I second the fascination with Eucomis. I began with a burgandy-leaved one (an unusual find locally that I lucked into) and have "branched out" into the greens, all of them comosas. The newer green ones were end-of-season bulbs last year but still put on a very nice show. I'm looking forward to an even better show this year. My calla lillies have never lasted all summer. They are gorgeous while they do last, though, and earn a lot of atttention. So far I have not had much luck with tuberoses, but my appreciation of the other bulbs keeps it from being too disappointing. I love experimenting with them. Dan, I hope you show pictures of your Eucomis in summer! Wait a minute--maybe you shouldn't, or I'll be back to surfing any South African website I can find, drooling over all the plants you don't commonly see here in the US, lol.

Because it is a vine, height is all you will ever find given on mature size :-) Spread will be determined on how it is trained.......for example, one often sees these clems grown over fences in my area. Obviously, the fences do not extend the full vertical height of the vine, so the vine rambles along the fence until it has achieved its optimum size. Multiple stems emerging from the root crown will enable you to spread it out a bit if present but this is a big, vigorous vine and that is usually not required. I'm sorry but I don't understand your question about the trellis. Vining clematis attach by leaf petioles so the support needs to be the right size - not too big - for the petioles to wind around. To be honest, hardly any of my clems are on any types of trellising and they are all able to vine and/or clamber through and around whatever support system is available (usually another plant) all by themselves.

wow!! everyone's coleus are absolutely gorgeous!! makes me want a bunch... i'm gonna buy some next spring and see if they will grow here, maybe in pots (PHX, AZ). purple, when I move back to Bama, me and you gotta get together LOL - I LOVE coleus and begonias - well.... basically ALL plants. can't wait to have a garden again. hope the next few years go by quick. There's a coleus that I want to find, an old-timey one that my grandmother used to have (don't know the name) Debbie

Hi all, I've been lurking here for the past few days - usually hang out at the Hosta Forum. But I think now is as good a time as any to jump in here as well. I have Clematis integrifolia in full sun and it still needs some support. Planted in unamended soil that drains freely. Do not know about growing from seed, got mine as a nice sized plant growing in a gallon container. Found this info at mobot.org The Missouri Botanical Garden Common Name: Solitary clematis Zone: 3 to 7 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Ranunculaceae Missouri Native: No Native Range: Central Europe to central Asia Height: 1.5 to 3 feet Spread: 2 to 3 feet Bloom Time: May - September Bloom Color: Blue Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium moisture Maintenance: Medium General Culture: Grow in fertile, medium wet, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade. Plant stems tend to be weaker and sprawl more in part shade. Roots should be kept uniformly moist and cool (e.g., apply 2" mulch). Noteworthy Characteristics: Native to shrubby areas, meadows and stream banks from central Europe to Russia and China, solitary clematis is a woody-based, erect-stemmed, non-climbing clematis that typically grows in a dense, somewhat sprawling, shrubby mound to 12-18" tall. Solitary, violet to blue, nodding, bell-shaped flowers with recurved and often twisted sepals and creamy white anthers bloom from May to July, with continued sporadic bloom sometimes occurring throughout the rest of the summer. Each flower (to 2" long) appears singly atop its own slender stalk (pedicel to 8" long) rising above the foliage. Sessile, ovate to lanceolate, entire, green leaves (to 5.5" long) form dense foliage clumps. Flowers give way to attractive, plumose, silvery green seed heads. Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Plants tend to sprawl and may need some support. Uses: Best massed or in large groups. Rock gardens, border fronts, cottage gardens, wild gardens or meadows. © Missouri Botanical Garden, 2001-2004