Aside from the aquilegia (columbine), and the geranium pusillum pictured above, maybe starting the others on your list from seed was a bit too ambitious. I've had coral bells (which was the name heuchera seemed to have 35 years ago) and split and resplit the original plants many times to increase my stock. I get the wild columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis) in every shady nook and cranny, but cannot get the modern ones to self seed or last for more than a season. The geranium pusillum is a nuisance for me - that will never look better than it does right now in your picture: the flowers are very tiny, they will start to sprawl and become ground hugging, and they self-seed everywhere. I'm always pulling it up and in the strangest places. In all honesty, despite whatever gardening skills I might have - growing from seed has never been one of my successes. Pretty much, the only seeds I purchase are zinnias because I can directly sow them when the soil warms up; they grow and bloom beautifully untill frost knocks them down. Many people have the knack of growing from seed - indoors under lights, lucky enough to have greenhouses, winter sow. I am not one of them - I learned early on and to avoid my own personal disappointment in seeds not germinating, getting too big then damping off, etc., I no longer even try. That does not mean you shouldn't continue to try. Everything that I might need to fill in or replace or want to try, I simply buy from a garden center, big box store, plant sale, farmers market, etc. - those who grow and sell plants have to make a living too - or I split and divide my existing plants. Don't be too disappointed; gardening is a never ending learning process. Even though the failures are hard they just make the successes all the sweeter.

What a great picture..lol Seriously, what a beautiful cactus too...:-) Mike

I've seen alot here as well. I read in the local paper that the main reason is that last summer was wet and provided ideal breeding conditions for them. If that's the case, I'd expect the high numbers to continue, as there certainly has been enough water and mosquitoes this year as well. The city has deliberately released dragonflies in parks, trying for a more natural means of mosquito control. Every bit helps I guess. This morning I saw a frog hiding beside my pond, hopefully he'll eat a few mosquitos too. Actually I am still puzzled how a frog found my yard, it's not like I'm near a lake or river, or even a forest. Glen Glen

Thanks all. I've been busy. Doing my 1st festival mid Sept. I'm freaking out that I don't have near enough "stuff", so I've been mosaicing like a crazy person. Don't have the canopy or anything yet, but I've always wanted to do it, so what the heck. I'm trying to get several things grouted in the next few days. I'll post pictures, got lots to post. Crafty I used Ge Silicone 11 on this pot. I know it's not as good as thinset, but I can't work with thinset when the pieces are so small. I think Slow is totally right about the terra cotta. I have one in the front of my yard done with thinset and it's falling apart. Got too cold this winter, I guess. I love your crosses. Glad to hear you're a survivor, there are lots of us, we're lucky. Cali the tiles are blue stained glass and the marbles are colored. I've painted the bottom of clear marbles with finger nail polish to get color and it worked fine. Time consuming, but they have some cool polish colors. I'll post some pictures asap.