Thanks, guys :-) Some mildly analytical stuff: 1. The containers that have sprouted are all part of a the ones I grouped together in big garbage bags...I guess that ups the temps a bit, having the big plastic around them. I put a lot of containers in the bags for easy transport and for dog protection (from picking up a container and running off with it...which has happened before). Not all the containers in the bags have sprouted (there's a whole lot more of them), but those on the list above have. 2. The sprouted containers are also with a group of containers that are in Southern exposure. ( I have other bags of containers on my porch, in Northern exposure). This proves why it could be bad to have them in Southern exposure, because now, I'm more inclined to worry, since we now have snow and it's going to be in the 20s or lower tonight. But then, the ouotdoor temps have been in the low to mid 20s every night for the past two weeks and that didn't keep them from sprouting. ..but I'm not looking at those containers or opening them up...not for a few days, at least. Whatever will be will be...and I have a feeling a lot of those sprouts will be just fine. --I think I do need to slip a thermometer inside one of those bags of containers, though. I'm curious as to how much warmer it is in there. Linda

Good Morning, Everyone! Thank you all for the "welcome back". I missed each and every one of you. Stormy here today on this Good Friday. Dark and a bit chilly out. Good weather for gardens though. Glad for the rain though. We've had high temps and high, dry winds this past week and wildfires every day. Nothing close to here, but close enough that I could smell the smoke. My dogs erupted in chorus with every firetruck that passed by over on the highway.(hehehe). I took pictures of the gardens on the 31st. Glad I did, as the hot, dry winds dried out all the pretty yellow Jonquils later that day. Blasted hot winds ruined them before our Easter Sunday family picnic and egg hunt. They were magnificent in chorus with the yellow forsythias, white Bridle's Wreath, and Redbud trees now in full bloom all over the garden. My beloved Jane Magnolia is breathtakingly beautiful this year and smells so wonderful. I planted out some Orange Perfection Phlox yesterday. Tried them last year, but they didn't make it. This rain may ensure these do. I dug around in the bin at the store until I found one, just one package with moist peat inside. Holding it up to to sunlight, I could just make out something possibly alive in that dark green plastic bag. Makes me mad to pay five bucks for dead rootstock. They are not the best looking root stocks I ever saw, but think they will make it. I only need one to survive to establish a nice clump this year for next year's blooms. I also planted a package of purple Liatris and a package of Freesia bulbs for summer blooms. I love the smell of Freesia. Yummy. All the Peonies are up and beginning to make tiny flower buds. Hopefully the red ones and deep magenta ones will bloom this year too. If they do, it will be their first time. Some deer came into the yard this winter and ate the top branches off the one surviving River birch sapling, but it is recovering nicely now. I caged it with a tomato cage and for now they are leaving it alone. They are "camped" up on the hill, hiding in wait for my juicy, delicious roses to start blooming, no doubt. :[ I've been taking the dogs for walks up there every morning and hopefully their pee and poop will make them think twice about coming any closer to the back yard. My English Shepherd could easily take down a whitetail deer. DH said this weekend he would finish stretching field fence around on the inside of the existing barbed wire fencing to keep out critters. That won't keep deer out, but it will keep our dogs in, so we can let them run loose on the property. That will be great. They need the exercise and I need them to do their job protecting the place. They love it, too. Hopefully the raccoons & coyotes will take the hint. Keep Out! Anyhow, so far so good. Gotta go check on my chicks. They poopy up their water really fast and will be ready for breakfast. :) Talk to you guys later. ~Annie

LL, Thank you! I love Queen of Denmark. Try her and you will not be disappointed. Disease proof, drought resistant, heat tolerant, heavy blooming for a long period, good vigor, and more. I must warn of the thorns, though. However, the fragrance that you should be able to smell across your yard will make up for them. Anyways, the peonies are just your typical Sarah Bernhardts. I planted them the first spring I moved in, and even with barely any water or fertilizer (and being moved once in the early spring), Those two plants have reliably bloomed lavishly.

Remodelfl, Tease, tease, tease.... I am with Plllog where are the pictures? You know I love pictures. I am even more excited because I have to wait for the kitchen eye candy. Happy for all your choices and truly glad we all got to be a part of them. The wave is going to rock along with the tile and every sweet little detail. ~boxerpups