Hi Jason, Holy Cow! I am amused that my post from '04 is still getting responses! Anyway, in '05 I planted Heavenly Bamboo (not a bamboo, it's a shrub with leaves that resemble bamboo). There are a few different varieties, mine is the larger type that grows to about 8ft. I planted them about 6 ft. apart and now have a beautiful screen from my neighbors. I really like it because of the red berries and orange type foliage it has in the winter, white flowers in spring, and bright green leaves in warmer months. I've discovered that separating the branches by hand to keep them from getting tangled with each other helps air flow and prevents disease etc. Before I planted the stuff I installed a fence made of white lattice panels. I am NOT a carpenter so what I make looks O.K. but by no means professional. I wound up leaving the side facing the neighbors looking like crap, exposed studs, brackets etc. I never really intended for the fence to be permanent. I dug holes and used large stones to secure it and keep it up right. I guess they got tired of looking at the ugly side of the fence, the cleaned up their yard, and I moved the fence to the back (they still have not cleaned this mess up, probably won't after 4 years) and used cement to secure it. My bad edges etc. are covered by vines etc. Everyone says it looks nice! SG

got your email nogmo, thank you, these lists make me want to look up more and see what is out there.I think my mom will kill me if i put more flowers in her garden. :') Maybe i can get some she will like then i won't get into to much trouble, LOL I really do like those one's with more different colors in them though. The lady slipper balsams have finally ripened up. Out goes alot of bubblers tomarow. I will keep checking to see what is new, I also have some white, pink cypress vine seeds. *tabor*

Eric oh, I'll be honest with you, I haven't a clue. I bought the first one because it was discount rack and it was in bad shape. I didn't know if it was going to make it. It took awhile before I got my first white bloom. I've been trying to find out the name because white is really rare around here. The second one I got was also discount rack save but it didn't come with a tag. This one is kind of fuschia with a wonderful scent. Its petty common around here so I should be able to find out the name. The last one I got is from a group I jokingly refer to as the New Orleans minis. There is Bayou Marie, Bourbon Street and Baton Rouge. I think there is more in this group but not sure. So I got Bayou Marie because it has the most beautiful pink flowers, which slightly darken when the temp drops. Anyway, I have yet to find a real red dwarf. They say they are red but its more of a dark pink. My secret is once the leaves have drop then don't prune them. I wait until I see new buds on the old wood in the late spring before I cut away any dead limbs. Last winter was one the coldest in over ten years. Most of the thick branches made it. I also mulch in the fall. All three are rated for zone 7 are suppose to die back to the ground but somehow they didn't get the message. I wish some school in the midwest would do a crape myrtle study to see which ones are hardy to zone 5 or possibly lower.

Well, that rabbit or his/her relatives did not behave. They hit the gazania plants again, just as they where full of buds. Seems that gazania is #1 on the list of rabbit food in the flower beds. Now the chipmunks and groundhogs are not particular, the first thing the find goes down the throat. BUT They do not like marigolds, and will not go near plants that have marigolds beside them or around them. So next years plan is 100's of marigold plants used as an edging all around the beds, sort of like a fence of marigolds. At least it's worth a try to keep the 4 legged critters away. Angie, Paula, I should have plenty of seeds of the easter egg plant. In the fall the white easter eggs start to turn yellow and when they are bright, bright yellow, they are ripe. Then I pick them off, but them in half, then each half in quarters and let them dry to get the seeds for next year. The fun look is that you have various colors on the plant as the "eggs" start to ripen ranging from pure white to starting to turn yellow to bright bright yellow. Oh, when you feel the "egg" it feels like a real egg as well, feels like an eggshell on the outside. The irony, to me, is it starts out looking like a real white egg, feels like a real white egg and when ripe, turns to the the color of the bright yellow yolk of a real egg. I've seen various information on them with google searches that say they are just ornamental and that they can be eaten. I've just decided to leave it as a conversation piece of plant growing in pots in the garden, since I haven't been able to get a clear answer as to whether they are safe to eat. Paula, I should have plenty of seeds from the cosmos candy stripe for trade, the seeds are just beginning to ripen now. Will be posting in mid Sept for trades Mnswgal, i planted the zinnia "Old Mexico" in HOS of about 10 seedlings at a time. All the seeds where from a burpee commercial pack of zinnia old mexico seeds purchased at K-mart. They had all their seeds from the time they came in to the store through the late spring at 40% off. Did get several packets of seeds there of burpee and martha stewart brand. Anyways, they where all sown at the same time in 3 different containers and believe it or not, they bloomed with 3 different types of blooms. the one above and these 2 blooms this big clump of old mexico that is blooming as it it supposed to look except for one bloom if you look carefully on the right of the pick, there is an old paler flower in the middle of the clump and this bloom of a clump that bloomed totally different from what it was supposed to also, but I do like this one as well and the entire clump is like this The dwarf balloon flower grows about 8 inches tall. I'll have tons of seeds of them once the pods ripen, but it takes forever for them to do so. At least another month before I have ripe seeds for trades, but will have them Thanks Karen Fran