If I had an unlimited supply of cash for the garden, I would certainly be in heaven. I want, desperatly, to get a Wollemi Pine. They are 100 dollars now. I think it'd be great to have a plant of a specie which only has about 100 known to be in the wild. The mystique draws me... I recently visited the botanical garden in Rome, where I was able to touch one of these beauties. Theirs was about 4ft high and flourishing. I have been waiting with abated breath for them to be available here in the US. I would also like a yellow peony and camelia. There is a new begonia available called "bonfire" that looks like it will be making an appearance in my garden whether or not I win the lottery. ---Keith

Howdy, Winter, the season of mites and other pests! Mike, do you not spray Fish Emulsion indoors because of its wonderful scent? lol. Why not try odor-less? Heck, if I can endure the smell, surely you can. Mike, you and I have discussed the mite topic repeatedly, so you're aware of the ingredients added in my home-made insecticide. Fish Emulsion alone should prevent mites and/or kill small amounts, but when highly infested, it may not be sufficient. Besides FE, I add 2 drops dish soap, red pepper, mouth wash, garlic, and citrus rind/liquid. Am I missing an ingredient or two? Insects detest these scents. When I had the energy, lol, I'd spray indoor plants with the above ingredients, minus Fish Emulsion every other week. Fish Emulsion and additives are applied, 'foliar spray,' four times a year. Spring, summer and autumn, mid-winter...autumn, before plants are brought back indoors. Citrus were mite-free. And yes, the house had a fishy odor, but it only lasted three/four days..Besides, my plants are worth a little discomfort. lol. The best part is Fish Emulsion is organic, chemical-free. Breathing FE will not harm humans or pets, nor will other additives. Plus, it works as a foliar feeding. No leaf or root burn. Anyway, thought I'd add my 2-cents. It's odd, although I clicked the 'receive a notification email,' I haven't received emails..that is until this morning..from you Mike. PS...Where's the sun? Toni

I'm not an expert on planting bareroot bluebells, but you haven't gotten a better answer. The packet instructions probably would have said something like 'bury an inch below surface', but that would have been when the thing was dormant. The plant then would have figured out 'up' and 'down' when it broke dormancy. I would suspect that, with bluebells, the end beginning to sprout now is the stem end rather than the root end. And you said "How can I tell which end is up with the root that isn't sprouting yet?" I suspect that in that sprouting end you recognized the developing bud. I would plant them about an inch under the soil, but at the end that is sprouting, get that end at the level of the soil, or *just* below. I don't know that vertical or horizontal matters, as long as the budding end isn't buried. But I would get them in the ground *soon*! Bluebells are very forgiving. Get them in the ground, with the growing part toward sun, and odds are they will do fine. You may not get optimum flowering this year, but they'll do fine.

So imagine what the bed will look like after the daffodils and tulips fade. It will probably look like a dark green sea and then it will turn brown. Many people plant annuals on top of their bulbs, but those only last a season. My plan this year was to plant Showy Primrose I wintersowed among the tulips so that it comes back every year and will leave something pretty growing when the tulips die back. Perennials for large areas: Yarrow-white, red, yellow, pink. Starts easily from seed or a few plant starts and it's a midplains native and grows well. Feathery foliage that's pretty and long-blooming. I have plant starts if you want some. Cushion Spurge. Some people like it, others don't. It's a plains native and it spreads quickly. It grows 12" high and blooms wonderful yellow blossoms. As the blossoms fade you have a green feathery foliage shorter than the yarrow. I have lots of plant starts if you want some. Daisies. As the tulips fade the Shasta/Becky Daisies come to life and bloom their little heads off. The white flowers dance in the breeze. If you deadhead they keep reblooming. Nice long bloom period. These grow stronger by the year. (You guessed it--I have some.) Phlox Subulata: Groundcover that blooms early spring. If you plant around your bulbs the bulbs come through it. Blooms purple, pink or white as a carpet of blooms. Rest of the year it's green and happy, very low to the ground. Low maintenance. I've only transplanted it, never done seeds. Yep, I have some. Columbine: Grow well from seed. It will take a couple years for them to gain some size, but you'll have beautiful blooms. I personally have trouble with Columbine. I think it's my soil. Mine get about 24" high, last about 3 years, and that's it. My aunt's got as big as a bush, but didn't make it through the 2014-15 winter. Sweet William grows well from seed. You'll have pink and white blossoms in mid spring. Gaillardia grows well from seeds. Bright orange and yellow blooms depending on which seed you get. Short-lived perennial so they are around a couple years before they disappear and you can keep planting more seed to keep the cycle going. Look at Craigslist or post on Craigslist for iris if you're interested. Many people have to divide roots of daylilies, iris or peonies and want someone to adopt their babies. They are usually unnamed, but if that doesn't bother you then you're in luck. They all come back like clockwork for years and years. This was probably too much information! Heidi