That's funny, Melissa - I understand about letting those suckers have an escape hatch from the cardboard! Last year I was dealing with nutsedge in my veggie garden (in my neighbor's yard on the other side of that wall), but the thick layers of cardboard really did the trick. I was so glad to read about Anna's technique, and living next to the trash, I got more than enough cardboard. Yes, my neighbors and my church are making me sad to be leaving. But I'm going to a place in Fla called "Way Closer to the New Grandbabies"! The Everglades are so far from the family . . . and when we got here, we didn't have any grandchildren. Oh, and I forgot to mention about my unique way of gardening - it's one I cannot take any credit for. Almost all of the flowers and colors you see in the pics are volunteers. As Snowbirds left in past years, I got the plants they yanked out of their spots and left for dead. Some lived after TLC and some went to seed in my pots, or in the soil I recycled. Alot of them just grew where they are, like the petunias in the plumeria pots. And each spring is like Christmas for me as I discover new seedlings. This year I got babies like torenia and ageratum and alyssum that I never had any parent plants of. Then there are the trees from seeds from GW and the cuttings from GW trades, the plumerias from various island trees, and the different roses from friends' cuttings. Only 4 hibiscus plants were from somewhere else, the rest I grew from seeds I hybridized from those 4 (about 20) I went crazy and couldn't stop! Anyways, my goal will be to have a nice big yard so I can host a Super Swap like Ricky's and share more of my stuff with all my GW buds! There ain't no place better than the Florida Forum . . ...right? Here's the Blue Butterfly bush that started as a GW trade cutting (wish I could remember from whom) And here's the Seaforthia from Denise that I truly adore and it never stops blooming! I hope it likes its new home. If it wasn't raining right now, I'd go get some more pics to show you all the great treasures I got from my friends here on Fla GW. The best treasure, though, is just the friendships. I love that the best! Susie

Beautiful, George! Like Glowing Amber on steroids! Sure to be a winner.

Hi Diane. Well. I dug up lots of minis. Some that I lost tags for and ticked. Some I just resoiled and like starting over. But I still got lots of minis that I got last fall. Lots of Wells. Lots of Robbies. Franks. A couple of Clemons. Bridges. Both of Bob Martins. Some I got on fortuniana too. You know. I got my Giggles close. Like paired. Big Girls. But then I space the next set of roses. Anyway. I keep them clean inside. I cut off any canes that are not 95 percent A+. We live together fine with other roses. Then there are roses like, I lost tag but I think its Spring a Comin'. Got it from Robbie I am almost sure. Think its a Wells rose though. Anyway. I do love that rose. Its a perfect rose for children. Its almost throneless. But a rose that grows like that hogs and really gets too wide for this garden. I would like roses that grow like that...wide and sort of lax and free be moved to a separate garden. Roses that are stiffer and large and up growing I can handle the cut back and controlling. I think. Then I got a Mary Maud in there on fortuniana that I am fearful of moving that is a monster. I want it too moved out to more garden rose. Its such a heavy bloomer and so faithful I want to keep it. I grown new minis in two and 3 gallons since fall and not really feed a lot. Waiting to put in the mini garden that are for more exhibiting type roses. But I still do not know the personalities. I sure hate planting and then moving. Sure wish I could see these in gardens. But can't. I just am going to have to plow me another spot. I see no way out of it. I am not going to pot grow. Too hard. Seems reading the parents of some roses helps understand some personalities. Like most Franks off springs I can picture. But other breeders I not figured out. Lots of Robbies grow Tall and not hog. But that does not mean won't. I guess if you do not see these roses than pot growing or spacing is playing it safer huh. Planting sure was simplier when a mini was a mini and you knew a mini. But. These mini floras are so pretty.

I suppose you have tried specialist native nurseries like Fairhill's at Yandina?