Hey Judy...you're quite welcome !! Everyone loves kuddos...lol. Hate to admit it but the most joy I get for my garden, aside from looking at it myself cuz nature just amazes me, is when people actually take the time to stop IN THEIR CAR while I'm out tending it to tell me how much they enjoy my garden or how pretty it is. It's not the complment. It's that I'm touching someone else's life with the beauty of nature. That all the expense (which I pay for on disability), all the hard work, all my aches & pains after a long day out there is making a difference in their life, ya know? We had a really warm day today in VA as well but not quite as hot as last week when I was out there in a bathing suit top (God forbid) and shorts (double God forbid...LOL) with my 55 y.o. white legs (well...54, 55 on the 7th). And out front, right 'on top of' 5 handsome young guys replacing my power pole for three days. Not quite the look I wanted to put out there in front of them...lol (I still feel so young at heart). But I didn't care. Just wanted to enjoy that gorgeous weather and was too hot for long pants!!! I worry about summer being hot, too. But moreso, everyone says with the mild winter, the 'skeeters' didn't get killed off. And I'm allergic to them, in the sense that bites swell up size of quarters and itch like the dickens. And if there's one within 50 miles, it's gonna get me...lol. And would you believe I saw one today !!!???? Holy crap...not YET !!! Well, I just love the pink Hyacinth. I don't know much about them but am used to them being white or purple, so the pink is soooo pretty. I'm scared to check out where you bought your tulips. Flowers are like crack with me (not that I know what crack's like...lol). And I have the same problem. I save everyting but somehow lost my tulip info and have these really pretty red but more coral ones that have lasted for soooo long. I want to order more but don't even know where I got them from. Oh well....Happy Spring !! Email me sometime if you ever wanna chat flowers. Can't check now but think my address is on my 'page'.

Lisa b., I started out with with conifers in the Picea abies family (Norway spruce). My first conifer was Picea abies 'Acrocona': If you want a dwarf version of it there is a 'witches broom' dwarf called Picea abies 'Pusch': Anything in the Picea abies family would be a good start as they are hardy to zone 3. Pinus mugo (mugo pine) are also very hardy(Z2) and there are dwarf versions that are very bright gold in winter (P. mugo Carsten's Wintergold,P.mugo Zundert) also variegated(P.mugo 'Kokarde','Marand', 'Pal Maleter') Pinus mugo 'Teeny' Finally any of the Picea pungens (Colorado Spruce)dwarf cultivars might also be a good start. ('Montgomery', 'Glauca glabosa', St. Mary's) Picea pungens 'St. Mary's'. Picea pungens 'Mrs. Cesarini' Please be aware that I am no expert on conifers. There are probably much more qualified people on the conifer forum to give you advice. These are my personal opinions though, based on my personal experience in Zone 5 . Hope this helps .^^^Dan^^^

I'm intrigued by the fact that one of David's truffles is doing well in Pittsburgh. The only other place where I've seen them was in a garden during region 3's 2009 summer meeting -- and the garden owner had them in a sheltered spot backed by the wall of a garage. Maybe I can dip my toe in the water and try some of those wonderful doubles. The Preuss looks just as it did the first time I saw it, which was in one of the AHS regional newsletters when it was still a seedling. I recall lusting after it but being very unsure about its hardiness. That's a nice clump there, floota, so I'm thinking that if they can grow it, then I should be able to, too. HOODWINKED is a wow. Looks even more impressive than on Selman's web site! I "need" KENNESAW MOUNTAIN LEMON SORBET!The only white/near white I have here is LAST SNOWFLAKE. Must rectify that. MICRO CHIP reminds me that I've enjoyed MICRO BURST at the nearby AHS display garden. Great clump, always doubled when I saw it. It's TROPICAL DELIGHT x PENNY PINSLEY; MICRO CHIP is PENNY PINSLEY x TROPICAL DELIGHT. I've been liking doubles more and more, but I want them to double all the time. One of these two, or both, would be nice additions to my miniscule collection of doubles.

Nice plants! Liberty's always a winner. I'm really enjoying mine that I bought a couple of months ago. That epimedium is striking. I've never even heard of that. It shows to be good to go in my zone but it sure doesn't look like something that would do well anywhere close to this far south. We melt things in early June that look tougher than that! :)