northerner_on, thanks so much for the helpful comments. I'll let it go and see what it does (what we think is ech) but I don't want any of them in back. Yes, I'm certain #2 is some type of aster. I was just excited to see the new color, then got my BS catalog and they have actually 3 similar there, was a color breakthrough. So it's a spinoff from one of those getting a seed mixed into the Purple Dome no doubt. From the brightness of the pink, it could be Alma Potschke but also September Ruby or Pink Dome. Pink D would be most likely since I bought the P Dome but I'll never know for sure. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that I learn what to look for when they emerge and try to work them into nicer shapes. They're supposed to be vaselike which is more pleasing to me plus you can pinch them back for more blooms. These two have ugly shapes which I think is due to damage I don't think I did, chemical damage possible from prior years but not last or this year. My neighbor offered to do something with the stump for me; his idea was to make a sitting bench out of it. I generally don't like stumps but couldn't afford the price to have it chipped out. If I let him do his thing then get a chance to get it ground out cheap, you know that wouldn't play well. Those flowers with the rose are hosta, not to worry. I've let those 3 hosta plants get way too big but it's a nice payoff in the fall with all those blooms. What you don't see in there are lamium I'm going to start pulling because it takes over. I had volunteer I thought it was campanula or Ladybells come up in several places. That bent and when horizontal it shoots up lots more bloom stalks. Someone here remarked about it and it happened with me. I thought they were "good" plants, had unsuccessfully tried to grow some variety of them from seeds. So maybe I do have the wild one and should get rid of it but I can assure you I have wild stuff that's much worse :-( Yes, my neighbor's Sweet Autumn is wonderful and the scent now competes with the Honeybell blooms on my hosta. It's been there for years but I can tell you really need a strong support for it. Rozanne flowers until our first hard frost (close to the ground they can go a little longer sometimes). Yes, I know you divide hosta in the spring, was just wondered if my physical strength was up to it other than slice off pieces. The ones with the purple blooms need to be dug up and cut apart; I doubt I can do that; they're packed. My poor raspberries; I've done the best I can do with them for now. They've given me the most satisfaction from we'ing yet. And it looks pathetic there. Maybe if they take off and the pile can be kept neater and under control, it will look better. That whole area needs mulched for raspberries. The leaf mold under all that recent junk from former years should make them happy I would think. I had a terrible time getting the chicken wire cage pried out; when they took down the tree, it mashed the wire all around. That pink rose is vicious; maybe I've let it go too long badly sited for a vigorous climber that the jury is out whether canes survive in our zone. The only ones that survive for me are ones that hug the ground. It's a pretty one and blooms all summer; actually there are a pair of them in there, grew them from bands I ordered on the web which was all I could get of that one. One lady in Kentucky and DH built the most gorgeous deck with pergola, and then have this rose climbing two stories. They were so beautiful at the top of that pergola. Somewhere else in the south, they let one climb a tree, it went up 30' high or more. Weird.

Hatrick, Mine are in serious full sun. The Hopi CMs are next to the southern side of the house. They have some tall oaks to the east of them so they get sort of dappled morning sun. By 9:00 am or so in the summer, they get full sun from then until around 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Certainly being near the house, helps with the heat but I have another Hopi next to the driveway that blooms just as well and it gets roughly the same amount of sun. Of course, the driveway may have the same heat effect as the house but my gut instinct is that it doesn't matter for this particular cultivar. It's the one variety that I would try in this part of the country before any other one. If it doesn't bloom well, then you have no chance with any other variety. My Acoma is blocked by the house from getting sun until 11:00 am or so but it's in sun the rest of the day. The Red Rocket gets sun most of the day. It's blocked from getting sun at the very end of the day by a birch tree next to it. It is also next to the driveway but it's not a great bloomer. It's a good grower, though. It puts on a stellar show every fall, too.

Just to clarify: the depot is not used for train passengers but as a covered area for vendors or music groups. Trains come through Gibsonville but do not stop. There is an official train station in Burlington. There are two town festivals, spring and fall, when vendors up and down the town main street pay a fee to sell and music groups perform all day. We don't have the regular market on those Saturdays. During the summer there are gospel groups and other musicians that play at the bandstand. Last night PresbyOpia played under the big tree from 6-8 PM and I went to listen. This was a very casual, sing-a-long and bring-your-own-chair kind of performance. There were 2 guitars, 2 mountain dulcimers, and my friend Bill on his hammered dulcimer - all sang. They played folk tunes, hymns, novelty tunes, and standards. We all sang along on Comin' Round the Mountain, Amazing Grace, All God's Critters Got a Place in the Choir, and other favorites. We only had to stop when the trains came thru! LOL! Teresa

Marie, Huatulco is a sea port so it's not completely off the beaten path but I believe it is a newer port, at least for cruise ships. The people themselves have been around for over 2,000 years. There is an archeological site called Copalita that was discovered only about 15 years ago and digging is still going on. It opened to the public in October of 2010, we were among the lucky ones to visit the site and beautiful museum. More on that another day. Jodi-