Best picture: Fame (blossoms stay on the bush for weeks and even if faded they add color to the garden) Best actor in a leading role: Mellow Yellow (planted front and center, always blooming, "look at me" kind of bush) Best actress in a leading role: Julia Child (love those bright yellow blooms, bushy bush) Best actress in a supporting role: Betty Boop (blooms and blooms, never has any issues with mildew, no need to deadhead) Best actor in a supporting role: Christopher Marlowe (just a small bush, blooms regularly, trouble free) Best visual effects: Gourmet Popcorn (a mini which really does look like popcorn) Best foreign language: Yves Piaget (love the blooms on this bush, but sadly, a tree is shading it and it suffers mildew but blooms on) Best visual effects: Dark Lady (love the blooms, but another mildew magnet) Lifetime achievement: Snowfire (has been in place well over 30 years in a difficult, hot location. It carries on year after year.)

Depends what is meant by long blooming - in my book, I am looking for a good 10-12 weeks, or 2 or 3 good flushes throughout the season (with certain caveats). Rehmannia alata has been in prolific bloom for 3 months, now, with no signs of slowing down. The shrubby salvias (greggii et al.) can go on for 6 or more months, as can some penstemons, I have a delightful mimulus aurantiacus which will bloom throughout the summer for many weeks, as well as various hardy geraniums, many of which have already been noted. Sterile hybrid digitalis will continue to bloom, as will a sterile polemonium, Lambrooke Mauve. Pelargoniums,, nemesia, diascias and bacopa are long blooming pot/bedding plants,....but I am avoiding getting into either half-hardy perennials (which we regard as annuals) nor do I really want to delve into heavy dead-heading territory. If you are vigilant about this (unlike me), campanulas can be induced to bloom for the entire season, as can some dianthus...in fact, many plants will go on for months if prevented from setting seed. But, for lazy and negligent types who just want a lot of blooming with minimal effort, the amellus asters are easy and failsafe, along with limonium, bupleurum, eryisimum, erodium, callirhoe.

I think the lowest temp mentioned so far with survivors is 17 from Sqftgarden. Ccoupkir, Silverwind, and some others may try to claim the prize though. Roflol is being disqualified for using a pool. lol I'm disqualified for bringing mine inside so I can say that. lol Hmmmm... I'm thinking the prize should be some sort of framed art. (Having trouble finding a good one with snow in the background) Here is a link that might be useful:

Dave, I've never tried keiki paste. I doubt that any hosta scapes have ever produced roots or it would have been discovered by someone by now. However, I'm not telling anyone to not try it. Moccasin, sometimes I add a little sugar if I get around to it and sometimes I don't. I haven't really paid any attention to determine if the sugar makes much of a difference. The seeds seem to ripen eventually either way. I cut the stems off on a angle for maximum water absorption and change the water every couple of weeks. I use water from my well, but I wouldn't hesitate to use city water. I'm guessing that the minor amount of chlorine in city water would probably just keep the water sterile a little longer and not hurt a thing. Moccasin, if there are hostas listed as being "reluctant seed producers" on the HOSTA LISTS website which really shouldn't be, let us know. We will see if those cultivars are fertile for other gardeners as well. My goal is to have the lists as comprehensive and accurate as possible, so I always appreciate input from others. Judyann, my scapes are generally bare and have no leaves on them. If there is a small leaf, I would probably just pull it off, knowing that it would shrivel up and turn brown in a few days anyways. As far as trying scapes that weren't putting all their energy in seed production, the only experience I have is when my wife cuts some off for a bouquet and brings them inside the house. Never saw any of them sprout roots, even on those that set around too long and should have been tossed out a week ago. I've never tried willow water or wandering Jew water. I have some rooting and growth hormone products, but have never tried rooting hosta scapes with it. I just use it on established plants which are already rooted and growing in the garden. I believe the tc process involves propagation through micro-division of apical buds on the crown, not the scapes, flowers or leaves. But it doesn't hurt to try anything.