Hi Lalaland, I am glad you enjoyed the photos. I don't mind answering your questions. The eldeberry was very large but it has very soft wood and it is very brittle. The extra weight caused the branches to break. Most shrubs have much stronger wood than the eldeberry. That Etoille violet is growing in a snowball tree about the same size as the eldeberry. I have never had any breakage problems. The snowball tree has much stronger wood. The XRM does get very large if grown in full sun with lots of water. It is smaller than my SAC, but not by much. I have 3 of them. I just love the fragrance. I have one by the back door, one by the front door, and one along the sidewalk. That way I can enjoy the sweet fragrance when I am coming and going. The ones that are growing in part shade with tree roots are smaller, so location will affect it's size. I think the color combination with Kermensina is very good. The red color in Kermensina goes so well with XRM. Emilia Platter's color doesn't go that well with it. I just needed a place to put her and that was the only spot available at the time. I think a red, white, or purple would look better than a light blue. The XRM is a long bloomer, usually 8-10 weeks. I have heard from other gardeners that it doesn't do well in cold climates so it may not grow well for you at all. In our mild climate the clematis usually start leafing out in February and grow until late November. Yes I think the late large flowering clematis look great with the viticella types. I haven't had any problems with the viticella types overpowering the late large flowered varieties. They both have the same pruning type with is a plus. I have about 4 tanguticas and I have never had any weediness in my garden. I have only had 1 seedling show up. I don't know why. I have never had a seedling from my SAC or my serratifolia either. Both of those are supposed to seed like crazy. We do have very cool nights and maybe the seed doesn't ripen well. I also have my flower beds crammed full so there is little room for a seedling to grow, although I am always getting volunteers from my type 2 clematis. They are always popping up in my parking strips which are very inhospitable, go figure. The seed on tangutica's are very small so it may rot or blow away. The type 2 clematis seeds are very large so they may stay put and germinate. Buyorsell, I have the same problem with some of my clematis growing next to large trees. My neighbor planted a redwood, Doug fir, blue spruce and a cedar next to our fence. They are now 25' old and huge. Their branches overhang the fence and block the sun and rain from my clematis. The clematis I grow on that fence never get very large. The grow ok, but never great. I wish they would cut them down, I really hate them. I don't think people should plant 200' tall trees in little city lots next to the neighbor's fence. I am letting some of the clematis vines grow up into the fir trees. I just want to see how high they will get. I have a viticella Blue Belle that is about 40' up into one of the Doug firs. If I stand back in the driveway I can see the blossoms way up there. I remember reading a clematis book and they had let a Etoille violet grow unpruned into a Doug fir and it was enormous and had thousands of blossoms. I don't know if Blue Belle would ever get that big with the Doug fir stealing all the water. Maybe that Doug fir with the Etoille violet was growing on the coast where it gets a lot more rain. We certainly don't get much rain here in the summer. I am off to go water again. Karen

This is how bad/sad things happen when a nursery start to name a conifer in the wrong way. I think Larry has enough knowledge what the differences are between a Pinus uncinata and a Pinus sylvestris. Joe bought it as a Pinus uncinata and maybe in the future he give's away some scionswood under this wrong name and so on and on. Joe, I hope that you will change this tag very quick so this problem is solved! The Pinus sylvestris 'Pixie' in my collection.

Thanks for the slide show!! Yes you are creating a beautiful lush garden. Your pond is great. Your beds are filling in nicely, love the caladium bed. BUT you need more roses...just kidding. Remember: 1st year they sleep 2nd year they creep 3rd year they leap. You should have some leaping roses here pretty soon! Thanks susan. I need to learn how to make a slide show.

That was beautiful Sharon! Thanks so much for sharing that. I almost felt as though I was there. Those red tajinaste are amazing. What a treat to see all the various flowers blooming in that gorgeous setting. The sky is indeed a special shade of blue. The food all looked great too. I might have had to try the rabbit. I haven't had that lately. I love how you and your Wolf seem to feel free to go or stay as you wish and not have it hinder the other from enjoying their excursions. Thanks again for sharing the beauty of your island.