Most of my favorites are in other people's gardens (like Pam's!) I have to agree that 'Spider Miracle' is a good choice, beautiful blooms for a low price.(these spiders can get really costly) Pam, loved the pics in particular the shot of 'Bark at Me' with the Crocosmia as I added some to my primary daylily bed this year. Nice new addition to my reds and yellows! OT but do you dig your corms for winter? I'm in southern Ohio and for the cost I'm considering leaving mine in the ground but then again I'll be digging glads etc. Loving 'Dark Monkey', a clump shot would be fantastic if you find one. Wes

Bkay, I sincerely hope you have a better year in terms of your health and your hostas. Glad to hear you are retiring! From what I remember reading here on the forum, you have continued to run a business far beyond your normal retirement...if I am recalling correctly. You are definitely due some R and R ... and entering this 2017 growing season with nothing but healthy hostas is a terrific start! Wish you much joy in your garden and am looking forward to seeing pictures of your remaining healthy, beautiful hostas again....and no doubt some new additions? ;-)

@ cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA), Wrong. Wrong and Wrong. Phosphates were phased out from Automatic Dishwasher Detergent in June of 2010. The year was 1993, for laundry detergents. Wastewater Treatment can, and does remove phosphate. And just for your personal information, we now know that the type of Phosphate used was not as soluble as phosphorus. You see, the phosphates used in Detergent were Complex. Complex Sodium Phosphates. They didn't break down easily into simple phosphorous, as claimed. So... the reality is, even if detergent runoff was discharged directly into rivers and lakes, it would not have the effect that was claimed. The bans were for nothing. We also now know, that the majority of phosphorus found in rivers and lakes comes from Industrial Use, mostly from Farming. There is also general discharge from natural sources such as leaves. The third largest source is from improperly handled human waste treatment. Honestly though. I am curious to find out, what we discover twenty years from now. I am sure we will find out once again that a lot of Scientists and Alarmists were wrong about a lot. We may even discover that the Petroleum based ingredients that supplement Phosphate and have poor biodegradability may have even harmed the environment. Who knows.

Vaporvac, It was going in that corner until we saw Fourth of July. We were both very taken with Fourth of July so decided to put that in the place where we took out the old well established once blooming red rose that may have been Dr. Huey. The reason I give it all the qualifiers is that it was tip hardy and apparently Dr. Huey isn't even supposed to live in our zone so it may have been something else. Here is Forth of July today. It is just so cheerful! So it got the prime spot at the corner of the house and Lady in Red got put into the cutting garden. But I also love Lady in Red's blooms. It was really a struggle to relegate her to the cutting bed. If she is cane hardy I'm considering getting another to replace Robusta on the east side of our house. It is a prime spot with great sun and I see it every day. Robusta didn't have as large of blooms as I had read and is the only rose I ordered sight unseen instead of picking out personally.