Ok, for the impaired...... 1. this IS Gardenweb, NOT Dave's Garden 2. Gardenweb is a free site, Dave's Garden is a pay site. 3. I belong to Gardenweb, not Dave's Garden. 4. I posted that I was and am still wanting to trade my Brugmanisas for other plants. 5. I would still like to trade my Brugmansias for other plants with anyone but Smurfy Grower because she doesn't know even what site she is on. 6. NO ONE STOLE MY IDENTITY! And accusations like that, that are unfounded, without clearing up the facts, are dangerous, malicious and damaging. You do not post that someones identity has been stolen without speaking to that person and getting conformation that indeed that is the case, just because you are confused and or unclear. *** Bonus*** Susan, which is my name and how I sign all my posts, is usually indicitive of a 'female' person. Ok, man? Thanks! Susan

I am very sorry for your loss, and my unintentional faux pas. I love your idea of bloom time coinciding with birth time. I can't speak knowledgeably to zone 5, but in April we have fringe tree (chionanthus) and snowbell (styrax) in bloom here. In addition to the great suggestions above, you might consider the styrax, which is a much nicer tree than the name sounds. In fact, it is sadly underused. It typically has beautiful bell-like white blooms in mid-spring that can be fragrant. It tolerates different soils well, full sun to light shade, and is fairly pest-free (unlike our pink cornus floridas!). The styrax japonicus is the nursery standard and a fine tree; styrax obassia is more fragrant with bigger blooms. A native choice that is shrubbier in general is styrax officinalus. 'Emerald Pagoda' is a japonicus that's highly recommended by those in the know. There are also 'rosea' varieties for pink flowers. Snowbells are well-behaved and easy to garden under also (deep roots). In fact, they would be a very fitting tribute to your grandchildren. All of the suggestions in this thread are excellent. Whatever you choose, God bless you for choosing this way to honor your family! I wish more people would follow this example.

I went to Hattiesburg yesterday. Those little green thingies you can faintly see on my mother's tree in the picture a few weeks ago were beginnings of the fruit already! I'll compare my mother's tree to the big one next to my garage, which made tons of fruit last year - my tree has apparently just recently flowered (I didn't even notice it) and I got a picture of that, too. My mother's tree's fruit - And here are the dying flowers on my tree, not as far along as my mother's - It's interesting that my tree is behind my mother's, leafing out and blooming wise, since I'm 25 miles south (and my tree should be ahead?) of hers. My tree is located in an area next to the woods with a good bit of shade, and my mother's tree is in full sun, so that may make a big difference. Another interesting thing - my mother's tree was just a little tree, about 4' or 5' tall when she moved in to her house in the mid-70's I think it was. In over 30 years, it hasn't grown much. My garage tree was about 12'-20' tall when we moved in in 1997, only 11 years ago, and my tree is already bigger than hers. Mine hasn't been abused by lawn mowers and weed eaters, so maybe that makes a difference, too. I also notice that the leaves on my mother's tree are clustered on the ends of each twig, whereas the leaves on mine lay all along the twigs. Also, the leaves on her tree are bigger, although maybe this has something to do with its being farther along. Those nyssas are puzzlers! Sherry

Given that 95% of the population of Thailand is Buddhist, it's no surprise that there are an estimated 40,000 temples in Thailand. Thai temple complexes usually include a temple or wat, feature a tall bell-shaped stupa which is a place for relics and the ashes of monks, ordination and sermon halls, a space for shrines and Buddha images and a residence for the monks. The public is welcome at most temples. When visiting the temples, please show respect by observing the following guidelines: Take your shoes off before entering the temple. Make sure shoulders are covered and wear long pants (or long skirts for women). Remove hats and sunglasses, don't chew gum or smoke and speak quietly. After entering the temple, sit on the floor with your feet under you and try not to put yourself in a position where you are higher than any Buddha statues or Buddhist monks. It's ok to take photographs unless there are signs forbidding it, but don't use a flash. With their ornate appearance, the temples are easily recognizable: These are peaceful places, and even if not Buddhist, one may feel the urge to reflect or meditate while visiting. Beautiful arrangements of fresh flowers adorn the interior of the temples and they are spectacular: The interior of the temples are dominated by Buddha statues. Buddha statues are made out of many different materials from gold plate to stone to wood to clay. One famous statue, the Golden Buddha, was thought to be made of plaster until it was being moved to a new location in 1954. Ropes supporting the statue snapped causing the statue to fall to the floor and resulting in some of the plaster chipping off allowing the gold surface underneath to be seen. After carefully removing the plaster it was discovered that the statue was solid gold. It is believed that it was covered over with plaster in the 1700's to prevent theft, although at 5.5 tons stealing it would be a daunting task! The interior of the temples include beautifully embellished shutters and ceilings. And, detailed murals cover the walls: