Ah Jen, my darlin' little fountain of good information, lol, I knew I could count on you! Thanks so much for a beautiful explanation, I'd love to know not only where you find the time to learn this stuff but also how you find the time to maintain that fabulous collection, be so generous here and still have anything like a real life. It could be staghorn gametophytes(gotta use this somewhere, use it or lose it, you know, lol), but who knows? My cinnamon ferns and royal ferns don't seem very aggressive(I've heard that they can be but never seen them reproduce even one new plant), the only "wild" fern that spreads around close by has gametophytes(see? I really do need to use these words or I'll never remember them, that's the kind of girl I am) that are very different looking, deep dark green and kind of "carpet-like", I'll post a couple of pictures, one of the fronds and one of the gametophytes(!) and see if you know what it is. There aren't any live oaks nearby with the resurrection ferns in them so I don't think it's that. I guess I won't ask for any cultural tips, this old monster is almost too big to move around much anymore and it has a white butterfly ginger growing out the side that's been there for a couple of years, poor thing, I thought I liberated it last spring but it's ba-a-a-a-ack! Thanks again, Jen, you're a Minnesota peach.

The white peony is prettier than the pic, the angle and the sun were not right. It was labeled 'Primevere', but I'm not sure that is right. Chelone, I don't have an old fashioned Festiva maxima, but would like to have one. I had some in Idaho. I do have another double white variety, but it has no flecks. Here is the single that is blooming for me now : I really like these.The stamens get a lot more prominent, more like a mophead, only with stamens instead of petals. They do not get to looking like soggy rags when it rains. I thought that I have Bowl of Beauty,but if I do, it isn't blooming yet. It just may be one that the blasted voles has eaten the roots! That is apparently what happened to the Molly that Eileen sent me. I waited and waited for a sign of growth, and when it didn't appear I dug up the root...only there was no root left! It is beginning to look like the varmints are winning! You may be right about the skunk, but I haven't detected any skunk odor when the digging is going on. The is another batch of holes all across the front of our front flowerbeds and front porch this morning, and out into the yard. We do have armadillos. Kathy, I am sorry that you had to give up on growing Peonies. I had the same problem with Rhubarb. It grew great in Idaho, but I can't get it to do well here. I have been reading lots of favorable reports on Diamond Frost Euphorbia. I bought one before I had read about it. Here is a pic of it planted in a combo with my very first Strobilanthes: I'd like to get more of them if they are still available at the local nurseries or plant places. We have gone back to more seasonal temps. It was the mid to low 40s the past two mornings, and possibly lower tomorrow, but not frost...thank goodness. I have all my tender stuff out on the deck, and do not plan on bringing it back in !

razorback33, I've found at least one grower in Apopka: Central Florida Nursery. The problem is that they're a wholesale nursery (I'll find a way around that somehow though). The two owners weren't there (they are attending a professional meeting, TPIA I think is the name, in Fort Lauderdale. Unfortunately, I could not get in touch with them to ask if they could bring a few plants to that show so that I could buy them. My alternate plan is to ask a nursery to buy some for me. I wish there were closer sources since I live in the Miami area. There is one guy on Ebay who sells them and he's based out of northern Florida (I think), but he is selling tiny plants and I'd prefer to get a large specimen like the one I saw at the orchid show last year. Thanks for the effort of looking for me in those nurseries. If I find out other sources, I will post them here.

Dave, I didn't do sweet peas this year and found myself clutching a pot of seedlings, from our version of Walmart (Asda) no less. I resisted but did buy a couple of deutzia gracilis, tucked in amongst the boringly predictable fuschias and begonias. And yet again - another year, another Joe Pye Weed fail...and this time, the fault was all mine. Rushing to finish watering, I managed to blast the pot of seedlings which naturally landed upside down, disintegrating in the midst of a pot of haworthia. I am just going to buy a few plants although it stings, paying cash for anything with 'weed' in its name..