Certainly geographical location makes an enormous difference as well. Here in Washington state the last two years my specimens have flushed white in about May and then held that color until later July, at which point they suffered a bit of burn because of our delayed Summers. The first year, one of my specimens in full sun never returned to a fully green state. It was still a beige-green in October. Conifers act very differently here then they do in Wisconsin. -Will

Hi Rick, Odin and Thor said they are delighted that you liked the card and the seeds. If you want to see what their catly selves look like, you can go to the following thread and scroll about a third of the way down: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/roundrobin/msg0118263017380.html?6 I too, received a lovely postcard from comfrey comfort... I am not sure if that is him or someone else in the picture. How nice for whoever it is that he never has to worry about leaving his trowel(s) out in the grass to be found by the lawnmower....

~lurking~ Would this be for seeds or plants? I have terrible luck with bare root plants. I've killed everyone I've ever gotten! I wouldn't have much to trade as far as plants. I just started Gloriosa daisies, Gaillardia, Coreopsis & English Daisies this year. I only have established NOID black-eyed Susans and Purple Coneflowers. I've been working a little more on my perennials this year. I too love daisy type flowers. Don't mind my ramble! Becky

OH! Stage_rat-- what timing for this post of yours!! I wish you had been at the Midwest Native Plant Conference in southern Ohio this weekend! You would have learned so much about exactly that (how native plants nurture our wildlife so much more effectively than non-native species)! I have not yet read Douglas w. Tallamy's book, Bringing Nature Home, but am going to pick up a copy ASAP. Here is part of the synopsis from Amazon: "There is an unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife ― native insects cannot, or will not, eat alien plants. When native plants disappear, the insects disappear, impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals. In many parts of the world, habitat destruction has been so extensive that local wildlife is in crisis and may be headed toward extinction. "Bringing Nature Home has sparked a national conversation about the link between healthy local ecosystems and human well-being, and the new paperback edition ― with an expanded resource section and updated photos ― will help broaden the movement. By acting on Douglas Tallamy's practical recommendations, everyone can make a difference." You must read this article explaining in detail why cardinals that are eating Amur honeysuckle berries (a food source that is dismayingly widespread now) are not as healthy as the mates they attract think: http://redandthepeanut.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-northern-cardinal-eating-red.html And be sure to follow the link embedded in THIS article to another from the website of the National Wildlife Assn. regarding non-native plants being ecological traps for birds (and, therefore, affecting all wildlife since EVERYTHING is connected to everything else in the Web of Life! And then take a good long look at the plants in your yard to see what you may need to remove and think what you may replace them with!! Another good book with lists of native replacements for horticultural nightmares sold so widely is author Sara Stein's Planting Noah's Garden. It has been out for some time, but has very useful information!