On a topic like this, newbie posters sure would benefit by using latin names. Following is from Seeds of Woody Plants in the United States, Forest Svce Handbook #450 Metasequoia glyptostroboides - "seed of M.s. does not require stratification. Seed sown directly on soil begins germinating within 5 days." M.s. is a deciduous, Chinese native. On East Coast it grows as far north as Massachusetts. Does fine in ordinary, well-drained soil, readily available, sometimes used for windbreaks. Wholesale plugs run about @ $1.50 Sequoia sempervirens - "seed requires no pretreatment to induce germination. ....seed sown in April may start germinating in 20 days". I have lived in the mid-Atlantic all my life and have never seen the tree. Further quoting from Handbook 450 "Redwood thrives in cool, moist places". It is native from SW Oregon to Monterey Co., California. Perhaps it could exist from Williamsburg/Richmond south on the East Coast? The evergreen needles similar to hemlock. Sequoiadendron giganteum - "optimal constant temperature for germination was between 60 & 70 degrees F. Stratification in vermiculite at 35 degrees F for 28 days improved germination". 'Hazel Smith' is a popular blue form, I've seen the original tree in Northern NJ, where it overwinters fine. S.g. is somewhat of a novelty on the East Coast. It is found in Botanic Gardens and conifer collectors who have plenty of room. Squirrels peel off the thick, spongey bark to use for bedding, that is a problem. For me, the only value of green seedlings would be to use as understock to graft the blue form onto. Evergreen, remotely similar to Cryptomeria. It is native to the western slopes of California's Sierra Nevada. So you see, three distinct species with variable traits and cultural requirements. They should not be lumped together into one query. BTW, citing an old thread from the Conifer Forum hardly qualifies as research. It is nothing more than a series of anectdotal observations, just like all GardenWeb forums. Sam

They are wrong as I have found most who comment on it. The tree in the picture and the many I finally have (after 4 years of searching) is called 'Select Weeping Nookta Cypress', aka Weeping Alaskan Cedar, botanical name Chamaecyparis (or Cupressaceae) Nootkatensis 'Select'. Langendoen Nursery Inc, (http://www.langendoennurseries.com/) 52 Carlton St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0, Canada grows them and supplies them wholesale to garden centres but most are gone by mid-spring. I have had garden centres tell me that same as you have been told and then when I go see the tree or they send me a pic of their Pendula Dense Form or Pendula it is not the same. The tree is quite rare and few places offer it. That's why even garden centres and other nurseries get it wrong all the time and also why you rarely see it growing anywhere. I have seen fewer than 20 of them in all of the GTA. When I look at the tree is reminds me of a waterfall and part of the reason I find it so beautiful, not to mention I love having a tree that rare.

Ordered some trees and plants from them. I had one tree arrive sick, started dying a week or so after I put it in the ground. I have pepper plants from them....most of which are not producing although other similar plants I got from elsewhere are doing ok. CAVEAT EMPTOR: Once you pay your money there will be NO REFUNDS. I wasted 5 months or so on a dead tree while they told me to "give it a couple more weeks". It died. If you want a replacement (which they allow only ONCE) *you* pay the shipping. That was with the "One Year Survive and Thrive" warranty. I tried. All they will do is give you credit to use the money they are holding hostage to get you to order from them. In other words, *shoot craps* hoping you get your money's worth. Add to that they are more expensive than, say, Willis Orchard for the same products. Cheap, low grade company. Going back to Willis Orchard. They treat you right.

Well I'm NOT a blue person. Indoors I have NO blue. My husband doesn't understand this. I have no idea why I feel this way. Outdoors things are different! I have a blue/yellow/white garden bed which I love. Yes, delphineums, catananche, campanulas, baptisia and more, are mixed with trollius, coreopsis moonbeam, peony Claire de Lune and low growing white clematis and aquilegia. It is a big mix and wouldn't be any fun at all without the blue! There are loads of clematis that are purple or blue/purple, but also some very nice blues I think. You do get into the question of "what is blue?" My husband and I think this could well be a male/female issue! Also, by saying a flower is blue, perhaps a catalogue gains more sales? * Posted by: coolbeans (My Page) on Sat, Feb 2, 02 at 13:12 This is my VERY favorite thread, and I totally agree with all those who feel that there is just "something" about blue flowers; they ARE magical, they ARE very special; and they make me happier than any other color flower. Don't know why...I just started a flat full of Bluebird delphinium seeds I saved from my one lonely plant last year. A bunch of them germinated, so now I can't wait to have a huge stand of them! Maybe they won't bloom this year, but maybe they will. And also "true blue" penstemons, I'm trying for the first time. I can't get enough of this precious color. * Posted by: Anne_Marie_Alb (My Page) on Tue, Feb 5, 02 at 17:47 WOW....... Did anyone realize that this thread started almost 5 years ago... on Feb. 15, 1997!!!!! I am amazed it has survived that long. Probably, the oldest thread still on the top page! I wonder if "Clare B" (who started the thread) is still an active member of the Garden Web!!! I personally love blue flowers (I mean blue, and not purple, which I also like). I can't believe how many blue flowers I am starting from seeds this year... and that was just a pure coincidence! I also love RED flowers.. Maybe, I should start a "red flower" thread! I will first check the archives! * Posted by: Clare (My Page) on Thu, Feb 7, 02 at 20:34 Yes, Ann_Marie, I am still here! I will be a bit sad to see this thread fade away when it hits the 100 posts mark. After that, the threads are closed. I don't think I have any true blue flowers still. "Victoria Blue" Salvia is the closest thing. I use it a lot. It is such a heavy, long bloomer, and about one in twenty of them will survive winter here. Just wish I could predict which would survive so that I could save seed from those alone and perhaps work up a more hardy strain. By the way, the Hydrangeas in Memphis, Tennessee are incredible. Some are so saturated blue that I'd have to call them navy. * Posted by: Dswan (My Page) on Sat, Feb 9, 02 at 22:37 I'm going to add to this extremely long thread only because there really is something to true blue. I grow from seed a very difficult plant to propagate called Penstemon cyananthus or Wasatch Penstemon. I cold stratify and plant these every year in hopes of gettting one or two in my garden every year. Absolutely gorgeous. * Posted by: Rosa (My Page) on Mon, Mar 11, 02 at 10:24 Did no one mention Gentians-now those are blue! (along with my favorite penstemson of course-some are indeed blue). * Posted by: pineshade7b ) on Mon, Apr 15, 02 at 11:02 i agree with gloria mc coy. i love blue and green , they are my favorite colors in anything. just look in my house and closets. blue..ocean, blue jeans, my own eyes are blue and my husband's are green. many reasons to answer -why blue. although i do not "hyperventilate" , if i should go into a nursery and ask for a blue -flowering plant and the staff looks down their nose at me, i'll know now that they are only doing it because they think I'M a snob. until i adopted gardening as a serious hobby i had no idea that blue was a "snob" color. i just naturally began to look into flowers in the colors i liked personally. you learn something new everyday. i would have been hurt and confused to walk into a nursery and be looked at like a pariah, what did i say? now i know, thanks clare. * Posted by: DesertGardner (My Page) on Fri, Apr 19, 02 at 12:38 Wow - I never knew there was such a controversy over the color blue in the garden. After reading all the posts, I now understand why some gardeners prefer the color. And I have to say that I've never met any gardeners whom I would consider snobbish. Most of them are really quite down to earth! (if you pardon the expression...) I recently tried planting a red, white and blue flower bed, with 'Victoria Blue' Salvia being my blue color. It's a little too purple and doesn't look right as a "patriotic" design. I will probably tear out the red and white and keep the "blue" (purple) since it seems to like this desert heat. Someone mentioned black flowers, and I remembered seeing black pansies in the most recent Burpee catalog. They're a beautiful velvety black with a spot of yellow in the center. I think I'll plant some this winter, and start an obsession with black flowers! (just kidding Clare...) -Kara [* Posted by: yeona_sky (My Page) on Mon, Jun 24, 02 at 0:37 I just bought a blue poppy and am nervously watching its progress. My success with blues has been an up hill battle, but that hasn't changed my desire to spotlight it in my garden. Why blue?, again it's a passion with me. Clare, I hope you get the last word on this thread, and I hope you understand Why blue, a little better. * Posted by: Duster (My Page) on Wed, Jun 26, 02 at 23:56 I agree with the many others about getting annoyed when purple is referred to as blue. Maybe that's why I take up the cause of truly blue flowers! 99% of my Delphiniums are the true electric blue ones. I'd love one of the Himalayan Poppies but just not right for my little yard. I like the blue flowers, rather than the blue foliage plants. And no, blue is NOT my favorite color - I have nothing blue in my home decor. I just like the uniqueness of the TRUE blue and my stubbornness to get people to stop calling it purple!!!!