Thanks for all the follow-ups. Daisy....would LOVE to see the variegated rosemary you spoke of....how beautiful that must be. I'd also love to see a pic of the one with pink blossoms that was mentioned here. Must be so pretty. Poseyplanter.....yes, I did bake all the confections on the link I pasted. I've been a baker too many years to count, but just within the last 3 years have been merging into the chef/cook field. I'll look for a link on propagating this particular red blooming rosemary. Not sure how to do it, but I know it's explained somewhere here on the forums, so I don't want to take up space asking questions about it here. Thanks everyone for sharing in my excitement over this beautiful plant.

Hydrangeas require some sunlight (morning or late afternoon, often referred to as "soft" sunlight), to bloom well. The macrophyllas (yours) also require an even applicaton of moisture during their active growing season. It is generally agreed, that the requirement is about 25mm (1 inch) per week. Those grown in containers will require more, due to the small soil mass and more rapid evaporation. With higher ambient temperatures, more evaporation will occur through the foliage (to keep it cool) and moisture requirements will escalate. Fertilization and frequency varies with location. In your area, addition of a slow release, balanced fertilizer can be applied twice each year, early spring and late summer. Rooted cuttings can benefit from a formula with extra phosphorus. I use a water soluble, 15-30-15, type during the first year of growth and after that, only an annual application of compost and/or leaf mold on the root zone. Don't know about prices of chemical fertilizer in AU, but the worldwide demand, especially in China & Africa, with limited supply sources, has driven up the price in the US to a point that it is almost unaffordable. Thus, my attempts at organic gardening, both ornamental and vegetable! Rb

Hi - I'm going to butt in, on your technical discussion of redness, of H's stems, petioles & even leaf veins if you don't mind - a very personal observations on my few (this sent me running out there for closer look! LOL) On paniculatas - LL & QF sitting next to each other in f/s have similar shade of redness (rosy pink, really) - petioles on QF has same shade of redness whereas LL has baby green. PD also has similar shade w/ light green petioles tho stems mature even redder than either LL & QF. AB has not a hint of pinkness what so ever - but she is new this season. Tardiva - both in f/s win the redness contest in my piece of soil - even the hefty center, maturing woods are reddish brown ... young tips start baby-green then matures to red. T (NW f/s) a ft taller & larger all around, is less red than T (SE f/s). Among my serratas - all in dappled/sun- part/shade: (Dr Dirr's - Majestics) MD, is absolutely magnificent - deep red wine stems & petioles - looser & leggier for better appreciation! (has 12 flwr buds now - can't wait <:->The 3 Big Smile H.s has speckled merlot stems, petioles & veins - tighter but slimmer legs (tons of flwr buds now & starting their show!!!). One that gets a bit more AM sun has a bit of edge on redness. MyM's - stems start baby-green & mature to brownish-red stems & petioles (after relocated in May, still just a ft tall but fuller (2.5' wd) now & 12 buds starting to open in succession - perhaps developing more)! Blue Frost - is simply green but leaves has a hint of redness around the edges. Sun exposure may be a factor on those sun tolerants but may not make a much diff on the serratas - IMHO!

I thought I'd already posted on this thread, but my message is not here. I wanted to suggest Rose Campion as a long-blooming intensely colored perennial. I would call its color magenta, and it's so intense, even its small flowers are eye-catching from far off. The plants are indestructible, and it re seeds to the point that many consider it a garden thug. But, it is beautiful. It likes full sun and is very drought tolerant. Martha