OMG, Stage Rat! You are sooo wrong! The camera may not lie, but the photographer may point that box whereever she chooses. Notice there isn't a 5 gallon bucket in the pictures? That because no matter where I point that camera, I have to stop and move another bucket out of the frame! LOL. Oh, and most of my seedlings were annuals which grow 5x faster than perennials -- that probably accounts for the disparity in the sizes of seedlings. However, you are also sooo right! Nothing would do last year but that I had to have Larkspur. I got some mixed colors in my very first trade, so instead of being happy, I realized I really needed electric blue Larkspur! LOL. (and I got it, later on, too!) AND you are also right about the over two feet thing, too. My beds look out of alignment because I don't have enough of the shorties. And I don't have enough of the shorties because I was so SICK of them! That's all you see at the garden centers, when you think about it. So, I went too far the other way. In fact, I think I was in a wishlist swap where I told people I didn't want anything shorter than 15" LOL! Luckily I had some petunias from swaps & trades and 100 miniature (bedding) Snapdragon seeds that ALL germinated from Nettasaura and Drippy. NEXT year I might get it right, but the reseeding sounds pretty good, too. I have little yellow birds perched on my Bachelor Buttons, isn't that funny? They perch on the stems and just eat-eat-eat -- all day long. Every once in a while you see the whole stems start to lean and that one flies off only to come back again and test its weight on the fallen stem. Now they have added the Liatrus, but I can't figure out why because they just started blooming and surely haven't had time to go to seed yet, even the first flowers. The chipmunks ate all the poppy seed, the squirrels won't let any of the sunflowers germinate and the Japanese Beetles have ruined every dahlia and coneflower. It's a veritable feast around here....guess I should have sown double what I did. ROTFLMAO because I would be dead if I had to plant even one more jug! I'm sorry to be missing your shindig this weekend but I will probably be going up to Chicago for a birthday party in Sept and could make a short stop for a cold one on the way up or back. I'll email you when I know the dates. Lime

Wow what happened to everyone? Laura, I watered all of yours some had started to dry out. I am tring to make sure all of these make it! Girl, you have to tell me how in the world you manage to root everything you root! DO TELL, spill the beans, I looked at the roots on the ones you give me, those are some nice healthy looking babies! So give details on HOW you manage! I am so very impressed I just don't know what to say except AMAZINGLY IMPRESSIVE! What's your secret? It took me 2 and half hours to water all those little babies! Ya'll are gonna be so happy with your boxes I just know it! Sorry, me watering meant I had to undo the packages themselves BUT I am sure you would rather me water them then let them dry out and die... Laura you obviously DO worry too much, I don't know what you were so worried about. The box was packed just fine the plants look splendid! Those are by far the best looking rooted cuttings I have ever seen! Seriously you HAVE to explain HOW you do it!!! I can't tell you how really impressed I am! Trust me, I don't impress easily lol. You had NOTHING to worry about at all you did a terrific job! Vina, yours was fine too. I have no problem putting the plants in the boxes they go in as is...I still can't believe the plants you sent. YOU did a fabulous job! YOU GO GIRL!!! Makes me wish I had asked for some more of what you had lol. Your plants are really healthy looking, you have the best Lily of the Valleys ever! How do you make them grow so well? Thanks for sending the extra Lemon Balm, I am keeping one of those myself, I had started some seeds BUT heavens to besty Ross I am a dingbat I tell you. I forgot to water those one morning and poof, I only had 3 that were coming up but hot sun + no watering in the morning and evening = Fran's dead seedlings! NOT a good combo there...I have asked my SO to help me water, he is usually up WAY before I am and if he would JUST water my seedling beds all would be fine BUT he will not so I sometimes forget.... so there, I have lost several different types of Basils, Lemon Balm, Parsley and some other things from not enough water and low and behold I started a whole mess of American Leeks (Tammy that is something else you can start and onions too from seeds and grow over winter for a crop nest year) from TOO freaking much water!!!! It rained for a few days (like 4 in a row) and those don't like water, BUT that is when I forgot to water too because I was used to getting all the rain and BOOM, one day no rain and I forgot to water! SOO, I will make sure I check all of Vina's plants tomorrow (later today now!) to see if any need water, I am making sure that I give them water if they need it. I sure hope these all make it to all of you in better condition then some of the ones that have gone out (the 100 limit swap had some pretty sad plants) BUT like I said VINA (bless you heart!) sent out nice size plants and some chunks NO JOKE LOL. Can't image how much that weigh good grief it was HEAVY ya'll! Does that make me a bad gardener? Gosh I hope not! LOL. Cindy, I checked my Mickey Mouse elephant ear tonight to see if it had made a baby yet, and it hasn't! I have had it since last Sept and STILL not one single baby from it! I don't know if it makes babies I am sure it does but it sure isn't like the others that make a lot! I have lots of Illustris and Black Stem babies though, I wish the Mickey Mouse would make some babies! Maybe it like to be fed more, maybe I should get it some food more often and see what happens. OPPS, when I was talking in the above message I said DON'T be dishearted (except my pea brain type so be dishearted I so sorry) THAT is what it SHOULD have said anyway....but really, I know it will be hard on him, I hope he can learn to except it. BLESSINGS to you both! Theresa, if you get a baby from the Hilo Beauty I want to be first in line for it! I had it years ago and I tried to over winter it outside, NOT a good idea! It didn't come back the next year, I was so disappointed. I wish ya'll could see my small red cannas, I started them from seeds this year and the are only like 2 foot tall, they are so cute AND have made a couple of babies already! I was shocked they grow from seeds so fast and bloom AND made babies so quickly! I can't remember who all shipped out Wednesday and Thurday but I KNOW at least one box SHOULD be here later today (Firday) and I will prolly get something Saturday too. Ok, I am finished rambling now. I am going to bed, I will catch you all in the AM! :) Fran

Morning! My super package arrived from Melody on Saturday. I can't believe HOW much she got into that box! In my amazing "California" box was: ~2 Japanese Balloons for the kids (so cute!) ~a California mix CD. Haven't listened to it yet, but can't wait!The note says these song remind Melody about California :) I Left My Heart in San Fransisco...I love this song! ~Plant stakes ~A Beautiful Flower hair clip. Taylor wore this to school today! Did you make this? It is SO pretty! ~Maxea Plant Food. This is a California Company ~A Cable Car Post Card ~California Note Cards. Printed in Del Monte Oaks, Monterey. ~Ghirardelli Chocolate...another California Company! YUMMY!! ~California Native Seeds: Poppy: Confetti Mix And more seeds! ~Viola: Sorbet Marina Babyface ~Salvia: Forest Fire ~Columbine: Mrs. Scott Elliot ~Nigella: Bridal Veil ~Crocomosia: Lucifer ~Nigella: Persian Violet ~Nigella: Mulberry Rose I really need to look some of these up. I bet they are just gorgeous! Melody, THANK YOU SO MUCH!! This was a most thoughtful and thought out package. Every single part was a special California touch :) Everything was wrapped with adorable fuzzy ribbon and labeled with cute little sayings. This was just so thoughtful! I can't thank you enough! And, I'm so happy to see that my box made it to you. I was hoping you didn't have that daylily already. It seemed fitting since I'm part of the "big apple", lol. :) Have a super day everyone! vina ps. I'm posting October right now. Who's ready for some spooky fun? pss. THANKS AGAIN MELODY!

I went to our county fair last weekend with my best girlfriend. They had the chocolate covered bacon, but I didn't try it. I had my old standby favorite: kettle corn. Had a lot of fun looking at the animals and shopping. Here's what I got. Cute t-shirt Tuberose bulb Keepeez Have you seen these? Very handy lids which can stick on almost any conatiner. Hand crank salsa maker