Jen,

I would, but have golf tournamants every weekend in October.
Bummer! I would love to get together with everyone and put faces to names. Take pics and post please.
Very pretty pic BTW.
Lonnie

Oh I wish I weren't so far away. Would love to meet y'all!

I fell in love with Texas when I went to grad school there.

Love the Giant Aussie bloom!

That's too bad, Lonnie, but I'm sure you'll have fun regardless! Most of us like to keep our faces off the interwebs, but I can take photos of our feet or something instead, lol. You'll just have to catch us at the sale next year.

Dave, you would fit right in! I'd even bring you some mountain laurel seeds as a souvenir.

I never planted a Mountain Laurel seed in my life. they were too much fun to rub on the sidewalk and play burn wars while waiting for the school bus. :)

I'll be there. Its going to cost me another Coach Purse for A. but I'll take the hit to hang with you guys.

Jen,

LOL, but I'll pass on the photos of feet.
How about more plumie pics!
Lonnie

Jen, mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is native in our higher elevations. It's beautiful and there are so many cultivars available at nurseries.

Unless you're talking about 'Texas mountain laurel', Sophora secundiflora, the purplish blooming shrub that smells like grape koolaid. You don't see that around here much at all. Not sure it's even hardy. There are some growing downtown in a very good microclimate.

Dave, I'm pretty sure plumerias aren't hardy either! Yes, I mean the Texas mountain laurel that blooms wisteria-like clusters of violet flowers that smell like grape bubblegum. It's a fantastic ornamental.

They survive our freezes very well, though of course yours last much longer. I've often wondered if it's too much rain they won't tolerate. They put down a serious taproot and can't be transplanted once set in the ground. LMK if you ever want some seeds and I'll mail them.

K, I did not know they could be used as bus stop weapons. Did find out that they can be drilled as used to make cool bead necklaces, which all little girls love. Strung with buckeyes and acorns they actually look good enough for adults to wear. Think A might take one of those in lieu of a Coach bag? Cost you a lot less, hehe.

Jen,

I didn't see them much at all in Dallas (because of hardiness?). Not sure why not. Maybe they are planted more now. I did see them a lot in Austin and points further south.

I'm not sure it would be worth trying them here. They may not be adaptable to our wet cold winters, clay soils. Thnx for the offer though!

I'll be there, Janice said she could not go, she will be out of town. Barbra

is there any other Mountain Laurel than TEXAS Mountain Laurel? jokes...i had to post that because its too expected. The tree itself is hardy but I have seen a late frost destroy the new growth and blossoms.

well, not any mountain laurel that counts! You don't see many of them here either, but they seem to do fine. Every single new house in Austin area has one in their landscaping, part of that package thing I guess.
Really we were just rubbing the seeds on the sidewalk to scarify them so we could plant them.
Tally HO!

We used to call those Burning Beans when we were kids, when we would do the same rubbing on the sidewalk trick to make them very hot and play that same game. lol

Barbra, I'll bring your plumie with me. The little DR you gave me when we first met is putting out lots of beautiful, rounded waxy leaves. It looks different from all my others, and is slowly growing a nice caudex, too.

Jen, I bought 2 more DR from Michael in July, one is already blooming. Its bloom is so diffrent than the others, I hope yours has that bloom. Its larger with ruffeled petals and a yellow center. Its so diffrent than the other DR plants. He grows his plants from seeds that he gets from overseas. I have a purple DR, it took 2 years to bloom, but was worth the wait. It was 64 degrees this morning in Rockport, they do not like the cold weather.

I will bring the Mardi Gras seedling for you, its bloom looks just like the Mardi Gras that I have. I can't wait to see what the other seedlings will look like. Some are just putting out the inflos. Barbra

sorry but i wont be able to make it this time around. I have plans on going to corpus to do some fishing..I hope to maybe stop and pick up a plumeria while I am down there.

Walley, I hope you do well fishing, October is the best time to fish in Rockport. This next weekend, my husband will be down there with 3 of his high school buddies. I will be at the SA plant swap Saturday, Sunday I am heading to San Marcus. Barbra

Ya'll have fun Sunday!!
Lonnie

Walley -I'll trade cuttings for some snapper filets :)

K - I'll go buy some snapper filets and pack in dry ice. What cuttings do you have to trade? :)

I know you all will have a blast! Take notes and pass them on to those of us that are unable to attend.

Looks like we'll have to break out the umbrellas for Sunday! See you all there.

Is it 10 or 10:30? I forgot! See you there!

10am at the food court.

We had a great time, I'm lucky to live close to such a cool group of people to talk plumies with! We covered a lot of topics, they ranged from overwintering to growth habits and everything in between! It's nice to be able to discuss particular plant issues or situations we may have and get direct advice from one another.

K even brought some show-and tell which was really interesting. He had some storm damaged branches he brought and showed what the storm had done, how he had calloused the end and had pictures too.

Sometimes plants are exchanged, we talk about any upcoming shows, plumie trips, good vendors, any blooms we have or potential blooms, any problems we may be having, really whatever is on our minds. It's nice to get together with a group who only halfway laughs at you for having "a lucky rooting spot" LOL!

It was really nice to see you guys and thanks for all the plumie talk!

Ok, I called Water Garden Gems to see if they still had the 25% off sale, she said it was not them, it was the Schultz Nursery in Marion that had the sale. Sorry, they are still $49.99. She said they put them in the greenhouse for the winter. They are still $49.99 in the spring. I bet those plants are going to be hugh. I asked if they will get other varietys in the spring, she said they can ask, she will tell the owner, that we would be interested in diffrent varieties than this y ear. She said they get their order the end of April, so they have them for Mothers Day. Barbra