Ornato x Tiger? Okay, NOW we're getting somewhere. I had to look up Ornato, and I can't believe I've never seen that one before! Gotta get one. It's an old Hummel hybrid of unknown parentage (as all of his are), but it must have either ampullacea or zonata in it (see below). That cross definitely makes more sense, so let's scratch HL x Red Tips off the list as just another red herring. I got a Vr. Margarita at the Extravaganza, HDD, and it's cute alright, but those ones of Maloy's are extra special! Jaga, can you possibly find out what the story is on those? Did they just pop up spontaneously as seedlings or were they bred with knowledge and intention? Serious brom lust here..... Here is a link that might be useful:

The East Tennessee / Knoxville Plant Swap will be on October 13. You can find out more at the site below. It's on the same day as the UT Arboretum Fall Plant Sale mentioned above. There's a Fall Wildflower Walk at the UT Arboretum on September 15. That's the same day as the FOG (UT Gardens) Fall Plant Sale mentioned above. Looks like there are a lot of conflicting dates for gardening stuff in East Tennessee this fall. Here is a link that might be useful: East Tennessee / Knoxville Plant Swap Website

I hope to have the time to do both the Bucks County Designer House and the New Hope Historical Society garden tour, maybe the Chestnut Hill one as well. I've done the New Hope tour before, and it's really great, especially if you're a garden junkie like I am. The latter tour is very inexpensive; if memory serves, it was $5 per garden. Funny story: it was on that tour one year that I visited a 100-acre "mini Longwood Garden" about 5 minutes from my house. You parked near the service entrance, and there was a table there where you paid and received a map. I didn't have nearly enough time to see everything, but I wandered all around the place. (I did see one of the owners with friends, using one of the estate's golf carts to get around.) I was almost back to my car, when I realized: I COULD NOT FIND MY KEYS! They were GONE, obviously fallen among some flowers somewhere on the 100 acres! I was starting to panic (big surprise). Fortunately, I'd just reached the table - and there they were, where I'd left them when I'd paid. I remembered: I was about to ask a question when a rude woman almost literally pushed me aside to interrupt with her own question. I'd been so amazed that I picked up my map and left, without realizing my keys were on the table! If you like garden tours even if they don't feature peeks inside people's houses, don't forget to check the dates for the Garden Conservancy's Open Days. I've just checked my county's summer Open Day - I'll probably go, but I've actually already visited all the gardens at other times and on other types of tours! I should go anyway, because one of them, also about 5 minutes from my house, is one I consider world-class or nearly so. I could also do tours in the neighboring New Jersey county. I'm also going on a garden tour in a couple of weeks through my membership in the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. I visited it last spring via membership in a plant organization, but I am so eager to see it again. One of the owners has a book out about the garden, and he gave a talk about the garden, to a packed room, at the Philadelphia Flower Show this year. Any of you who are interested in the Philadelphia Horticultural Society tours or similar, consider joining organizations and clubs in your area. Since you all are house and possibly garden junkies, I'm sure you won't be surprised at the range of organizations that host tours as fund raisers. Just one example: there's a local group that hosts kitchen-and-garden tours and another that's had kitchen tours in past years. Those have been really fun, except that they make me want to blow up my own kitchen! Theoretically, you could probably tour from now until autumn, which gives you the perfect excuse to ignore the to-do lists at your own places. ;)

A selection of extracurricular activities was provided for the children while the adults attended the seminar. Motorcycle