Linda, thank's for posting. I hope you get alot of joy from Eden next season. I know what you mean about thrips. They just go for the pastel roses, big time. Thsnk's for the encouragement about having fun with things. Seil, yeah, Hoovb's pic probably did wonders for the sale of that rose. J&P should have given her 10% of the profits. Peachiekean, thank you for providing that pic of Brass Band. Your pic has been an inspiration. Those warm colors, that you captured in the photo are amazing. And I'm so glad you have great memories of PV. Cherrykist, I know what you mean. Photo's like these make you want to enjoy roses even more. Thank's for posting! Leslie, it is so good to hear from you. You are one of the rose gardeners, on this forum, whose pics stay with you. I always thought you add alot of beauty to this forum, with your rose photo's. And I never forgot your pic of Julie Link. Beautiful! Thank's for the kind words. Hope you are doing well. Robiniaquest, I know those green buds are special looking. And yes, Hoovb knows how to entice, does'nt she. Thank you for your post here. Aprille, I'm glad you are back and posting here. You have some unforgettable photo's and your Mary Rose is one of them. I'm so glad Bella is on that diet. I should try it for Jack. I'm being very careful nowadays, with what I get for him. Thank you for the kind words, too. Gardenfanatic, you are very sweet to say those nice things. I feel inspired by nature. And roses have always had a very special meaning in literature and art throughout history. Thank you for posting, Deanna. Pauline, I think you should be placing your photo's on valentine cards. I have said it before, but there is something very romantic going on with your pics. I just had to repost them. You give out a vibe of grace and good manners whenever I read what you post. Thank you for the use of your photo's.

Yesrterday I wrote a long post to the AHS e-mail robin about my Dalily Madness and one of the things I was talking about was that I am now going for August bloomers to take away the dead spot between regular bloom time in July and when ever rebloom comes. One of our local club members, also a member of the robin, wrote me back privately and told me that if I do not have rebloom scapes showing by now then thats it, I will not be getting them. He grows about 800 different daylilies, all fancy southern flowers and many of the newest and fanciest. He said he had had his rebloom already and it was about done too. Now that would go with some I had like PRETTY GAUDY and WISEST OF WIZARDS which rebloomed really quickly, instant rebloom. But if a daylily needs to rest before sending up rebloom scapes, there has not been that much time passed between end of bloom here. So I find this very confusing. I guess I want the rebloom so badly that I just will not accept no rebloom until its too late in the year :-(( Plus I have not even had rebloom yet on most of my instant rebloomers. They are new this year and did bloom so they might need to settle in or they might bloom later. I also have lots of rebloomers from Karoll Emmerich and Don Herr this spring. One from Karol is reblooming so far. I don't believe this means that the others will not. Or possibly they might not this first year. This rebloom thing is so confusing and of course I am obsessed with it and obsessed with my daylilies. So what else is new?

Hey there, Deanna! :o) I had a 'Clifford's Stingray' last year (in a raised bed) but it did not make it back this year! It was neat but way too small (height wise) for where I'd have it in mind. I leave all my hosta outside where they sit in their barrels, pots, whatever--except the smaller ones I have in smaller pots on our deck. Those I set aside sometimes on the north-side of the house or as in last winter, just behind some of the barrels, out of the sun! I only lost a whole lot about 4 summers ago during that crazy March where it was definitely Spring/Summer temps and then it went back to normal after 3 weeks, and then, only a couple in barrels and the rest all in the pots you get them in from the nursery! I lost five hosta, winter before last to voles. So, now all pots have a layer of gravel in the bottoms, and I've even dug out some of my older barrels and lined them with gravel--the sharp granite type--not pea gravel. This year with all new plantings, I'm adding that same gravel mixed into the shredded pine bark for extra. I'm using the approx. 1+" size! I've got LOTS in big pots (some semi-planted/some not) and barrels! Oh, almost forgot--the hosta you asked about is 'Old Glory'! I really like that one! Right now the grassy green margins are not showing up so much but they will! I think the leaves might be larger if it were planted inground, but I like it the way it is!

Inspiring pics, Celestial! I loved the bumblebees. I miss seeing chipmunks (we had them in Va.), and the squirrel I saw up close most recently was in an unmentionable condition on my rug (thanks to Houdini-one of my cats). The squirrel at the corn feeder was so cute! Lots to look at in those pics. I love my sunflowers too and so do the goldfinches. Thanks for sharing! Brandy