WOW Siam!! beautiful as always! Congrats on your canna, it is a gorgeous color!! love it!! That wild orchid is awesome!!! Reminds me of a giraffe with that coloring..omg I neeeeed that!!!! Gggrrraaahhh!!!Dang not living in a tropical paradise!!! Dang it dang it dang it!!!!!! Siam I am so jealous.. thanks for sharing!

Marshall, I appreciate the heads up. I suppose it was bound to have happened sooner or later. I have posted quite a few pics over the last few years, and new it was a risk that someone might swipe one. I figure though, I can always go in the back yard and take another one that looks bigger and better next Spring, and its funner sharing them. Kmanzfive, the Pinus aristata 'Lemon Frost' was selected by Don Howse from porterhowse I believe. It's growing 2-4" a year for me right now. It's supposed to be frosted yellow in the Summer, but has never really colored up really well for me. It's still a favorite though because it has stayed small and I really like Pinus aristata. Thanks, Dan

Thanks Steven, I see much wrong with them. I see the beginnings of Cottage gardens, but would love to have suggestions from all. Sue

Moccasin, thank you so much for your profuse compliments. The "bones" of my gardens are perennials, filled out by various annuals each year. I mix in some Plant-tone and Osmacote when I prepare the soil before any plants have emerged. I stoop over and pull out any weeds that I see, as my plots are small enough to do that. It's very funny that you should mention smiles and hand waves from neighbors. I live down the street from one of the major city colleges. Not only do any and all neighbors nod and smile when they see me out watering my gardens (well, THAT'S not necessary tonight, major rainstorm going on right now and a floodwatch), but a great deal of the passing students compliment me as well. That makes me feel like I'm doing a community service. I was just thinking as I walked out this morning that since I started my elaborate gardens, more and more of the neighbors on my side of the street have taken the plunge. I am definitely seeing more garden plots being planted, both in front of the Obligatory Bushes, and in the soil squares located in the courtyards (some buildings are in courtyards here, some merely line the street like mine). I cannot say whether more people are gardening because they saw my gardens and got inspired, or if it was a case of convergent thinking. But my gardens do seem to be an epicenter, outward from which I see the newly planted gardens (even if it's just a row of petunias or such) up this year. If so, hurray! We all need more flowery beauty and the peace it brings in our lives. Gesila, the only heuchies I've had so far were Marmalade and Georgia Peach. As you can see, Marmalade is doing fabulously. The original Georgia Peach specimen wasn't the best one, it was the last one the local nursery had. This may well have contributed to its not making it through the winter. The nursery told me that since my new GP in its 12" pot is in a sheltered location, in the lee of the Obligatory Bushes, a bit of sheltering bubble wrap or such should be sufficient to get it through winters. I am thrilled that all my new baby heuchies are really growing apace, faster than my small hostas. I hope the baby heuchies continue in their robust health!! Maybe with Garden Cat watching over them, they will. Garden Cat's origin came from my spotting this adorable wire cat face on the 75% off table with other Halloween stuff. Finding just the right pot as a backdrop was quite a bit harder. I think I went to 4 stores/nurseries before luck drew my eye to the perfect white pot. All right, it wasn't on sale, but I bought it anyway because it was perfect for my Garden Cat.