It certainly does look great Sherry! I agree, I don't like the idea of being told something is impossible, challenging perhaps but not impossible lol! You have proven that plants and gardeners can overcome less than ideal conditions. Your plants are not hanging on by a thread, they are thriving. Kudos to you! felisar (z5) Yes, the Geranium macrorrhizum, Epimedium and Asarum canadense are great performers under Maples. I grow them under an immense Acer saccharum (Sugar maple). I also grow Polygonatum (Solomon's Seal) under it. Great plant(s) known for being able to adapt to dry shade. Phlox stolonifera performs very well also. Vinca took a while to establish but now needs to be controlled just like the Ajuga. Many other plants grow there but with less success. I had Actaea rubra (native here) seed in and it is deliriously happy growing under the Maple.

Geranium 'Springtime' has very pale leaves with a lot of cream and light green in them. That's why it needs more shade (and moisture) than a plant with solid green leaves. Maggiepie, I used to buy a lot of plants by mail from nusersies like Mason-Hogue (Uxbridge), Whitehouse (Ottawa) and Rainforest/Perennial Gardens (British Columbia). None of these places ship regular perennials any more. Some will still ship hostas and daylilies. No, I haven't grown any hardy geraniums from seed, only pelargoniums. However, many hardy geraniums seed like mad, so usually I am yanking them up in the spring so I won't be overrun by the most vigourous varieties. If you want info. about growing geraniums from seed, you could try Marjorie Mason-Hogue. She used to specialize in both pelargoniums and hardy geraniums and is very knowledgeable and practical. Here is a link that might be useful: Marjorie's website

Alicia's azalea seedlings rock, and I would always be happy to trade for another! Mine aren't quite big enough to plant out yet, but they keep growing. So this is what I think-correct me if wrong: Ais: fuchsia ÂSanihanfÂ, for polygonatum 'humile' Alicia: fuchsia ÂSanihanf and bloodroot, for heucherella and columbine Tammy: (dig sourwood baby for next time; all your kiwi cuttings rooted and sprouted!) Karen, fuchsia ÂSanihanfÂ, anything fine in return. Ralph: either Spires salvia would be wonderful. What are you looking for? I have Mimulus niger, fuchsia, or ÂKaliedescope Abelia for you, if youÂd like. Rootdigger: bloodroot for hardy hibiscus or begonia? I have available: Seedling Tiarella crosses between native and ÂIron Cross  these all look different and are lush and drought tolerant when established Agastache Âhoneybee blue Seedlings of Zephyranthes labuffarosea (2 pots of baby bulbs) Rattlesnake Plantain(1) Impatiens capensis and native butterfly pea have become pests for me, so plenty to share Beautyberry (1) Bloodroot (5) Seedlings of Salvia splendens ÂDancing Flame Seedlings of Campanula latifolia If you see somthing else on my un-updated trade list, it can probably still be dug. Looking for shade plants. Unusual lantana. More tiger lilies that do so well here. Still seeking Impatiens zomensis lost to everyone I think.

IÂve been planning to respond to this thread, but kept forgetting to look at my geranium foliage! Well, I looked today, and none of itÂs turning yet. I have both ÂBiokovo and ÂCompact Rose G. dalmaticum, and I hope they both turn red or at least bronze, but winter leaf color on geraniums has always seemed to me to be dependant on temperatures and moisture, so IÂll just keep my fingers crossed that I get some good color this year. And I have a very small sanguineum that I got at the Fall Swap, but I think it might be too small and new for its few leaves to do much this year. That one should be good next year. Another perennial that will get foliage ranging from purple to flame red some years is Bergenia cordifolia. It has big, leathery round leaves and is a favorite of mine, but foliage color is definitely dependent on weather and moisture, so no guarantees in any particular year. It also needs to be watered regularly in both summer and winter to do well. Mine is right next to the birdbath, so I just give it a regular shot of water when IÂm filling the birdbath. Here are some pictures! picture is pretty close to how it would look in a good year. YouÂre not too likely to see it looking good! Flowers with some of the IÂm most likely to get. with flowers. Mine only had one flower stem this year, but none of my north-side-of-the-house shade plants bloomed well this year. IÂm assuming is had something to do with having been buried under snow all last winterÂtho I donÂt exactly know why that would have messed up their blooming cycle! And hereÂs a whole search page of pictures! Yeah! I like Âem, Skybird