Yesterday I was so happy to make another discovery - what my sister identified for me as Siberian Squill. I saw four plants so far, and one was blooming and two had multiple buds. I've included one of the less blurry pics I was able to snap. I also confirmed today that the lone hosta that was in residence when we moved in has finally broken ground. I'm happy to see it return. And I also noted that something I planted myself last fall has appeared - two Trillium are poking through the soil! I think I planted 9 total but I'm amazed anything is coming up this first year. It has been quite a "green" week for me, as my Japanese Toad Lilies and a Clematis I had ordered last month also arrived and were planted. I'm so pepped for the sunshine and spending more time outdoors!

Campanula, I'm so jealous of you & your EYES FOR YOU! Now that's a rose we need to get over here in the US! But, a really lovely "similar" rose I got from Edmunds this season that did very well for me is BULL'S EYE. Beautiful Hulthemia big-eyed blooms that change color and repeat really well. Loved it! And a new one I got from Pickering from Fryer's is JAM & JERUSALEM. Lovely apricot-y peachy blooms that repeated really well throughout the season. Kind of a shortish plant, but very lovely. Yet another one I got from Pickering is LET'S CELEBRATE, another Fryer rose. This first season it didn't do all that great, but the deer got to it a couple of times. But the blooms are going to be very interesting to watch over the next few yrs as the plant matures. It's a very interesting mauve with a white reverse, and it's supposed to get all speckly and spotty. Mine did a little bit, but, like I said the deer got to it so I only ever got the one flush on it. Plus it's in a pot in a not-so-sunny area of the yard. I think I need to move it... or just get it in the ground! And a rose I got from Vintage at the end of the season here, is PICNIC. The cute little plant arrived with two whopping blooms that lasted for weeks! I'm gonna love this one!! Oh, and one of my absolute favorites from this yr was actully one of the J&P test roses. Not sure if they will every release it, but I sure hope so. It's gorgeous!! I certainly hope someone does start selling BLUE FOR YOU again soon. You guys are missing out on a truly gorgeous and verrry "blue" rose! Got mine from Cliff before he closed up, and it's been a real stunner. It's in mostly shade. Does really well!

I tried to publish a picture of my million holes H. 'Eos', but I just can't figure out howto on Gardenweb. It is a mature specimen that was under attack during one week; now I can see the soil under it looking from above. Almost no slugs here, but tons of vine grape snails. Most of them haven't survived my frantic counter strike (4 times ammonia spray in 2 weeks time). Another snail favorite is H. 'Green Acres', but I suppose that's beacause it is one of the first to emerge, and there is little else to eat. The snails also seem to be able to locate anything with H. 'Niagara Falls' genes in it. Rob

Thanks for starting this thread, Kristine! Sorry I am a bit late. Wow, both The Pretty Lady and Pretty Lady look incredible! So many other winners. Speaking of....my biggest surprise was actually my Peach and Apricot Drift roses. I’ve always passed Drift roses off as purely landscaping roses (same as KOs) that I would never have in the garden but felt they’ve added a lot to the garden. AD has such a cute bloom form - kind of like a mini Evelyn - and PD bloomed nonstop and always looked good. Disappointments: Happy Child - growing backwards - was 3-4 feet 2 years ago and was about 6 inches most of the summer, finally reaching 10-12 inches by fall. Lady Emma Hamilton - both only grew to 12-15 inches. Died to the ground after last years harsh winter but didn’t do much of anything compared to all of my other plants. The Lady Gardener - Was wonderful last year but this year the center of her flowers were brown and she had defoliated from BS by fall.