Hi. rhizo mentions that peace lilies "like their soil to be kept somewhat on the moist side, [but] they despise anything that smacks of over watering, soggy soil conditions, etc. Thus, providing a very porous (meaning fast draining) potting medium will solve that issue." Having had a lot of trouble with this moisture balance issue in the past, my experimentation (and paying attention to what people had to say on this forum) led me to what I've found to be a good mix for most of my houseplants. I'm in a very out-of-the-way location, but I can get the materials locally - so they should not be too hard to find. My current mix is made up of equal proportions (by volume, not weight) of perlite, ground bark, and coir. I put these together, mix, and then use the mixture in unglazed clay pots. (If you're not familiar with it, coir (pronounced "kwar") is ground coconut shell - it's like sphagnum peat moss, but less acid, does not cake so badly when dry, and is easier to re-wet after the growing medium has dried out.) I find that with this mix, I can count on good aeration to plant roots. Plants are unlikely to show symptoms of over-watering, yet most of my plants can go four or five days without watering. My plants flourish in this mix, as long as I pay attention to their light needs and give them an occasional dose of water-soluble fertilizer via their water. Joel

I'd keep the gardenia over jackmanii myself. I'd just prune the clematis back and let it grow up into the sun as it wants too. A shrub in front of it should not bother it so much. Provided it gets enough water and fertilizer. None of mine are all alone in their locations....

I would think you could take any hardwood cuttings in Zone 6. This years winter around here though has been screwy so you might be havin glots of warm days too. As far as the cutting sgo, I have purchased cuttings as cuttings (not rooted) and they were shipped no problem. If the cuttings are kept moist from the time there cut until you put them in a planting medium htey should be fine. Ones I have received have been wrapped in a real wet paper towel inside a baggie tied off with a wire tie. (bread tie) Careful the tie isn't Too tight..... 2nd or 3rd day delivery would be best of course. Hope ya good luck, David

Two very easy ways: (1) Pick blooms with about 6 inches of stem. Put in water and enjoy the blooms. WHen the bloom dies, pull it off and leave the stems in water. Put in a bright window but no direct sun. Add just enough MiracleGro or other fertilizer until you can barely see color in the water. If water sours, clean vase or jar and replace water and fertilizer. In about 3 weeks you should begin to see roots. WHen roots are well established, pot the plant in sand and place outside in bright shade for two weeks. Water daily. Gradually move into sun to harden-off. (2) This is easier. Take a low limb on your mother's bush and scrape away the bark on the bottom side about half way between the end of the limb and the trunk. Push it down to the ground, cover the limb with soil and put a brick on it to hold it down. Keep it watered. It will soon root. Cut it loos from the mother plant, dig and replant. I've had limbs take root by themselves.