It's a great addiction though, right? LOL..It can be costly but what the heck..There was only 1 plant in all the yrs of growing, where I paid over 40.00, well, honestly, it was 75.00..LOL..and that was a gardenia tree..I remember thinking 20.00 was extravagant, lol..Most of the time I look for bargains, or buy small plants..for instance, we went to HD last wkend..they had different size succulent pots..small was inexpensive whereas larger plants were at least 15.00+, so I stuck w/the small..I know they'll take longer to get to that size, but I figure I can buy more than one type for 15.00.. Speaking of succulents, I don't know how many ppl here enjoy them, but many HD's are having a huge sale and so many varieties..think they're getting plants from another nursery..they're fantastic..I found a baby variegated Kalanchoe for 1.99..it's really pretty, never seen one like it..it was the last left, so I grabbed it up fast..Toni

I'd have to check some actual plants to say with absolute certainty but I think Monarda/bee balm is in the mint family. Feel the stems--if they're square instead of round, they're part of the mint family which includes many rampant spreaders. It's been my experience they're also nearly indestructible. Most can be easily grown from seed which would suit your goal of doing things on the cheap. Check out the winter sowing forum here on GardenWeb to learn how the method works to give you nearly 100% germination with seeds + a fun-filled winter season which will = a garden full of healthy plants in just a few short years. I filled nearly a dozen new flowerbeds with gorgeous perennial plants I grew via winter sowing from 2009-2011 and can now sit back and just enjoy/admire them. According to my perennial book, monarda blooms from mid- to late-summer & the bloom period is 8 weeks or more. Be aware, however, that monarda is highly susceptible to powdery mildew.

I can't speak to your climate, but my roses are as unpredicatable as the weather. They don't bloom in the same sequence they're supposed to. Typically, for me, R. roxburghii blooms with the hybrid teas and modern roses, long after the early Chinese species. This year, we're a month later than last year & it's blooming just after R primula is barely finished. My Ht buds are tiny, but the tender non tea Sombreuil has big buds low on the lower stems. Go figure. The late spring doesn't bother me because it gives the roses a chance to develop good roots after the drought last year. To confound matters, we had a warm spell in mid April that lasted perhaps 3 days, & then the temperature dropped again close to freezing overnight, with lots of rain. I expect the weather quirks in your locality will play havoc with your expectations as well. I read a reference to La Nina.

Dave, suggest that if you have the space, you look into the 3 different Pluots grafted onto one tree. Here in Z6 its barely able to bear fruit inless we get a late frost in mid May when the blossoms are open. I got mine from Peacful Valley in CA. Great supplier for all kinds of organic gardening. These are a hybrid cross of plums and apricots, and are NOT like a plumcot or any other cross. They are the firmest and sweets fruits you will ever taste. I also bought my Music garlic from them recently and they get planted in mid September. The Music garlic from last years planting has huge single layer cluster of cloves. Its hard neck and does great in our zones. This years crop has given me 5 pints of pickled garlic and also many to save and many to give away. Here is a link that might be useful: PLuot multi