But does it really matter if you know the person is living in a particular part of the state or province. What would be gained by knowing a message is from a person who might be across town from you---but still far distant from everyone else. As far as local zones being somewhat the same as possibly a zone across the world, blame it on the weather....it ..and the fact that the world is tilted. The reason why our seasons are what they are is because the Earth doesn't sit level--its tilted. The reason why Florida grows plants that can grow nowhere else--yet other places have the same zone is because Florida is a peninsula---surrounded on three sides by water. But that said, a plant that grows well in southern B.C. may not thrive the same way the same plant would grow in another zone having the same number. You can take the girl out of the country....but you cant take the country out of the girl. A plant that grows in zone 5 Ontario may not thrive as well as the same plant grown in Denver, Colorado. A plant grown in zone 8 B.C. may not do as well as bringing it to Georgia and putting it into the ground there. Bring a plant out of zone 7 California and take it to the Niagara peninsula and you'd probably have a dead plant in no time. Yet, they have the same USDA identification to their zones. A plant is a plant is a plant....we sometimes utter. But a plant naturalized in B.C...such as a holly, bring it to Toronto and it wont grow near as well....if at all.

Thanks Lynette, I was hoping for someone on the Pacific coast, but if nothing comes up I will give Pickerings a call - hope I am not to late for an order. Pauline

Jo - I tend to get my order shipped to me from Naylor Creek in the middle of March and I have been successful potting them up when they arrive, keeping inside and hardening them off outside when the weather gets warmer. I have also done mail order within Ontario...most recently at the beginning of July from Budd Gardens. The plants arrived within 2 business days using regular Canada Post mail. The plants always arrive in great condition if packaged properly. Michelle - yes, if you place an order you would have to pay for the phytosanitary certificate unless you have friends that would join in on your order...in which case you can split the phyto and shipping costs with them. It's cost effective for larger orders and collector's looking for rare plants. If you are only getting a few plants then it's not financially worthwhile unless you are getting rare hostas on your wish list that you can't get anywhere else. Vanessa

The "Forever" stamps are calculated for 1 oz. first class letter mailing. If I'm mailing a package or an oversized envelope, etc., requiring more than 44 cents, I just let the postal person use their postage meter labels. I've futzed around with 1 and 2 cent stamps to make up for postage increases long enough - these Forevers are brilliant as far as I'm concerned. I bought $100 worth when they were first introduced at 42 cents way back in April of 2007. Still using them with a handful of cards left to go. I'm glad there will be commemoratives though, the regular postal issues can be a bit bland.