Thanks Goblugal. That's great to hear. About what date did they achieve full glory in your garden? Would love to see your pictures to know what they can achieve. We seem to have a great climate for guaras. The rest of mine do so well. My Sparkles have produced plants like the picture provided by LSU in their trials last year. I thought perhaps that the LSU climate is a true ideal climate since the plant originated in Texas/Louisiana. Thanks, Bob

I have a thalictrum that is supposed to bloom purple. I wouldn't know, though, because it has never actually bloomed! Yours are beautiful.

Richard nice to see you! You grow them very well, I like all the aloe inflorescences straight up, all in one direction towards the sky...just like sparklers. Plant in last photo (Echeveria harmsii?) is so nice and compact, mine is all leggy, even in full sun.

Wow. I had not seen this list before and had no idea that so many other peoples interests in AV's, paralleled my own. I think I have close to half of those on the list! I have been a big fan of the "buckeye" series of AV's and I have several. Like all of us here, our tastes change from time to time. Mine have evolved to where I have a distinct preference for variegation. I have not added a plant to my shelves for a long time that did not hold some promise for variegation. As a result, just going off the pics, I think I would gravitate toward the Buckeye since it appears to have a more prolific variegation pattern.