Hmm. It's hard to believe it would be the sole reason for failure. I've heard of using A-rest or Gibberelen or something like that--but I really don't know what A-rest is. I suppose I could try the Gib. stuff.

I'm going to look for a poly one to expand my little shade tub garden. And I need another one for the lotus. And another one for tropicals (I forgot about your tropicals, Catherine!) and also for the plants that the fish find too tasty. Above ground is the way to go for me. I can get nose to nose with my babies plus the neighbor dogs can't get in to take a swim. I expect I'll have to drain the smaller ones but my 8 foot can be the winter home for most of the plants. I am going to have to prune off some pads, though. The poor fishies can't find me when I bring the food but I just hate to pinch off a perfectly beautiful pad! The fish think it's neat when I get my arm all the way in there to pinch them off, though. Fish manicure! I've got a nice pad drying between some weighted boards like you dry flowers but it seems a little juicy to work. Anyone try that? Oh, Goldtrap, mine's only been up since last summer but no problems with the metal yet. The ranchers here leave them out for years with out a problem so I don't see why we can't. Vanessa

Eden is one of the most beautiful climbing roses. Does it repeat? I think it blooms only once? I ordered it this spring and at first the company confirmed my order and then they said they do not have it, and I substituted it with another rose. Very beautiful cupped shaped blossom and delicate pink color.

Three years ago I harvested lupine seeds with my very young granddaughters. It was a fun project for them to clean the pods, plant the seeds, stick Popsicle sticks in ground for markers, and wait for them to grow. Seeds were planted late summer, germinated in the spring with that lovely foliage that it has. It took two years before they bloomed but bloom they did. Kirstin's observations are spot on as I've experienced the same here. Shorter flowers but no doubt they will be bigger this year as the plant matures. As for aphids...I get them too but they are manageable, should they appear. I keep a recycled glass cleaner sprayer filled with soapy water with which I spray/drench the aphids. The solution is not too weak so it sticks to the aphids. They get knocked off or drowned, or both. Lupine are beautiful to grow and are a strong perennial. Don't be put off by aphids...they can be managed easily enough. I did notice that there were no aphids on the white one that had all day sun exposure, but the red one growing in a location that had less sun, moister soil usually attracted a few aphids. I catch them early enough when they are small and before they mature and multiply, lol!