Toomanyanimals, I know it's a lot to ask but would you please keep me in your mind for next years offer. I have been looking for a plant with the name "Debbie". I lost my lifelong friend Debbie to brain cancer 2 years ago, it would be a PERFECT addition to her memorial garden. Lisa PS: I can trade you 10 of my packs for just a few seeds of any Debbie lily!

I have alot of seeds to plant, some sitting in the fridge since 2005. I tried the rocks method with about 15 ketchup cups, the rest I soaked in the hydrogen peroide solution right in their plastic baggies, have been changing the water every 3 days. I am amazed at the numbers that are germinating. Some radicles/nubs started showing within 24 hours! Many look like they are plumping up [the older ones]. I am starting to plant now, and will do lots of planting this weekend. I have never tried the peroxide method before, just always soaked them in warm water and a bit of ivory liquid and always got some to germinate. The shoebox method would probably be easier, but it seems that presoaking would help germination, and it sure seems to be working. Do you poke holes in the shoebox/sweater box or just keep the soil damp and top mist it? If no holes are poked, it would seem the soil could sour and the seeds rot....would enjoy hearing more about this. Would also enjoy seeing photos of any seedlings growing and grow methods. Judith

I don't want anyone to think I was saying people should not post their bloomers no matter what zone they were in. What is not helpful information for me in my garden might be just the thing to know for someones elses garden. As far as what I have gotten in late bloomers. I went for all those Olallie late ones that they list as September bloomers. Then I do have some growing here I hope will be the right bloom time. I have Richard Norris' CORAL MAJORITY which should bloom late. Bloomed here its first year (put in this spring) around peak bloom. But I did get late bloom from Brian Culver's VICTORIANA and Melanie Mason's GUAVA JELLY. Both new this spring. JUM MURPHY's LAST CHANCE FOR ROMANCE is listed as very late and just bloomed. I also have Jim's ALCHEMIST, should be late but first year flowers bloomed earlier. I have Don Herr's IN HIS HANDS listed as late blooming, bloomed earlier on first year plant. I have Bret Clemment's BLAST FROM THE PAST, has not bloomed. New this year listed as very late. I have FINAL DESTINATION from Karol Emmerich. Blooming now. Then I have 6 Dale Thomas intros that I put in late this spring from Perfect Perrenials in PA. Dale hybridizes in PA zone 6 and these all should bloom in August as listed as late and very late. Bloomed at peak bloom here their first year. Hope thats not going to be the trend with them as I really liked the flowers on them and would really be liking to see them in August when there was not much going on here. Even early August would be wonderful. I liked them so much I would like to find more of them but they seem impossible to find. I also would like to find some of Betty Harwoods late bloomers but again, impossible to find. I feel this was a small start to my plans of expanding bloom here into August. Sime I have so many "normal" season bloomers and don't have room for 200 late bloomers (do that many truely lates even exhist?) it means I will probably never have as much bloom in August as July but I will work on it. This of course, doesn't count rebloom. I have no idea when and how much rebloom I will have here as the northern hybridized "guaranteed" rebloomers were just put in this year and too new too rebloom. The exception seem to be many Emmerich intros that are just as new but have rebloom scapes currently.

Thanks everyone for the pick-me-up about sis, it is appreciated more than you will ever know. Welcome auntibirrd! So nice to have you are with us. Dawn is such a sweet,generous,and caring person. Please keep us informed about Dawn and baby Schoedel. We got around 11 inches of snow so I just returned home from going to work Thursday night. They didn't plow out the drive way and I was up to my axels in snow. The maintance crew finally got my car out this morning.This is a new home, and go figure, they didn't have a snow shovel in any of the apartments. There is just no place like home, being in warm pjs on a cold day. I'm off now till Monday night at 11pm, I work 12 hrs then off again till Friday night. I'm going to take this time to get out my decorations and at least look at them. I collect them every year from home-made, hallmark, Old World Chrismas and etc. I don't know if I will put up all 6 trees but I do know I will put up at least one. With my brood of cats it is real hard to keep them out of the trees, and they do play havic on the decorations. LIFE IS GOOD, Annie