I called EE several years ago when I was visiting my daughter in Tampa. I had planned a trip there, but when I called and asked for directions, the poor woman who answered seemed so out of it, I got bad vibes and decided not to go. It was too far to go for plants that I didn't think could possibly be in good shape. You've confirmed my impression - I think there's more wrong with EE plants than the freeze. MissSherry

Sorry Treefrog, they're not that ugly. Penny is David's significant other, by the way. D'Ann - don't forget, David is only there on the first Saturday of the month - May 3rd in this case, the day before our swap. Might be some long driving for you that weekend!

What hilarity! Love the fun posts, and learning a bit about y'all in the bargain. For those who have ever read my few posts, I'm the clueless one, the transplant subset. If there's subsets of subsets, I would be the transient transplant. I spend my life following my spouse's work, geographically speaking. I pack houses, and unpack. I accumulate all manner of flower pots and containers, then downsize, give away, and move again. My gardening efforts are full of hearty enthusiasm, as well as serial plant murdering (I like to blame it on local plant ignorance and not my PJIC disease, *plants jump into the cart*). Since we never get to live in one place long enough for either the humans or the plants to put down deep roots, we transient transplants collect any and all plants fervently, via swaps, pinching starts at public malls and other venues, and the local garden center. Then, we moan and groan about disposing of our pot ghetto when the next move is announced. Transient transplants spend way too much time covering up and disguising the objectionable architectural features of our current rental digs. We creatively hang plants, put up fishing line trellises to cover up nasty window views, and annoy the neighbors with our homemade garden accessories, obtained in pre-dawn trash-day scrounging. These charming accents (yes, even the old commodes planted with petunias), feed our collector (#6) genes, which we fervently nurture upon arrival in our latest garden planting zone. We don't consciously try to be specialists (#7s), but once we latch onto a type of plant that we don't kill in the newest climate, we grow it in every color known to the species. Oh, and yes, we have even been known to dumpster-dive in #2 and #4's trash bins, where the plant pickings are amazingly healthy, lush, and green. We transient transplants have become experts at covertly watching your work through our mis-matched window coverings (read - sheets), knowing there's gonna be really good pickings in YOUR trash this week. This serves to help our garden budget go further, knowing we must fill up our pots and fronts of landlord's planting beds to overflowing in such a short period of time, before we have to frantically put it all back, to get ready for the next household moving cycle. When the next move is announced, we lovingly dig up, label, package, and mail starts of all these frantically planted pot ghettos to our Northern friends, for safekeeping until we get settled into our next digs. In actuality, our Northern plant recipients can't even remember our names, or why they are receiving these care-packages of dirt and mushy, frozen green blobs, resembling a refrigerator science experiment....

Rock City Gardens' June issue of The Early Bloomer is filled with horticulture design solutions for the south Florida climate. Stories include how to cultivate and care for butterfly gardens, artificial turf for beautiful and environmentally safe lawns, container garden ideas, and loads of caladium varieties that thrive in the Florida sun. Read the full stories here: The Early Bloomer - June 2015! For continued landscape inspiration, sign up for our monthly digital newsletter at www.RockCityGardens.com/newsletter.