Yes, Janet, I'm totally glad I asked. This has been a very fun thread, and now I know the full extent to which we are all crazed maniacs on the subject of clems. Always good to have a reality check! So far, at least, I haven't bought any that I don't have places for. I've been methodical about choosing colors I think will work well together (although without having seen most of the plants in the petal, as it were, it's really a guessing game. Which is part of the fun.). And I want to continue taking color combinations into account when I do buy new ones. Plus make sure I have a variety of bloom times. That planning process slows me down some. Thank goodness. And hooray, it didn't rain a single drop today and is supposed to be quite warm the rest of the week. I'm praying for the ground to dry out fast. In mid-July, when it's a blast furnace outside, I won't be able to believe I wrote those words.

Emily -- could be time of day you picked or also the plant conditions. If the plants are stressed, then you have to be even more careful about picking time. Early, early in the day is usually the best and immediately into water. Take a bucket with you. I've had some success with late-in-the day picking (by necessity) just before dark when the plants have started to revive a bit from the heat. The warmish water would be OK, but put container in a cool place, as mentioned, out of the sun and any breeze to hydrate. Wish I had some of this variety to cut this year. Missed planting it and now some of my other Rudbeckias are getting the critter haircuts.

Thank you so much for all the nice comments. Rita, I was really eager to get that one when Mary Jane had it on the auction. It has a lovely deep glowing color. Johnny Cash is the one you asked about. Debra, thank you. That clump of Jazz after five has never failed me yet. It is a later bloomer, but really gives pretty views when it starts blooming. Those blueberries have gotten much bigger since the rain. watering doen't compare to rain. I only picked a pint today, but I have already gotten seven quarts of them, so they are adding up...and you can see there are many more to ripen yet. Thanks Casey. I almost didn't get Teresa, My Best Friend, but it was Mary Jane's last one, and I have liked so much more than I realized I would...not to mention it is a good bloomer even this first year. JAF acts like it is posing. Mantis and casey. If it is this one: It is Johnny Cash which is more of a darker red than it photographs. Thank you so much, Julia, I love the garden. Avedon. I am so sorry you are having trouble seeing the photos. This is supposed to be the link to the photobucket album, so maybe you can see any of them you want to look there. Just look at what you want to, if you want to. Obviously, anyone can look that wishes to look. You can click View All and it will take you to the June album. This one takes you to the home album: The ones you can't see are probably in the June 2011 album. The most recent ones are labeled, but not nearly all of them in the album are labeled. kay

Thanks for the comments. Geechee Sunset was recommend several years ago by a former forum member. It has an unusual way of blooming very deep colors here in the beginning and then as more blooms open, they become lighter. It is a workhorse but this year it needs dividing along with Bahama Butterscotch and a few others. They start to crowd out other plants. No More Tears really surprised me this year with so many multiple blooms in the beginning. Julia