Hellebores. Phlox divaricata is my favorite early spring bloomer. Also, columbines are beautiful in the spring (maybe not early enough?). Don't forget about bulbs: snowdrops, eranthis, scillas, ipheon (Rolf Fiedler is choice.) and spanish bluebells are wonderful in part shade.

If you are worried about the best interest of the growth and stability, you really need to remove most of the fruits before they get a chance to mature, or in some cases, you'll risk losing the plant. For example, I had two grapes on my porch I started two years ago. Neither fruited the first year. The second year, one had two bunches, the other had six bunches. I left on all of the grapes to see what would happen. This year, the one with 6 bunches almost died to the base. The one with two bunches is vigorous, blowing up, and is three times the size of the other. This is really an uncontrolled experiment, and there could really be any number of factors that set this grape back, but it has been my experience that this is usually how it works with any number of fruiting plants that are just getting started out.

Santa, a scape = flower stem = flower spike? So yes it is. I think. Blue Angel, that is a good one to have bloom. Is there a companion around? If not, any seed pods will be self pollinated. Tickle Me Pink, I keep waiting for mine to show me something like your deep purple bud, Bev. Great looking color combination. Don, it is as surprising to me as it is to you. I do not know what is going on, but if this keeps up, I see us buying the neighbor's house, or maybe just her garden. I think with the ones I have maturing, I could expland to fill that 300 x 100 lot (even with the house taking up space) and maybe the property next door to that. LOTS of shade there, with a swale that could be dammed up for a small pond with a bridge across it. Oh, Claude Monet here I come! I've always admired his gardens at Giverny. Perhaps what is happening here is not the usual blooming period. I wish I had all of my 2012 pictures (lost with the backup drive failure), not simply the ones loaded to Flickr. I could place the bloom period to a normal year. Many hosta came to me (over 200) in 2012, and I figure their blooming cycle was set when they arrived (by the location they came from perhaps). Any change in the pattern might show up in 2013, or it might be 2014 is the new normal for some family groups...like the Squash Casserole bunch--and the Ventricosa bunch, the known cultivars (and the species) most of which ARE blooming. Not all non-fragrants are blooming, you know. The fragrants are not really blooming, some are sporting around with those fasciated scapes, which will lead them nowhere. Santa, I kind of like how you say "the south is gonna rise again." It might well be the next major market for hosta! I would love that. Open a Gourmet Hosta by appointment only. I'm trying to figure out what is normal. One winter does not change evolution that took.....centuries at least...to work out.

Hi Merideth, I cannot say I am not interested. Are these the only two thornless repeat bloomers you have? I looked at ALL your rose, and they are pretty much awesome. Are they all repeat bloomers? Can you send "rooted" clippings? Please see my list below; though, I have a LOT more! Including a monster "found" rose (in the forest, of all places!) Please contact me via tropicalgardener@gmail.com Thanks so much! Frank :) Frank’s Plant List (Haves) 1. Chinese aaPerfume Plant, Aglaia odorata Given to me, as a clipping, as a gift by Chinese man, lemon-jasmine scent during day, but especially at night. Flowers tiny, but powerful, this is a must have for any scented garden person; warm weather only! Very little care, no disease. My plant at one year is bushy, about five feet high and three feet wide. Healthy! Blooms a lot. Wine and Milk Lillis, Crinium Zaylanicum Amazing bulb I grow in both Texas and Puerto Rico, flowers twice a year, scented, doubles every couple of years. Collectors bulb, willing to trade. Easy to grow, no care 2. Spider Lillie, Amaryllidaceae Hymenocallis caribaea Grows in almost any soil, even sand at the beach, as long as it's warm, repeat blooms, carefree, multiplies fast. Wonderful scent, especially at night. Problem-free plant. 3. Soursop, Annona muricata Leaves used for relaxing tea; fruit used to make goodies, jam, even ice cream. Disease free. 4. Bamboo Orchid, Arundina graminifolia (purple) All over the island in disturbed areas; likes sunny head, and wet feet, likes hiding in tall grass on incline, where water can run off. Not a boggy plant. Easy to grow. 5. Bletia patula, Flor de Pasmo Usually seen wedged between rocks on a slope in disturbed rainy hillsides in PR. Lithophyte. Little care once established; gorgeous, not for temperate garden, or newby. Blooms off and on, no disease. I have it growing in cinder blocks, wedged in with gravel. 6. Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, Brunfelsia pauciflora A star in any garden. No real scent on this variety, but a knockout plant really, head turner! Easy to grow once established. White, purple, and purple-pink flowers on plant at same time. Established plants are car stoppers. No disease, full sun, little care. Brunfelsia Portoricensis, Dama de Noche, Lady of the Night This Puerto Rican native's Spanish title says a lot: this flower is tempting, and can cast a spell. Easy to grow, scented in the early evening, all night, and early morning garden. A real star; one of my top five favorite scented plants of all time! The scent in clean, fresh, but distinct. If you are into scented plants, this is a must have. Have one at both house entrances; that should tell you something. Blooms regularly, no disease. Caesalpinia Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Pride of Barbados I have the standard orange bush-tree, and the pink-orange one, too. Have seen the yellow one out on the island, will get it. This plant is so easy to grow, it flowers a lot, and the leaves are interesting. Carefree, except some thorns. No problem if you already grow roses with few thorns. I love this plant, and have lots of pods to share! Canna Lillie, Canna I have the yellow with orange spots, the Giant Red, and the orange. I need pink and white and will trade! Carefree, mulitply. Day Blooming Jasmine, Cestrum Diurnum Grows under almost any condtions, but requires heat; flowers a lot; flowers smell like jasmine-chocolate! Rare. Found on side of road. Grows 12 feet in two years. Lots of seeds and lots of birds. Often in bloom. Only jasmine that is as powerful in the day as it is in the night. If you are into scented plants, this is a must have. No disease. Tahitian Gardenia, A real star in the scented garden; yes, they makes lays of of these things in Tahiti! Leaves are thich and healthy; place in morning sun and afternoon shade because the white, highly-scented flowers burn brown at edges, really disappointing. Easy to grow once established Butterfly Ginger, Hedychium coronarium This is a highly scented star in the garden; blooms like white butterflies. Easy to care for, needs sunny head, likes wet feet, no disease. A favorite, corm doubles every year. Also comes in yellow, with a different scent. Butterfly Ginger, yellow, Hedychium coronarium flavum This is the same as the standard white, only it is yellow, and the scent is differnt, wonderful HibiscusOnly have rare ones, large ones, strange ones; only intrested in rare ones...sorry![please see pics] Spanish Jasmine, Jasminum grandiflorumThis has a heady smell, day and night, not for everyone, but I love it! Gets really big, 12 ft., and blooms nonstop! No disease, just water in warm weather. Will not grow in cold. Angelwing Jasmine, Jasminum Nitidum Wonderful scent, can grow in sun or shade, more in sun. Few problems, can be trained as a vine. Sacred Jasmine, Jasminum sambac This is the Queen of all Jasmines. Highly scented, leys are made from these, also tea! I gather a small basket and they scent a large room! Need sun, air circulation. Can get Sacred Jasmine, Jasminum sambac (Duke of Tuscany) This is the king of all jasmines! The flowers are extremely scented, like heaven! The flowers look like little white roses, or warped like little cauliflowers. This plant needs full sun and lots of air circulation! Otherwise, can get mildew or other problems. Curry Bush/Tree, Murraya koenigii This is the great undiscovered (in The West) herb from The East, I use it on rice, eggs, everything. Like basel, it has changed my life man! If you do not own this bush, you NEED to own it. Only grows in warm areas. Easy to grow, though, got ten seeds from some guy in NJ; nine of them grew; but, seeds must be very fresh, not old! Pinapple guava, acca sellowiana This is an evergreen small tree or large shrub reaching 16-25 feet tall and as wide. It produces oval shaped leaves that have a silvery-white underside. In late spring to early summer appear the showy flowers with the inside of the fleshy edible flower petals a shiny pink while the outside of the petals are white. Rose Many culivars, will post pics. Also, have a rose I found in rainforest of Puerto Rico! Cup of Gold, Solandra grandiflora This is a massive vine, with massive scented flowers, like little trumpets. Why is is not grown more often, I do not know, but it might have to do with the size it can grow, invasive. Can be trained as a bush in tub to control! Heavenly scent at night, huge blooms, requires heat! Very hardy. Cre Marigold Tree, Tithonia diversifolia Found this in the hills, grows like bamboo, huge yellow daisy like flowers in cooler weather. Night blooming Cereus