You're welcome !! Just FYI - I got it in a gallon container 3 years ago, in the fall at a big box store on a pallet of 'dead' plants. I like to call it the 'scratch & dent' section -- for pennys on the dollar cuz thats all I can afford most times...lol. I garden, but am not that knowledgable on specific plants but looked at the tag and liked what I saw. Point being, it survived hanging out thru the winter in just a pot until I planted it early spring (2 yrs ago??) so for me, I like to think of it as very 'sturdy'. In fact, it's the most spectacular plant I have. And I don't do anything special (except feed it along with the others here and then). So you'll have luck with yours, I'm sure. Just don't let it get too thirsty...lol. Just saying, I don't think you can hurt it by a "hard prune" as long as you do it soon (after any risk of freeze or frost, I'm guessing). I do know I learned alot about it on here last year (maybe yr before) when it got funky later in the season and splayed all out (got empty in the middle). I was apprehensive to cut it WHILE it was blooming since it was so full and colorful so I only did it here and there. But looking back, I could have cut it back much more. But I hated to, since it was so full but don't think it would have hurt it one bit. Also, just FYI - it stayed green and full long into (my) fall and still had leaves on it until I cut it back early this year. I left it (probably like you did) for the birds & wildlife.

Diana, ooooh, that looks so pretty. I'm not big on CA poppies, well mainly the orange ones, but I love the color of those. What are they and will they grow in my zone (I can try to google if you know the variety). I love CA poppies in CA lol where you see the photos of acres and acres of them. I don't believe they are native here. I'm growing some larger purple ones in front, hope they turn out. They "took" and are starting to put out new growth. I think they don't require much water, but I have to water the other stuff where they are. Thanks for the reassurance about the catmint flopping. I'll water around them but not on them and try not to overdo that. I'm really concerned about the weeds in that long strip, that awful grass. I have 4 or 5 roses to go in there yet (not sure where to put one) and 7 lilies, one blue phlox, so maybe when I get that all in, I can first hoe and then try to smother them with paper and mulch. I'll go back to the Hosta forum where we were talking about that. I wanted to know the brand name of a trigger sprayer for the person using Roundup, I don't want to use one with a hose, too many weeds to "paint" on them, but if I cover stuff and am very, very careful, I may have to do that. If all I had were this one long bed, it wouldn't be such a big deal, but I've got a lot going here for me. Because of the way I'm planting, I can no longer use my tiller for cultivating. My neighbor loaned me a huge long soaker hose again this year that I had to coil 3 times last year, but I don't know if it's going to work the way I am planting all these things here and there. Last year, it was tomatoes evenly spaced, still I couldn't weed in that mess all summer, tomatoes were big enough by then it didn't matter. I'm really disappointed, ordered some Bergamot, purple Prairie something, and it came bare root, tried to plant 3 pkgs, 2 packages there were only roots, nothing that looked alive or like a crown, I'm going to have to complain if they don't come up here shortly.

Yes, the bed is mulched, HEAVILY!! We have Turbo grass here. The stuff for which Round-up was made to specifically kill (it doesn't, it can only maim it). And seeds never come up except in cracks in the mulch. I am sure I will have 1000s of blanket flower plants in the crack along the stone wall. :) I spread the seeds on the bare ground right around the base of the current plants. It may not work, that's why I kept some extra seeds. Oh to be able to garden without all this mulch! But Turbo grass is like Bermuda grass on steroids, with runner roots as thick as my pinky. Not fun to remove. It still finds ways through weed mat and mulch in areas. It is diabolical!! :) After years of war and negotiation, we have finally come to an understanding. It keeps me from free seeding and I keep it from taking over the garden. Anna

aw come on ... you guys are flower gardeners ... make your bed pretty ... im am positive the bees will find other things in your yard for their evil business .. bzzzzz ... bzzzz.....bzzzzz since i moved out to rural 5 acres ... i am simply amazed at the bees.. wasp... etc.. etc ... it seems its the urban peeps who worry about them.. i cant swing a stick and not hit one ... and then ive got one mad bee chasing me around the yard .... crikey dude.. look over there.. there is a pretty flower to go rub yourself all over.. leave me alone ... lol ken ps: prune in the early morn when its too cold for them to be active.. or late in the evening when they went to bed ... the extreme heat of the day may also be an option.. as bees are smart enough to go take a siesta in high heat.. unlike us.. who are out there clipping them darn plants ... in hundred degree temps ....