Decades ago, I lived in the Redlands. ogf is quoting S. Florida temperatures UNDER the shade trees. It's even hotter out in the sun, but the gift shop and auditorium at the Fruit & Spice Park where the speakers will be, is air-conditioned so you can sneak in and cool down. They also rig up big tarps by the food area with fans running. You will definitely need sunglasses, sunblock and a hat as well as lightweight summer clothing. Although it doesn't rain often during May, it's a good idea to pack one of those small folding umbrellas just in case of afternoon showers. As for the local plant nurseries, they will be at the show and often close down their retail locations. These are mostly mom & pop types and they don't have the staff to run both. But if you find their booth interesting, you can ask to drive over later on. Most are just a few minutes away. In general, S. Florida nurseries carry plants that do well in S. Florida. You will find an abundance of Cattleya Alliance species/hybrids, Vanda Alliance species/hybrids, many Oncidium intergenerics (Mickey's mostly sells small-growing Catt type hybrids). You will not find Pleurothallids since very few do well outdoors down there, and Bulbos and Erias won't be in abundance either in local nurseries since the demand is not there. However, there will be dealers from S. America there who will have oodles of Pleuro types; and dealers from Malayasia, Thailand, Philippines, etc. who will have lots of Bulbos and Erias and wee Den species. I have bought from these foreign dealers at Redlands for years and years and have always gotten good healthy plants which have thrived for me -- at least until I killed them. You are going to be in orchid heaven at Redlands. I don't recommend you preorder from the foreign dealers since they will be bringing a huge assortment of plants that will leap into your bag. Bring money. Bring lots of money. Bring lots of plastic. There are a couple ATMs brought in for the show, but they often run out of cash due to high demand by orchid addicts. As for the American dealers who will be there -- other than the small growers who are not on the Internet -- I can buy from them any time during the year so I concentrate on the foreign imports which I can't get otherwise. I can spend more than enough money just with them, lol.

Hi Nikki, I'm afraid that I will not be attending the convention although I would love to. I have never been to a national African violet convention before and I hope that Denver will host one in the future. Larry

Online? Heirloom roses has quart sized 1 year old own root roses for sale. They are at regular price, but shipping is free which is a big plus. I ordered a Pretty Jessica and Sharifa Asma and it came out to $38 total, but I havn't received them yet, so I can't really comment on them. High Country Roses has specials on about 5 roses. Easy Going and Gertrude Jekyl quart sized own root roses are on sale. I purchased Evelyn and Winchester Cathedral from High Country and they were very large quart sized roses...easily over a foot tall and budded up...Win Cathedral is almost ready to open up already.

I have about 6 or 7 flats started and mostly doing well. I have 28 tomato plants just put into separate pots (3 varieties: Black Krim, Iidi and Padova). Also, there are 3 flats of coleus, one flat with cuttings from last year's favourites and the other 2 with new seedlings. I'm trying for ones with a lot of yellow in the leaves but not having much luck. But I do have one rather small and weak one with almost completely black leaves. Probably the colour is why it's not growing very fast (not enough chlorophyl),but it seems healthy. I also have lots of baby primulas of 3 kinds. Two sets are in the cold frame as they are from last year, and the others are auriculas from this year. I got the seeds from France and had quite poor germination so I'm watching the plants I did get really closely. For unusuals, I have seedlings of things I collected in parks and nurseries locally. They didn't care if I collected seeds, so I went wild! Now I have red yuccas, pineapple lilies, phormiums, pearly whites (a local wildflower) and eryngium agavafolium.I also have 3 different kinds of penstemons, but while growing, they're very slow and tiny. Let's hope at least some of them survive!