We had pretty good year for color here. The Maples were better than last year (which was also good), some of the late rubrums are just now coloring up nicely, but most of the Sugars are bare or nearly so. Oaks are coming in nicely. The Scarlet oaks look good, pins are above-average. N. Red not as good as last year,White Oaks a bit more russetty vs the pinkish tones of last year, but overall looking good. Most oaks still have quite a bit of green but are turning quickly now. The leguminous trees in general colored quite well - Redbuds, Yellowwood, Honeylocust, even Black Locusts that didn't get defoliated by the locust leafminer did well. I saw a few Gymnocladus that colored nicely too - all good yellows. Hickories were great as usual, still hanging on but now more brown-yellow than bright yellow. The Liriodendrons are mostly all but bare but some yellow still hanging on. Baldcypress now coloring nicely, but my Dawn Redwoods as well as others around are still entirely green, but I expect them to color up quickly here in the next week or two. We haven't had a freeze here yet, believe it or not. Sunday night was supposed to - we had clear skies and dewpoints in the teens, but a stiff west wind kept the air mixed and we only got to 35. This weekend might freeze though - Saturday looks clear with highs in the mid 40s.

Wow! That's a gorgeous shot! You work so well with the camera, Maria! Your photo albums are wonderful! I've bookmarked your page, and will go back to see more when I have a few hours of free time! LOL! It definitely has been a busy summer! And it's not over yet! I still have lots to do outdoors, not to mention taking care of all my indoor bulbs. Since I was way too afraid to allow my bulbs outdoors this spring and summer, I doubt many will bloom next spring... although, I could be surprised. I do plan on purchasing a few new ones this fall, though, so I will have winter blooms! We were going to go to the Netherlands this August to attend the wedding of a dear friend, but with gas and airline prices the way they are, we had to cancel. Airline tickets alone would have cost several thousand dollars, which we can't spare right now. I'm very disappointed, but I am going to attend the Chicagoland Orchid Festival, and even though it won't be quite the same, it will be fun. I should come away with a new orchid or two, and I have Cindee to thank for pointing me toward collecting these wonderful plants, as well as bulbs! Xuan, I doubt the Clematis pods will be anywhere near ready to ship this month, but I am watching them. I will harvest when they're ripe and hang on to them for your next family member to visit the States. In the meantime, I may be able to harvest a few other seeds for you. I will email. I'm behind on shipping out care packages, too... very shortly, I will have several types of seeds harvested and ready to ship... most are perennials from my gardens, but I know a few friends wanted to try some! As I finish getting things ready, I will let you all know what I have. Well... here's hoping the rest of the summer is fabulous for everyone! I just charged the camera batteries, and will head outside shortly to capture a few more summer blooms, so look for those sometime soon! Happy Gardening!

Alisande - lol. No, my weeds have no manners!!! As you may see, the grass is VERY green beside my new beds!! I use heavy corrugated cardboard, and then lay 6 to 8" of compost/garden soil on top. If I have left a margin - there is a dandelion!!! lol. I need to get out there for those gaffs!!! NANCY.

That is a way to let us know if it is a hybrid or not. Start a plant from a leaf and see what it looks like Juan Chahihian write about this in his first book. Even N.E. Brown had some questions and didn't known it all then, he was a student and very humble. Michaela you seem to know what you are talking about, have you been working with this Sansevieria for many years. I still haven't figured them out yet, I have learned to wait for the flowers, and wait until a leaf is fully developed and the plant is at least 4-5 yrs. old. This summer I plan to start a new bunch so I have a spare of each one. There is supposed to be an Eilensis for sale on Ebay at this time. I've seen only one adult plant, and sure didn't look like the one being shown. The leaves being round a silver/gray in color But to me I doubt it. I have four S. humiflora from four different well know growers none look the same, this summer they will go into half gallon containers. Many of my species are in flower right now, and I am guessing more will be in Spring. If you have a variegated plant (laurenntii)and want to start more do so by cutting off a growth and leaving at least 3" of the rhizome. Norma