Those kids sure are wonderful. A few now live out of state, but when home to visit, always come by to check on the garden and see what new plants have been added off the list. The extra marigolds from the originals found homes in my daughter's apt back porch. Yellow and orange that my mom used with her tomatoes to keep the bugs from gettting them. My son, who lives in Kentucky, has some chinese forget me nots, malva zebrina, and a few others in pots on a patio garden. My sister and brother prefer to just buy from the nursery, but they do buy some of the plants that my mother grew. Linda, the funny story with those victorian ornaments is that I would never in a million years have had them in my yard. I always thought "it just isn't me", yet I have my own craft business that is mainly hand thread crochet victorian Xmas tree ornaments. I would put out things like the ducks, the bunnies, a cat, but nothing like those. In the spring of 2002, I took them all out of the cellar to put in the memorial garden and their wasn't really enough room for the one with the gazing ball, so she got moved to another spot. They grew on me over that summer and now I love them. Must be that I'm just getting old or something strange. Alberta, you could do what I have done in memory of my grandfather. I grew up with my grandparents on a summer veggie and flower farm. He would plant at least 100 tomato plants. Nothing including severe water bans would stop him from watering those toms of his. One summer, we had such a severe drought that all water usage outdoors was banned and you could be arrested for using any. He was jumping out of his skin over those tomatoes of his. So he rigged this elaborate siphoning system from the bathtub to hoses that went out the bathroom window and long enough to reach all the plants of his. Every time someone took a shower, and there where 7 of us, we had to plug the tub so water would collect in the tub. then when it was full, he would drain the water and water his tomato plants. He rigged another hose to the line from the portable dishwasher to a huge rain barrel and a syphon in there too. All the water from the dishwasher was used on those tomato plants as well. He didn't loose a plant and we had an abundance of tomatoes, but nothing else. So what I have done since I started gardening over 30 years ago is put an American flag in one of my pots that have my tomatoes in them. He was an Army vet from World War 1 and worked with the military during world war 2. It makes me feel close to him all the time. Put a flag beside some of your bleeding hearts. Fran

Oh...thank you, thank you everyone. I have more, but figured that was enough over-kill. DAYLILY COLORS The colors are indeed spectacular, aren't they? I just love them. It is especially amazing to realize that the original daylilies were all yellow to yellow-orange in color, and now, in a relatively short period of time, breeders have created all these amazing colors and color combinations, in doubles and with lacy edges or ruffles and some with starburst stripes in their centers, and the re-bloomer daylilies! Some have petals that fold out, some fold back and some look trumpet-shaped. Some are bizarre looking, kind of like spiders, and some look kind of like mums. Wow! And to think that they bloomed like that for ME...HERE...in Oklahoma, and especially during a severe drought and summers with non-stop extreme heat! Amazing! DO YOU WATER? Yes, I water. Boy, do I - every day from sun-up to late at night, all summer long! But the daylilies don't need to be watered as often or as much as say, my roses or more tender, delicate flowers, and probably not as much as you might think. They reserve a lot of moisture in their swollen roots. But you do need to make sure that when you DO water, water them DEEPLY and thoroughly. Sprinkling them or spraying them in the heat will not be sufficient. Their soil should remain slightly damp down at the roots depth, but never water-logged. (dig down into the soil between plants with a little hand spade from time to time to check it during drought and high temps). Pile on lots of mulch to keep their roots cool and soil moist. THE MAINEST THING: I do think that the "mainest thing" is to have good soil. That is most important for any garden. I work hard to continuously build up the soil on this hot, barren hill, especially in the flower gardens. Good soil = good plants. Good soil = good water retention and availability of nutrients. Good soil = cool roots in summer and warm roots in the winter. So, yes...Good soil = good plants. ----------------------------------------------------- MY DAYLILIES: A dear friend who posts on this forum ((I won't say who without permission)) sent me several boxes of daylilies through the mail last year...I was flabbergasted and so grateful! I went from having just 6 daylilies, to the proud owner of a sure 'nuff Daylily Garden! And then, shortly after that, I received one large box filled with daylilies in the mail from Robin Calderon, owner of 'Earlybird Daylilies' in Kansas. I have AWESOME friends!!! --------------------------------- Seriously, if you want to buy some great daylilies, please contact Robin. Her plants are big, healthy and clean. Way bigger than any others I've seen sold anywhere else and her prices are fantastic. They come packed neatly, securely and fresh. ------------------------------- Here is her contact info: Earlybird Daylilies 1313 Hattie Garden City, Kansas 67846 Phone 620-640-7788 email: rcalderon@cox.net I plan on driving up to visit her this spring. It's only a couple hours away. I need to poke back some money so I will have some to spend when I get there. I KNOW I will probably go crazy over all her daylilies!

Thanks for commenting, punk, sorie, kathleen, marlene & purplemoon ... punk..blizzards are over & "sunshine" just makes all the diff in the world! Very cold yet tho...but do-able! I'd love to visit your home...from what you share, it's just downright SWEET! sorie ... that print is by Robert Duncan called "April Storm" ... by his signature it says 1980 ...but I bought this print at an frame shop & had it framed 7 or 8 yrs ago...it is one of my favs! kathleen...no, the tree I bought on an after Christmas small town shopping trip...at a specialty store...they had used it in their display decor...& had it for sale...I was in heaven! I'd been wanting one for some yrs since I saw the grapevine handmade ones at a craftshow that sold for lots of $$$. It would be fun to try to make a "small" one. PM...hey, next mo (March 20th) is first day of Spring...so maybe you can decorate for that! You'll be bringing out all those beautiful bunnies!! You've got alot going on right now, woman! Thanks, gals! Jeanne S.

Thank you every one! Annie, I think beets give you good health and good taste. I even grow them indoors because they are very decorative. Yeah shaxhome, my bad habit of playing with my food. :-). Seriously, if you look closer, it really does not take time to do what I do, which is just piling food on a plate just like everyone else, except I do it in a different sequence. dcarch