Fun pics and updates, thanks for sharing them! Good to hear most of us have the same general approach of withdrawing water at this time of year. I really think it helps. Pagan, feel free to use the pic of 'Kimo'. I've seen decent sized specimens at Lowes and Home Depot all summer, so they may still have some left before all of the Christmas Stuff moves in. Let us know if/when/where you find some. euqruob, it really WAS a banner year for plumies, wasn't it? All of mine grew and bloomed a ton. My very favorite is still 'Celandine' for those huge, extremely fragrant, sun resistant blooms. It could possibly be my favorite floral scent of ANY variety of ANY flower. Yes, I love it that much. Anyway, definitely a banner year for them. PhxLynne your Singapore Pink is really nice! Keep us posted on how it does for you. I have 'Divine' which is a true dwarf too and it has done really well, with lots of low branches. Great fun. I love yours and its bed and patio--lookin' good! Will you still water those petunias underneath in winter? wrcaz, I'm sure others have ideas and notions too, but here's my general approach. I use regular potting soil soil for pots (either "Miracle-Gro potting soil" (without any water-retaining crystals) or Pro-mix). I put an inch of pumice or perlite in the bottom of the pot to ensure good drainage. In the ground, I add enough compost to have about a 50% compost/50% native soil mix and I plant away. All of mine in the ground and in pots very very much benefit from afternoon shade in summer; otherwise their leaves scorch in summer. Planting them on the east side of a building or wall or shade-giving plant or structure really helps. Mine get watered three times a week late spring through last week. They'll get no water now until they re-leaf in late spring, and when they DO leaf out, I'll only water them once a week or ten days until it is HOT. I slop water-dissolved tomato fertilizer on them every two weeks and water dissolved bloom boost fertilizer on them once or twice a month. Spring is definitely the best time of year to buy/plant them, but if you can find one now and keep it try for winter it could be worth a try. Keep us posted! Happy gardening all, Grant

Lol Robert ... You are so funny!! SP is awesome.. I just saw a beautiful blooming one this past week out in California.. It was very fragrant!! You will love this one!!! Notes • P. Stenopetala Cuba. extremely fragrant species produces large hanging clusters of weeping, white, thin and curly petaled blossoms with a very strong jasmine perfume. The limbs are thin, as are the leaves. The size is easy to control by annual pruning. The cuttings are difficult to root, probably one of the reasons it is not commonly found. Must be grafted. Thin branches in strongly weeping habit and spider like flowers smelling of Carnations. Compact growth habit very fragrant species must be grafted or grown as a seedling. Wonderful and spectacularly fragrant Rambling vine which is very hard to display nicely. Luc from Florida Colors has custom grafted it on a tall seedling, resulting in this gorgeous tree which will eventually resemble a weeping willow. Not to be confused with the totally different and extremely inferior P. Stenopatala /P. Steno Patala which is being sold as a deliberately misnamed plant. (Seen on some Thai websites and eBay. Always buy from reputable dealers...dd). Evergreen species, long narrow and twisted petals, white with yellow throat, leaves also long and pointed, good blooming plant. This intensely fragrant beauty is blooming on every tip. All I have to worry about is keeping it from draping over everything, since it's essentially a weeping plumeria. Heavy bloomer. The species appears as cold resistant as any of the other species. Seeds don't stay viable. Strong carnation perfume. A shrub with thin hanging branches in a rambling habit with large white drooping, spider- like flowers that are strongly carnation. Gets powdery mildew. Great selection, Fenius.. You will be very happy!! I hope you said hello for me!! ;-)Giampietro is a great seller and person!! Penang peach is a must have!! Awesome.. Notes... PP • Penang Peach aka Som Garasin (close), Thai Gold, Thai Yellow, Thai Salmon, California Sunset (close), Som Kalisin, Orange Thai (close). Malaysia Thick petals, good heavy bloomer. Orange with red bands and stiff texture. Compact low spreading growth. Leaf has a hook at the tip. Red leaf margins. Very sweet fragrance and excellent keeping quality. In the fall, blooms will not be as vibrant. Penang Peach is one of the plumerias most used in lei making, It is a beautiful flower. It can look differently in different weather. I've seen pictures where it is a vivid orange-red, and others where it looks all yellow. Similar to Kimo in that its name has several synonyms. It was introduced into Hawaii from Indonesia where it was discovered. Its origin is unknown except that it is very popular as a lei flower in many parts of S.E. Asia. It has caught on in Hawaii and is now being cultivated for lei flowers along with Celadine and some others. One of the best characteristics is its growth habit is compact and low to ground which makes it easy for the flower pickers. The fragrance is more lemony than Celadine. It has excellent texture and the coloring holds steady. Penang Peach bloomed late one year so I kept it in the house in a sunny window. Instead of developing the colors of a ripe peach, it was much more deep yellow with a touch of pink. It was a very pretty bloom even though it was not the color it develops with heat. Recommended for the coast. Apricot-peach, yellow-colored flower, pink splashband on one side of the petal, with round petals, sweet medium scent. A Houston lady pinched a piece of this off a sad looking tree at Waimea Falls on Oahu, HI. It was the first for the mainland. Changeable over life of bloom. PP vs. Som Karasin: growth rate Som karasin 1:4 of Penang Peach. I believe the statement that Penang Peach from Indonesia is wrong because they came originally from Penang Island in the north of Peninsular Malaysia where they grew in abundance along the coast many years ago. Midribs are green. PP can be easily distinguished because of the many many branches, hook of the tip of the leaves, thin brown line and most obvious is the brown throat of the leaves, leaf stem always brownish orange. Heavy bloomer over long season. Easy to root and air layer. Blooms on short branches. sometimes blooms very yellow sometimes very pink. San Germain.. Bought one out in Cali!! ;-) Notes San Germaine aka Madison White, Venezuelan Snowball, St. Croix Honeysuckle. Honeysuckle 4” White flowers are intensely fragrant. Huge prolific bunches of blooms. Long flower stems. White flowers with beautiful long leaves, very strong jasmine fragrance. Recommended. Richard and Mary Eggenberger, renowned authors of "The Handbook of Plumeria Culture", regard San Germaine as one of the most outstanding frangipanis from Hawaii! Plumeria caracasana hybrid. A fast growing well shaped medium evergreen tree with huge graceful frond like foliage and a clean, white barked, non suckering trunk make this a most beautiful ornamental tree even when not in flower. The medium flowers hang in huge bunches all over the tree. Very long flowering season and cold tolerant. The flowers have a beautiful softness about them. AND arguably the best perfume of all the frangipanis! A white with a very strong honeysuckle scent. Very narrow leaves. One of the most fragrant of all plumeria along with Vera Cruz Rose. The perfumery aroma will surprise your senses. Comes into bloom when other deciduous trees are almost finished with their season. The tall inflorescence has many florets that continue to emerge for a long flowering season. The naturally drooping foliage is simple gorgeous. Tough and cold tolerant. Smells more like a jasmine crossed with a hybrid rose. Lanky. Very leggy grower with white flower and yellow center, the scent is a strong honey suckle, has huge inflos that will produce many flowers. Distinctive leave shape ��" long, narrow. Compact growth. Doesn't get rust. Easy/fast rooter, thick branching, fast grower, generous bloomer, hearty. Teresa Wilder Notes • Teresa Wilder #261 aka Theresa Wilder, Teddy, Teddy Wilder, Phet Sairung, Pet Sairung, Sam Kasat, Pinwheel Rainbow, Lo Kwain. 4" rainbow with spicy clove fragrance. Gorgeous old time favorite that was recently rediscovered in Hawaii. Recommended. A large pinwheel rainbow with strong color definition. Grows in very large clusters and has a medium sweet floral scent of spicy clove. Open petaled bright rainbow with moderate overlapping petals. Well formed growth habit. Golden-orange and bright red. Leaves: emerald green with light green veining, elliptical, pointed tip. Conspicuous and strong coloration. 4" rainbow with slender, sometimes almost curly petals. Beautiful pinks, red, gold, and orange. Medium compact tree. One of the bright rainbow colors, 3.5", long petals, heavy bloomer. named in honor of the wife of Kauka Wilder. Spicy clove fragrance with average keeping quality with average tendency to fade. Tall grower with good branching, elliptical green leaves acute tips. Elliptical open petal with some overlap, slender and sometimes curl backwards. Medium sweet clove scent. Large bloom clusters, a compact grower. Named by Kauka Wilder, an associate in botany at the Bishop Museum. He named it for his sister-in-law. Pinwheel rainbow of orange to pink and coral. Good color intensity and recommended for landscaping. Large pinwheel with an amazing blend of colors. Very large clusters makes the tree look absolutely grand. Great sweet scent and 4-5”. A mature tree is densely branched and stunning even from a distance with its rich vibrant colors. Not Cold Tolerant. Mardi Gras. Have one.. Hasn't bloomed. Notes Mardi Gras #226 Thornton 3 1/2" orange and pink rainbow with peach fragrance is one of my favorites as far as smell and colors. The fragrance of tuttie fruitie / peachy. The color when it first opens is very rainbow sherbet. Fades to white around the edges with the orange/red band in the middle. Compact growth and nice fragrance. Orange; petal wide, rounded, ruffled, pointed tip, highly overlapping, red bands on front and back; heavy texture; Beautiful swirling complex of multi colors and patternation. Nice sweet /spicy perfume. Orange, red bands on front and back, wide rounded petals, pointed tips, high overlapping, heavy texture, 3-1/2", keeping quality excellent. Fused mass of blended pastels that radiate a soft orange-yellow-pinkish blend. The fragrance is sweet and peachy and growth is compact. Elizabeth Thornton seedling and one of her most showy trees. 3" pink pastel blend that radiates a soft orange yellow-pinkish array of colors. The fragrance is sweet and peachy and the growth habit is compact. Peach fragrance, smells like soap or laundry detergent, from a collection of 700 seedlings that originated in Texas. Blended of soft orange pinkish, sweet and peachy fragrance, wide and pointed tip, color turns softer toward the end of petals. Average growth habit with good branching. Elliptical green leaves have acute tips. Logo for the PSA. Pod parent: Courtade Pink. It will put on a show when you feed it properly. Roots well. Doesn't seem quite as robust as the Lemon Drop. Heavy bloomer. Strongly influenced by heat. Heat makes it red and orange and lesser heats make it pink and yellow. The less the heat, the lighter the color is. Mine is near white at times. Lots of different colors. Even without heat and with a first time bloom you get a lot of yellow. A very washed out pastel with lots of yellow in cooler weather. One of the most floriferous. Blooms Yellow/White in cool temps, Pink/Yellow in normal range, and Red/Orange in hot weather. 3-3.5”. Wide, slightly overlapping petals with pointed tips. Blend of pastel oranges, pinks and yellow. Thick textured. Compact grower. Sweet peach fragrance. Shooting Star Notes. • Shooting Star aka Thai Som Raya JJ. I'll add one more.. j-105 Lovely bloom and a great fragrance!!! Sorry... But I had to add to the list!!! ;-). It's more fragrant this year and so deep in coloration!! Notes.. • J 105 aka New Shocking, Josie, Norma Christina. JJ. 2.5" to 3" wide open, flat and uniquely colored flowers of good substance. Petals heavily overlapping, white with purple and golden-brown, turning to orange at center. Fragrance: sweet, medium, Leaves: medium to dark green, wider towards tip. Unique coloration. White with dark pink or red area, turning to yellow and orange towards base. Leaves are broad elliptical with pointed tip. Compact growth habit. Shiny, very thick rounded leaves and beautiful, scented flowers, semi-compact growth and excellent blooming performance. Creamy White Petals with Red - Purple edges and orange center. Fragrant peachy. Fantastic 3-4” blooms, semi-compact tree, and dense, shiny foliage this has been called perhaps the ideal plumeria. Scent: medium floral. Huge 4-5”+ bloom, wide petals, overlapping, orange with mottled burgundy streaking in petals. Stunning, orange red with rolled back edges. Gorgeous colors with pink-violet 3" to 4" and dense clusters. Wide petals, one side of each petal twisted toward the petal base. More intense pink color spreading over the petals, and turn into intense violet color at the rim. Moderate overlapping, golden / yellow center. Mild and sweet fragrance with good keeping quality. Large awesome flowers are abundant over a well shaped compact semi dwarf tree. Unbelievable color combo of yellow, orange, pink and white. Very cool bloom, large and the petals as hard- no flex at all, look like wax. Petals reflex back a day or so after they open. slightly late bloomer. it likes to bloom real close to the season end. Early bloomer in Florida. Blooms stay on plant a long time. Branched can seal over. Hope this helps.. Have a great night!!! Laura

I totally understand how you feel. we just finished working on our backyard. we built a garden for our daughter's first birthday. as i was sitting in the garden today, i wondered what would happen if we moved? i planted a magnolia tree when she was born. im definitely attached to certain plants.... have you thought about transplanting the bay laurel to a pot? if its small, that might be a solution to taking that particular plant with you. now the plumeria - it all depends on which variety you have and your patience level. in my front yard i have a plumeria pudica. i think the common name on the label when i bought it was puerto rican plumeria. i took a cutting from that tree and put it in a pot and it took off. rooted easily and had fairly fast growth. i gave to some friends as a housewarming gift and its doing wonderfully. not fragrant and is evergreen. mine is currently very happy, and full of flowers. in my backyard, i just planted a frangipani cutting that i brought back from my aunt's house in key west. i believe that variety is Plumeria Rubra. it deciduous so during the winter (currently) its naked. this particular variety is a super slow grower. when i moved into my house 5 years ago, my aunt gave me a cutting. the first couple of years it did not flower at all. the third year it flowered. then it went dormant in the winter and the lawnguy took it out thinking it was a dead tree....i was in tears. it took three years to get it to knee-height. this info isnt meant to deter you, just to let you know what to expect. with the latter variety, it will root easily, but here are some tips: 1. take a cutting during the dormant months (now) that is about the size of your forearm. 2. leave it in the sun to dry. 3. when the wound has calloused over, plant that end into a free-draining potting mix and leave it in a warm, sunny spot. if you have the second type - take several cuttings if your tree is large enough. my parents have a cutting in a pot on their front porch. its been 2 years since they took this cutting and now its about 2 1/2 feet tall. i hope that info is helpful

Thanks for the welcome Marion. I am looking forward to moving to Yeppoon. We will be starting our garden from scratch, hope to bring my plants from NSW, though I'm not sure how they will do. So we'll be Central Qld, sorry I didn't know what section we were. We hope to have a vegie garden, and also grow nuts (if possible) and tropical fruits. We hope to get the kids involved and be as self sufficient as possible. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am going into a totally different climate to where I am now and would appreciate any help. I am reasonably new to gardening...but love it. And I want my 3 kids to feel the same. Lesley