"Are they heavy drinkers?" John, that's a great line! I may have to steal it! There are many, many kinds of begonias, and many of them are very easy to grow. I think, without checking the gallery, that Jen must be referring to the Rexes. They are fairly challenging, all right, tho' some are much easier than others. My oldest son had an absolutely gorgeous one when he was in college, and he practically ignored it (he told me later.) But that was in the beautiful PNW, where we both grew up, and this was one of the things that did much better there than here. Part of the fun of begonias--and other plants of course--is finding out which will do well for you in your conditions, and that may be different from your friend just down the street. Most cane begonias a very easy to grow, Most rhizomatous begonias are very easy to grow. There are, I think I read, actually thousands of each, between species and hybrids. The one you have chosen is a beauty, and if you're lucky it will do well for you. It is a tuberous begonia that grows in the winter, unlike the more familiar ones that grow in summer, but like them needs a dormant period. I did manage once to get one of those to bloom a second year after dormancy, but you may do better. It is, to my mind unfortunately, a popular florist plant because it is so beautiful, but generally the recommendation is to pitch it when it goes dormant. I don't like that idea myself. You might get more information if you asked on the begonia forum, tho' it's been awfully quiet lately. You might also enjoy checking out the website of The American Begonia Society, and of the Astro Branch of the ABS, and several good online sellers like Kartuz Greenhouses. The pictures are worth more than the price of admission!

Hmmm - I just got home this afternoon from the Bluestone sale and everything was labeled, and there were posted computer printouts on the front of each hut listing what plants were inside. The sale plants were $25 for a flat of 36 plants or $1.50 each - this is the same as when I went before. You can pick out each plant and fill your own 3 packs even. I got some good stuff - I think is the list Buddleia Queen's Robe Clethra Hummingbird Carex Evergold Salvia Queen Blue - a little 6" dwarf Lavender Provence Lavender Lady Aster Sailor Boy - gorgeous almost real blue Tradescantia Red Grape Veronica Red Plume Veronica Blue Scabiosa Baby Blue Aruncus Noble Spirits - little dwarf Heuchera Firefly Heuchera Snow Angel Sedum Kamtschaticum Variegata Digitalis Mertonensis Digitalis Pam's Choice Digitalis Hyacinth Hybrids Pulmonaria Majeste Primula Ruby Eyes Doronicum And a beauteee ful hanging basket of lunaria and coleus Their shrub prices had gone up to $5.50 but that's still fine on some things. It was a great haul of stuff I don't really need. But just to make myself feel more justified I gave away a whole trunkload of hosta and pulmonaria on the way there. Now have to go do something with all this - and its a super hot day out there. In case you change your mind about the melee, they are having an even bigger sale starting next Thursday.

That is hilarious! DH says- GREAT! Now when they burn the rest of the house down your soapstone slabs will still be intact (referring to my boys 7 and 4). INDESTRUCTIBLE- one of the many reasons I am getting ss.

If really concerned about what kind of document is legally binding or otherwise protects your interest you need to ask an attorney for guidance. It seems to me a sensible and attuned tree service operator will be concerned about it being proven that a removal on a neighboring property is legitimate. I'm aware of this because people in my area wanting salt water views pay to have hedges and trees belonging to others cut down without their knowledge or consent. In one such instance that made the news here a local JUDGE paid to have part of an URBAN PUBLIC PARK logged so he could see better. Aerial photos showed his house overlooking a surprisingly large clear cut, as though he lived next to a timber company or National Forest stump ranch.