I've seen their website at www.waterlilyfarm.com It is definitely on my list to visit but I haven't made it up there yet. It looks like the best place on the island. Hicks nursery in Westbury is OK for plants and Pondmaster replacement parts, but I wouldn't buy fish from them as last spring they had none, and I saw their whole stock of tadpoles die off one year; before the die off I got two and one is still in my pond 2 years later (other one wandered off). Starkie Brothers, Main St south of 109 in Farmingdale is lovely. I did get some Koi there last year. Lots of parts and plants too. I get my water lettuce off EBay from Florida as it pains me to spend $4 a plant for something as they grow so fast I know I will be dumping into my compost heap a month from now.

Yours were not the only weather bones making complaints. I told several people that this was not going to be pleasant. We had a forecast of over 1/4 inch rain today, getting icky tonight. Well, it was about 35F, raining, soaking everything thoroughly after lightning and thunder and a good bit last night. Next thing I know that rain was WHITE! Over half an inch of white rain later, it decided to get "clear" again, and now it's coloring up again. IT IS APRIL darn it! All my daffodils are lying face down in their beds! Now that I think of it, I might go bry my head in my bed too!

wow thisisme... what are you doing different? My mission fig has a few on it but they're nowhere close to being ripe. They're big, but still green, and I'm near Phoenix. Also my Brown Turkey fig that got chewed to the ground by the dog has one single fig on it that is pretty good size, but it looks green and firm so I guess I've got some more waiting to do. This spring has definitely been cooler than normal here in Phoenix. My wife is loving it. I know, we better enjoy it while we can, because those 115 degree days are coming whether we like it or not.

Hi HighAlt, I had Gaillardia 'Burgundy' about five years ago, but they died off in the winter. I read that they were more sensitive than other Gaillardias to being too wet in the winter. They like dry. Too bad, because it was a very nice, long-flowering plant. It's interesting that my short Gaillardia volunteer has so much red/burgundy color in it. I think it's a bit different than the actual 'Goblin' cultivar -- I think mine is slightly taller, but nowhere near as tall as the normal variety. So, hey, maybe if I propagate a bunch by cuttings, I could have naming rights! Anyway, I think Gaillardia is such a great flower with a very long bloom season, but people don't seem to appreciate it as much as I do. They're extremely variable from seed, so I will be taking cuttings of the ones I like and want more of. A few years ago, I had a few that came out with trumpet-shaped petals, just like the 'Fanfare' cultivar. Somehow, they died off. I even had one come out pink and white, which would have been great to propagate. But it never came back after winter. My Coreopsis flops over way too much. They're covering some other young flowers I planted by some of them, and I'm going to have to cut them back soon. Been trying to enjoy them a little longer first, though. Yes, there are lavenders planted among mine. They look good together. This week, there are a lot of other flowers blooming, too, so that photo of the longer flowerbed doesn't quite do it justice -- it had too much yellow a few weeks ago when that was taken. My Shastas are the 'Little Princess' variety, but I don't think they're the best ones. Their bloom season is only 3 weeks or so. I'd rather have 'Becky' as I've read that she blooms much, much longer. Just saw your other post -- cool stuff. Glad to have inspired you!