now that i've googled the correct spelling-(photos of it were misspelled ' ran. fUcaria' in webshots), here's what i've learned. soon to be R.I.P.ped out!! fig buttercup Ranunculales > Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus ficaria L. Synonym(s): lesser Celandine Lesser celandine is a short (up to 12 inches) herbaceous perennial that invades forests throughout the East, Midwest and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States. The basal leaves are dark green, shiny, and kidney- to heart-shaped. Flowers are showy, bright yellow, with 8 petals. It emerges very early in the spring with infestations often creating a green blanket along the forest floor. Lesser celandine invades moist forested floodplains. It is a spring ephemeral and grows vigorously, creating dense mats that exclude all other vegetation. It is a threat particularly to the native forest spring ephemerals that have to compete for light and space with this invasive. Lesser celandine is native to Europe and was first introduced into the United States as an ornamental. It is currently sold and widely planted as an ornamental.

Hi, everyone. Just an update on my search for the Cumberland (flame) azaleas. I went back this time and the Mountain Laurels were in full bloom, but no azaleas. (You were right about the ID on that one, Marty; I had just forgotten what azalea buds look like!) But, boy, the laurels sure were pretty. I'm kicking myself now for not getting a picture of one. Some of them were 15 feet tall and covered with white blooms! However, with a little searching around, I think I found the right plants this time. They just weren't quite ready yet. :-) Here is a photo: And here is another: I didn't get a picture this time, but I think I even found the exact plant that was blooming in the photo I posted earlier. It was just a little bit further along the trail. The forest had shifted around a bit in the intervening years since we took the first photo. :-) My brother assures me they will bloom the first week of June. I had remembered them as blooming in June, but over time I had convinced myself that must not be right, given that most other azaleas bloom so much earlier. So in another two weeks I'm going back. I have flagged these in the meantime, but I will go back and verify that they are indeed the right plants. So, Marty, when would we need to go back to collect the seed? By the way, one of the pink ladyslippers was still blooming. Here is a photo of it for your enjoyment, although the light was very dim under the full forest canopy, so it is a bit dark: It was tempting to try to collect seed from the ones that had finished blooming, but I know zero about that, so I figured, rather than depleting the supply that will fall to the forest floor and make new orchids, I'd just let the experts handle it. :-) More soon, I hope. --April

Brenda, last I checked...people weren't in danger of becoming rare or extinct. I don't care about their poverty..that is NO excuse for poaching. It is in-excusable for major corporations to buy that which was poached from state and federal lands, which belong to ALL of us, then turn around and sell it for profit. There are many, many government programs available to the poor...from pre-natal care all the way up to elder care programs and hospice. Including free college tuition, work training, food, medical care, etc. I have been really poor...I have lived on Ramen Noodles and tortillas and potatoes for months at a time, yet I never felt the need to steal. Heck, I was unemployed and uninsured when I was diagnosed with MS..and I didn't go hold up the corner store to pay for my tests and treatment. I used every government/private program I could use to do that which needed to be done..after all, I had already paid for it many times over. What these folks are doing is stealing, and what they're stealing is our natural heritage. And they're stealing it from each and every one of us, and our children and grand-children. People who go on "plant rescues" with reputable organisations don't turn around and sell the dang things to the highest bidder. Silverkat...If you can't beat 'em, join 'em? I'd rather not join 'em. And yes, boycotts do work. I have lots and lots of ethically collected or nursery grown and propagated native plants. I don't need Lowe's. The ethically collected plants and seeds are out there, all that's required is a little research. VERY little..people who grow natives are usually happy to admit their stock is on the up and up. If enough people cared enough not to buy those little baggies of dessicated native plants..well, there'd be no financial incentive to carry them in the store. Which would go a long way towards solving the problem, wouldn't it? april

I would paint the cabinets rather than staining them. Make sure that you create a flat matte surface to paint on so the paint looks good. Grey is quite popular and looks 'in style' right now. Light taupe is another possibility. If the cabinets are flat slabs, this will give a nod to the MCM feel with your planters. I would pick the wall colors that are similar, maybe 1 or 2 shades off of the same color sample on the paint chips. This will give you a visual expanse in a small kitchen. When you have done that, your visual interests will be your counter tops and cabinet hardwares. Painted cabinets and wall colors will create a calm and recedeing background for the counters and hardware. Fun and playful can come from accessories. Another fun and playful (inexpensive) way to update an old kitchen is to remove the doors from the uppers, paint the interior of the cabinets, then put colorful every day dishes in the uppers for visual interest. You have instant open shelving system which is quite popular right now. Do you have enough light coming into the kitchen? You may need to update lighting for functional reasons.