Thanks everyone for the compliments, I like playing landscape designer=) K - what a wonderful story! I often go knock on doors of houses that have old heirloom blooms in the yard, and more often than not, I meet an interesting retired couple who tell me some charming stories about how they acquired them. J - My screen room has north/east exposure. It gets full morning sun, and mostly afternoon shade. The north side being shaded by the screen itself for most of the day. Makes it perfect for hippis, gives them just the right amount of shelter from the sun. The hippis under the peach tree are in full sun, all day. They definitely take some stress, but still bloom every year. The blooms fade faster, and the foliage dies away earlier in the fall. They basically seem the same as agapanthus, foliage is more lush and flowers last longer in part shade, but they will still put on a show in full sun so long as the drainage is good. Some varieties seem more tolerant too. I have johnsonii in full sun too, and its scapes are the most beautiful dark purple when emerging because of all the sun. Those I intermix with curcumas, and the large curcuma foliage seems to provide a bit of summer shade to the hippi foliage, which they seem to like. Nothing special as far as prepping the beds. We have mostly sugar sand here, so nutrient poor, but excellent drainage. I have added 2-6 inches of compost to my beds when I start them, but even here "compost" is still pretty sandy. I mulch heavily. In most cases, just the basal plate is in the soil, and the bulb is buried up to the neck in mulch. I don't have bulbs in spots where water stands, so rot doesn't seem to be a problem. I don't have lemon lime, but I'll keep an eye out for an opportunity to acquire it, be very interesting if it could rebloom. The one I have with the massive foliage and refusal to bloom was received as a vendor mistake mixed in with h. johnsonii. It bloomed the year I got it, so I know it is a hippi. Here is the bloom: Here's the foliage (no blooms for going on 3 years), but from 2 bulbs, there are now 16! For scale, in this picture, the purple leaved plant right next to it is 4' tall. The hippi foliage is taller that my powelii xalbum crinum foliage! I had to move one of them last year, biggest bulb I've ever seen on a hippi! Would love to get it to bloom again, just not sure how. The only difference between where it is now, and the spot it bloomed in was amount of moisture. The original spot was under an oak, and has turned out to be too dry for hippis. Angela

Beginning of a month here. Summer is out by Memorial day--I go patriotic stays until August first. August is the ACTUAL back to school month even though September is the "traditional", so put away the red/wht/blue and get out my fall apples. I am anxious for fall decor and change by August. After that I begin in October with monthly changes. The one exception being Lent. I have some lenten things that will trump whatever month it is. A pet peve is the annuals are all still great...and will be through September, most likely. Mums are in the stores NOW and if I purchased them they will be done and gone by October/Nov when I WANT them to replace my outside plants.

Thanks, gardengal. You got it. It was a gift from a ¨sister gardener¨ and I´d love to make it work. I do have a mixed shrub border. It is not estate sized but large enough that now it comfortably holds H.Quickfire, ?perhaps Blue Billow, Twist and Shout, Itea, perennial planting of tiarella; perennial area of June, H. Allgold , ginger and ferns (achoring a river birch which is dying and is coming out in November); fothergilla gardenii; small leaved rhodie or two. Almost in that order. Another bed, about 8´ deep and 15'long has H. T&S, the newly transplanted callicarpa, and no id .pink flowering hdrangea. Around the curve is chamy. Gold Spray a Fat Albert. Iḿ interested in your ideas about placement with other shrubs. In order to appreciate effect of its long, flowing stalks against the layered leaves it seems to me it should be pulled forward of the neighboring plants, even if it hides some of their flowers. In principle, hydrangea might meet this need because their flowers wont be commanding the show any longer but might have, along with some varieities´ leaves some color. , What do you think? Marie

@nle3 Hi, i apologize that my Sweet Rose of Nine was planted on a hill-not good for its bare roots w/our cold freezes zone 6 & we had unusally too much rain giving it BS-si it didnt make it. It was a gorgeous rose & I may order it again for my back gsrden bed. We are habing a better summer, too too-so ai exoect to not have BS. Anyway, all my roses normally do well & are doing well now. i plant them in Miracle Gro Raised Bedding Soil mixed w/little cow manure. Careful to get no cow manure near any roots of rose. I sprinkle cow manure in surface and Espoma Rose Tone or Plant Tone to fertilze! I think the plants come in good condition first year anyway & are bound to bloom prolifically as that is ”what Sweet Rose of Mine Does!!!!” She will be great for you! i am sure if I get another she’d done fine in my flat bed w/winter protection. Another rose that blooms similar to Sweet Rose of Mine is ”Summer Romance Parfuma,” a Kordes! Blooms in light pink profusion-but very fragrant & more hardy-I bought her own root from Heirloom Rises and she gets less BS & is growing fabulous all budded up to bloom!