Don't get me wrong... I like the idea that amaryllis bulbs are being made available for spring planting in our northern gardens... but I do wish the companies that package these bulbs would make it a lot more clear on the packaging that these are tender bulbs requiring digging in the fall before frost hits! The general public only see these bulbs at Christmastime, and they might not be aware that the garden amaryllis are the same things... without explicit warnings on the packaging, I think the general public will be disappointed that their garden amaryllis didn't make it through the winter, and the retail business of selling garden amaryllis will be short-lived. It's a shame, really... with the proper instructions in large lettering on the back of the packages, garden amaryllis could enjoy the same popularity that cannas or glads or dahlias enjoy... I'd certainly be willing to dig and store a few bulbs to enjoy these beauties in my garden! I didn't check the sizes of the bulbs in the package I looked at... but just by the amount the label said the box contained, I'd say they were rather small. If they were Sonatinis, then most were probably large enough to flower this season. I may go back and get a package... and treat them like my canna tubers... lifting them for winter storage! You're so lucky, Elizabeth, to be able to plant them in your garden and leave them to grow and bloom... and you're very lucky to have had a color choice! The ones I saw were all the same... looking very much like small Minerva-style flowers.

Pretty hard to see how anyone could possibly help with nothing to go on except the name of the national chain where you bought them. Without wishing to seem overly critical, why did you buy unnamed, unidentified azaleas at $20 each in the first place? Yet another reason to patronize independent garden centers and nurseries rather than the big box stores.

In MN the snow season started 2 weeks ago so a snow tire commercial wouldn't be out of place. And for years now, retailers have started putting out Christmas stuff right around Labor Day. That started about 15 years ago when the economy was going to pot and retailers wanted to get the Xmas bucks while people still had money to spend. Strange to see but it worked so now it's the norm. Kind of chuckled to see this post. Bought some battery powered Xmas lights at Dollar Tree over the weekend.

Harmony's definitely decent, namely for the pastel colored blooms in various shades, including a "minty" tone. Also it's winter hardiness is well above average. It produces lots of new stems each year and about 15-20 on mine survived late frosts to a height of 2' with no protection at all. Fair "warning" though, it grows the largest of the Everlasting series (easily gets to 4' in one season).