If pink "pink" is acceptable, then the following might work for you. In the foreground below is ornamental purslane, easily found at the big box stores when the weather warms. Right now, after our cold weather, mine look like dead strings. In years past, those "strings" return to bloom beautifully. It's also an easy plant to propagate - break off a stem, stick it in the soil, and very soon you have a new plant. Two other suggestions are pictured below: In the foreground is portulaca, a.k.a moss rose. Like purslane, it's easy to propagate - stick a stem in the soil and you soon have a new plant. It's also easily found at the big box stores. Centered in the picture is a low growing vinca: Nirvana Cascade Pink Splash. Again, I found it at one of the big box stores. It's a lower growing variety of vinca so you wouldn't have to prune it to keep it within your 12" height requirement. This is a young plant - it does get wider than this. It also self-seeds in place, an attribute for which I am grateful as it's allowed me to have the plant growing in several spots in the garden. All the plants I currently have are from the original plant pictured here. The Nirvana series - and sometimes this particular one - rated among the best at the University of Georgia Plant Trials in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. It's got my vote too. June

Logged into GW for the first time in ages and saw one of my favorite plants as a header! Cumberland Rosemary (Conradina verticillata) is found on the Cumberland Plateau in well drained sunny sites. It's not a "true" rosemary (an old world plant) but it certainly has a strong almost piney aroma reminiscent of the real thing, which makes sense as they are distantly related. It's quite lovely in bloom, too, with showy lavender pink clusters of lipped blossoms in spring (there's a white-flowered form, too). There's a second conradina (C. canescens) called Coastal Rosemary, which has wider leaves and, to my eye, a bushier habit. The larger foliage may provide that impression, though. Both are essentially small shrubs, like a regular rosemary, but not as upright in habit. In truth I've never actually used conradinas in cooking. I don't see why it wouldn't work -- same aromatic oils and all. As with true rosemary I think a little would go a long way, you wouldn't have to butcher the plant for culinary use. If you want to grow conradinas, select a VERY well drained site in full sun. They don't mind regular water as long as the drainage is excellent. We grow both species at GroWild (I'm the propagator there) in Fairview, TN, about 25 miles SW of Nashville out Hwy 100. Marty

All I meant is that since making the decision to decrease the number of plant types/species, I have actually added more plants that aren't on my current list. I have a folder on my Bookmarks toolbar called "In My Garden" where I have links to Floridata pages relating to my plants. There are some, like my Conradina verticillata (Scrub Mint), that aren't in their database, but most are there. I went through my mental list for a couple minutes and I've already added Tibouchina, Brugmansia and Cassia alata to the bookmark list. I know that there are others I need to add, I just haven't had the chance to really think on it today. Busy, busy.

I hate to get further away from the swap conversation, but I will give you some sources, dcwrites. If you are coming to the swap, you might consider adding it to your wants list on the swap website, because there is a chance someone would have it and be willing to give you some. However, if you are just looking to purchase it.... Sunlight Gardens (in Andersonville, TN) has both plain Conradina verticillata and Conradina verticillata 'Cumberland Snow'. Sunlight Gardens has an excellent Garden Watchdog rating, so you are probably safe mail-ordering from them if you can't go in person. Woodlanders (in Aiken, SC) has plain Conradina verticillata and a fairly good (but not great) Garden Watchdog Rating. Nearly Native Nursery (in Fayetteville, GA) also has plain Conradina verticillata and an absolutely perfect!!! Garden Watchdog rating.