Beautiful camellia, fairysoapgirl - that's one plant I really wish I could grow. Did you grow that one, or just have to wait for a young purchased plant to bloom? Berrytea4me, we usually get a blizzard in early March, too. I'm just waiting for it, it's almost a given for us. We had lots of snow before Christmas, but not much since then. We're getting a bit today (we'll be lucky if we get a couple inches, but at least it's a LITTLE insulation for the plants). Jan, I'm glad to hear that you're getting some rain. I hope your part of the country gets some good rain this spring, you've been hammered the past year or so with the drought. Will you be selling any plants on the LA this spring? I've always got room for "just one more," and I'm developing a weak spot for Munsons. . . . Mthorebgarden, BRRRRR! We had temps like that a month or so ago, but it hasn't been that cold since. Single digits, teens. We had a winter "thaw" that lasted all of one day, but that 50 degrees sure was fine while it lasted. I'm just itching to get back out in the garden, but everything is frozen solid. Winter sowing helps with the urge to plant, but I'm good and ready for SPRING to arrive in the Northeast. Yesterday I found a tulip bulb some enterprising rodent dug up (he must have had a jackhammer, the ground is HARD). It was intact, with freshly growing roots, so I brought it indoors and planted it. Maybe I'll get a tulip bloom for Easter! Laurel

Our First Ever Hummingbird. On the way to the Kitchen tonight I saw a tiny bird fly in and land on our hummingbird feeder. About the only detail I saw looked like a flash of yellow. As I crept closer to the French doors that open onto the deck, the tiny thing saw me and darted away. Wings were a blur but it could certainly move fast. I suspect that it will get used to us eventually. We had figured they hadn't found us yet but there it was. I should have changed the food two days ago so I got out there right away and change it out for some fresh food. At least the food is no longer just going to waste as we empty it out. But it was quite exciting to get our very first ever hummingbird. The feeder was a bit low on solution, too so I think that perhaps they have been working on it for a few days and we didn't realize it. It's cleaned out and fresh now so I'll be tracking it over the next few days to see if they drain it down. At some point I'll set up a film camera on a tripod with a remote release and try to get a close up photograph of one on the feeder.

Hello ALL, I am so looking forward to meeting you all. I am not the best gardener in the world but I try. I have built a 44 foot diameter labyrinth in my back yard, a wooded lot but still half of it has good sun. I am trying to collect hostasfor the past couple of years to surround the perimeter, but I have a long way to go. So anyone with extra hostas, I can't collect enough of them for this project! I am also looking for day lillies, especially the yellow ones but any color will be helpful. I am also looking for the herbs: costmary, comfrey, Lady's mantle and sweet woodruff I have a very limited perenial garden so I am open to any extras that you might be able to share. What I have to share: the herb southernwood. It is a green feathery like plant. It is suppose to repel insects. I was told to take the greens and wood stems in early spring and put them around my echinecia plants to keep them from being attacked by bugs and it has worked for me! It is not evasive at all. It more or less stays right in the same place you plant it. I make snippings and root them for new plants. So if people are interested please let me know so I know how much to bring. Rose campion. It is has beautiful 18 inch silver grey stem with brilliant scarlet red small blooms. I have to say this plant is beautiful but it will spread seeds and within a few years you will have a lot. The plant isn't evasive per se it just seeds a lot. So I have given it, its own perenial garden so the garden just seeds itself and the wave of red blooms are stunning. I get so many compliments on it. It blooms in summer through fall. It is an old fashion cottage type perenial that would look great in any garden, but if you put it in with other flowers, just take note that you will have to cut the seed head before they are released or you will have to dig up the seedlings the following spring and put them where you want them. Again, if anyone is interested let me know. I don't want to dig up any more than people will take. Egyptian Onion. I love it. It comes out with the chives each spring, You can use it like thick chives or use the small shallot like onions that grow on the top. A pretty plant that is one of the first to welcome spring. I don't know what my spring soups would taste like with out my Eqyptian onions. Chives, I guess everyone knows about them Feverfew. A herb that is also an insect repellent. It grow aboyt 12 to 18 inches with a lot of greenery and beautiful small white Daisey like flowers. This does spread its seed through the yard but I would not call it evasive. When I do see a seedling growing in another part of the yard , I just dig it up and replant it with the rest of the feverfew. They are very beautiful in the summer and last quite a long time. Sun drops. Someone told me they were evening primrose sun drops. I don't know about evening primrose becasue they have bright yellow flowers that bloom during the day. They bloom the same time as the Rose campion and they compliment each other very well, color wise. Of the flowers that I have, I think these are the most evasive and WILL take over your garden if you don't give it its own spot. But they are very pretty. Echinecia. I have a few purple coneflowers that I could share, but I don't have too many of them. Cat Nip. My cats love it. I grow it by my kitchen door so I know where the cats are most o fteh time! Spearmint. Who can live without it! I am looking for pepermint if anyone has it. Purple Siberian Iris Lily of the Vally Red Dahlias I think that is about it I am cleaning out my bookshelves and will try to bring some gardening books. And I will try to get my husband to make apple knubby cake. You can e mail me directly at blaketaylore@yahoo.com if you want any of these plants or have any questions about them. Looking forward to the swap! Blake

It looks good considering the kind of winter it has been through. It should be fertilized with a good 12-4-8 palm fertilizer containg the micronutrients, especially Boron and Copper to help it recover from the cold, and it needs to be watered since Florida has been experiencing severe droughts too. John