The flowers are made from shaved wood, like large versions of the shavings you get when you sharpen a pencil. They are a local specialty of that area, and the vendors' booths are set up just as you enter the town. Sadly, I could not bring any home with me. My luggage situation was not ideal, and I had no room to spare. But next time I will plan ahead so that I can get some! Mnwsgal, our perennials are also still looking really nice and the fall seems to be lingering in a benevolent way. But now it looks like we have a winter storm arriving on Monday. So I had better get out there this weekend and at least get the ball rolling on the fall cleanup. I'm sure it will feel good once I get started on it, right?

Hi Susan, there was so much discussion last summer on how much water to give to cuttings, or not. I found out by my own problems, it has to do with how warm it is in your area, to how much you water.. I just planted a mystery cutting from Maui Gardens. Now we hit 80's now in 60's.. so did not want it wet, don't have any cuttings lost mine in our freeze, so want this to make it. I took the soil, cactus and mostly perlite. I put it first in the 5 gallon container, tall cutting. I lighly dampened the soil mixture, worked it, too wet, add more mix.. Until just was damp and stuck to your hand.. then as Bill said, made an opening in the center, filled it full of dry perlite and put my cutting into that, little more lighly dampened soil on top.. and put it in the corner.. done. I am not going to water it until I see leaves, per what I was told, will spray the plant with a bottle of water, ocassionally. Now if it got in the 90's, well a little drink not to dry out. Plant holds water inside..wait until it leafs out, then is a plant with roots. Then as Bill says, let the leaves grow 6 to 8" before you start feeding half amt and water like a regular plant that has roots. thats what I am doing, others may disagree. Karen B.

Hello all, How nice your comments are. I nearly didn't post my poem in case you thought I was foolish, but I wanted you to know how my plants make me feel. Hazel.

I think it's taking longer because your mail goes to Wisconsin to get sorted, but Thursday will be just fine. I'm not going to get out into the yard until the weekend, so I'll have a few days to look through the new seeds. I'm looking forward to playing with them all!