Thanks, everyone, and yes, apparently gardens can change/turn around quickly here, so there's always reason for hope. Ken, I've been getting a lot of my roses from Rose Petals Nursery in Gainesville off I-75. That's where CS came from. They're very nice ladies who sell excellent plants and have a large selection for our climate. Re companion plants that aren't Bird of Paradise: I have just been seed shopping online for October planting and getting my lights & bench ready for the seed flats. Things like pansies*, petunias*, Foxy foxglove*, Rocket snapdragon*, larkspur*, old fashioned mustard*, sweet william*, viola*, purple coneflower, gaura*, coreopsis, Summer Carnival hollyhocks. There's a good book called "A Cutting Garden for Florida" by Mackey & Brandies that gives good suggestions for plants that work here (they gardened in the Tampa area) and ones that don't work. The key is planting them in the fall so they have time to grow and bloom before it gets hot. The last four of the above list grow well in the summer in my garden. Hope this is helpful. Sherry * - my first try with these Here is a link that might be useful: Rose Petals Nursery

Two years ago I ordered something from them in late October and their prices were not reduced at that point. I do remember seeing the sale last year and thinking it'd do me no good because it was too risky to ship bulbs because it was too cold - it might have been in November, but I can't say for certain. BP

Thanks, Angie, you're so sweet. I feel bad that I can't share in the usual Kentucky winter birds. I was just looking at some of last year's photos again and feeling homesick. I just posted this link of January yard birds this year on Twitter since I got some nice close-ups of my favorite cuties http://picasaweb.google.com/rachelbro3/Feb2010#slideshow/5439363734950224546

Carolyn, I read a couple some years ago. I must check and see if my library has reprints. I am reading my books slowly at present, there seems to be so many other things to do, like dropping off to sleep! My D gave me a small CD player for Xmas with handy top buttons. Just right for listening to recorded favourite books. I have been accumulating some in case of being confined to bed or having the eye operation for cataracts. I am doing a Scarlett O'Hara on that!