Wonderful pictures!!! Thanks so much for sharing! I love my birds! Well, all except the danged cowbirds, grackles and starlings who scare off the smaller babies! Kiwilad, I wish we had a few parrots! I loved seeing them when we vacationed in Australia! It was too cool! Someday, I'm going back! glo

I live just west of Dothan. My sister lived in Mobile, Bay Minette, and Fairhope over a 20 year period.(Her husband is with South Trust). I would visit her there. Loved that whole area. So much history. I especially liked Fairhope. The only thing is I am sorry I never got to take part in a Jublilee.

ella - what a lovely space you created! To help keep the soil in good shape you'll need to add organic matter yearly. Compost spread as mulch in late fall topped with irregular wood chips has worked well for our beds. I reach into the beds in spring using whatever tool is handy to be sure the mulch is pulled back from the plants, but don't dare step into the beds because the soil is just too soft & wet. Slug control is 3 pronged - sluggo type bait, hunt & remove when soil is moist, & also spray with ammonia water... Repeat. Repeat. Especially vigilant late summer to get all the adults possible and in early spring spray often with the ammonia water to get in & around emerging hostas to prevent damage. You're right that Burgundy Glow ajuga spreads less vigorously than Bronze Beauty, but in my 9 month wet climate still spreads fairly well. --3 Burg. Glow bareroot starts from a plant swap this April -- poor soil mulched with coarse wood chips around stepping stones across a low area in part shade became 30+ by now in August spreading out 3 feet square! --spring planted Bronze Beauty 12" apart on center by the next spring was solid around stepping stones, hose reel, etc. That patch is easily 4 feet x 6 feet up & over each other so that not all even rooted just runners spread. Easy care for that area when stepped upon & an easy source of countless starts for other gardens. In another area about 10 runners removed & planted became 3 feet x 6 feet in a year's time growing over pathway rocks toward stepping stones in the middle of the path. If you keep an eye on it & remove the excess runners your hosta will be safe. Otherwise the ajuga will over run & shoot runners between stems & even into the crown. Since the biggest growth spurt is in late spring I just snip the runners in early summer before they root. I am running out of new garden space and friends who don't have their own ajuga patch.

Jen, What a beautiful Noid!!! I agree with Peg, it needs to be on all of our screensavers!!!! LOL It really is a beauty!! I had trouble with the Starfish? Starfire? we both bought at the sale. My cutting ended up with rot and i cut it back and it is now finally rooting..Whew!!! My UH is finally rooting as well...that one was difficult for me, dont know why, but its finally coming around! I have never heard of a Hawaiian Royal either...but, it sure is a beauty!! We had a huge storm here yesterday, blew over 8 trees and i had one break...Grrrrr! Now we have to keep our eye on a Hurricane that is coming up the coast...way to early for Hurricanes here.. Always something to watch out for!! LOL Love all of your beautiful pics. Congratualtions Jen!!! Pretty work!!! Cheers!!! Laura in VB