades to white/green. It's grown as a mid-sized tree or a trimmed bush in mild climates. One of several types of annual "soapwort" (Saponaria) that I let self sow around the garden. This type blooms for a couple of months in late spring/early summer. Sure, the color is a little "Barbie Mattel" pink, but hey, it's not too bad and it is very generous with the blooms for very little effort, so why not, right?? A fun double flowered pink hollyhock tossing up some late blooms. I love hollyhocks (especially as my mom forbid me to grow them as a child thanks to some childhood fears she had of dark alleys near her home that also had hollyhocks in them, so she thinks they're scary, LOL). I love them. Take care and happy gardening, thanks for sharing all of the fun pics and updates! Grant

Judy, I'm the luckiest of us, I know that. Even weeding and hoeing is better with The Princess and Bruvver to keep me entertained. As for the produce, I'm about 90 miles south of Traverse City and the things that are doing well are things that can tolerate cold weather, like beans, cabbage, pumpkins. I've gotten half a dozen cucumbers when usually by this time I'd have made quarts of Chase's dill pickles. The corn is just starting to make ears, it's weeks late and I don't have a ripe tomato yet. The eggplant have given up and the peppers are so small that if they actually bear fruit I think it'll knock them over. So, that beautiful garden you see is selective, LOL. I didn't show you the parts that aren't doing so well! Sol, that boy is happy nearly all the time. He can be doing the naughtiest thing possible but he'll have that big smile on his face. The only time he's cranky is if he's tired or hungry. We're supposed to hit 90 on Sunday, first time this year. Stacy, I'll send a bit of that your way! Annie