For the Houston area, two vines span the early migration. Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) blooms fairly early and will catch any real early migrators. The native coral honeysuckly (Lonicera sempervirens) blooms for several months in the spring just in time for the main spring pass through. Coral honeysuckle is also nowhere near as invasive and rampant as the Japanese species is. It's a very well behaved and attractive plant.

Dana, I'm excited for you! I lived in an old farmhouse in the middle of cornfields and you can bet I had a hard time attracting hummers to my yard, but I kept planting bird-attractive plants (flowers, shrubs, and trees) and provided water sources and low and behold, after 8 years, I finally got my first hummer! They were regular visitors for the remaining 10 years I lived there. Enjoy, and I'll do a happy dance for you! :)

Thanks, everyone, for all the wonderful advice. I have crossed the border from Nevada to California and was never stopped and asked questions about what I had in my truck. I had no idea they were that strict about bringing in plants. I also did read that during the summer months geraniums in PS need to be placed in an eastern exposure with only morning sun. But during winters in the desert they can be moved to areas with more sun during the day. I just wondered if other people had personal experience with them. I've been in Palm Springs in August when it was 120 degrees. I know what it's like personally. But at the time I wasn't paying attention to the plants. I was in Palm Springs this past March and saw properties with flowers like snapdragons and alyssum in the landscape. I asked about that and was told they are their "winter" flowers that don't survive the summers in that area. I thought that was kinda funny since I'me from the Midwest and have been used to the opposite my whole life. :-)

It's that time of year again, and we are right next door to Palm Springs in Cathedral City, but we have not planned to go to any of the events yet. It lasts through Feb 27, and so there is still time. Is anyone else here? What events would you want to go to?