Eileen, I'm not sure if the move went through as planned; I recall some vendors didn't like the distance from Manhattan at the new site, and the market is now fragmented. CatherineK, Welcome and get ready to party with the plants! We got a 7x14 balcony 4 years ago, and it's been a constant struggle between my DW and the plants ever since (actually, you CAN walk around out there this year)! I second the vote on the farmer's markets -- Union Square is the largest, but other locations have different vendors and different selections. Other good nurseries in Manhattan are on 96th off Broadway, with lots of cheap containers, and 103-4 and Lexington. Chinatown seems to be losing its plant stores as well, but you can still find some really nice flowering plants that you can't easily find elsewhere, and great, inexpensive bonsai pots in some of the stores! Box stores like Home Depression will get you, for the most part, lots of cheap plants that have been abused and neglected, and may or may not make it. That doesn't stop me from looking anyway, but they're not my first choice. I also vote to get the mandevilla -- one pretty bloomer that you really like can make the whole balcony more welcome, and there's always next spring to plan for more permanent installations, if that's your style. Also, don't forget NY's botanical gardens (one in every borough, except yours, although the conservatory gardens at 106th and 5th come close!) for ideas and for plant selections. Finally, Jennie is the balcony deity, so tune in and get schooled on all the cool things you can grow! Jim

I planted Nerium Oleander from Charleston, SC cuttings- in Charlotte two years ago. It has bloomed nicely both years. If it freezes back, it should still grow at least five feet tall and bloom during the summer. Of course I mulch it well. By the way, all I did with the 2 foot cuttings was... strip the lower leaves, cut all leaves except the top two, stick each into 2-liter plastic bottles, find a low light area, and prop in cardboard boxes until I saw roots. They became secure outside after regular watering for a week or two. I placed two along my driveway, between Crepe Myrtles and Hydrangeas. It makes for an interesting combination of color and timing since I don't see many Oleanders here. I love flowers, so it was worth trying. Good luck!

Thanks for the background info bart. Indeed that part of the world has a lot of microclimates; the book "The English Garden Abroad" documents, among other things, their discovery of these Mediterranean microclimates...that, for example, Kentias grew at Menton but not a few miles away on the coast. ( Menton is seemingly the mildest part of the coast from roughly Barcelona over to Rome.) But a reason I asked involved my observation that outwith the UK - a nation with plenty of avowed experimenters and/or "serious" horticulturalists - cultural traditions often dictate what is grown in an area in favor of the reality of what could grow there. For example along the Basque coast of Spain, I saw very few citrus trees, but saw a few gardens, public and private, with a lot of them that were huge, obviously healthy and bearing. Too big to protect and in the case of the public gardens, who would hassle with that anyhow? Some of them can grow just fine there, but, because it isn't part of the cultural traditions of that area, they aren't widely grown at all. But this is not to say I think you are incorrect! It's just explaining why I asked... What is your elevation? Surely at least Neriums are common there in your town/neighborhood? (Oleanders)

To follow up on our discussion of Helleborus foetidus with Karen and Judy at timestamps April 1-2. Our concern was to what degree the problems with dividing it extend to transplanting as a reflection of possible sensitivity to root disturbance. We are pleased to report that the extracted single plant that we obtained from Judy has done very well. It was first kept in a pot in deep shade the whole summer and watered well, even putting on some growth: It was planted out in the first week of November slightly raised with an extra layer of soil added around it (because of root competition in that bed). It is blooming right now: A couple of additional backup plants, obtained in that same batch but kept together in one pot, didn't make it through the summer, indicating that they are still quite sensitive to growth conditions, similar to the earlier batches that were planted out immediately in spring and died. In addition our plan B, to scatter in a number of locations the seeds obtained from Karen plus collected from local sites, turned out fully successful: we got germination of multiple seedlings at each location. So we may finally get some H. foetidus growing.