actually Pinecrest has a lot of profs from UofM - it's almost a college town now :) and real estate around Pinecrest gardens is going thru the roof - there is a very handsome library next to it and quite an active greenmarket on w-ends. The community is shaping nicely and botanical gardens are maintained still and are doing quite well. It is like a real jungle, almost - not as manicured as Fairchild, but a lot of very good specimens. In some ares it's so-o overgrown as to be almost magical...but the ponds that were laid in long time ago just overgrew completely and are full of koi. And it is not very touristy, as it is a bit farther then Fairchild - well worth a visit for plant lovers! am a bit off topic, so just want to add that my one seed is finally showing a stem sprout about 1/2 inch...i sprouted some cycads, and they were almost as slow as these ags! but since it's similar for you - now i am not worried. i do this for fun, you know :). I have a very limited space in the apt and close to 100 plants !?!... Though as far as apts go it's quite large, especially for NYC (i am across the river in Jersey City actually, but just one stop across). thanks for the offer, i saw your list in another thread, i'll go look at it carefully. I only have one big ag - pink thai Anyamanee that i picked up at the Fairchild greenmarket a few years back. It's done phenomenally well for me. I just love it, it is growing quite large too :). I usually bring some plants from Miami ev year - too tempting ..can't resist it.... you posted that PHOE relocated to Redlands - we go to spice park ev 2nd year , perhaps, so i'll make sure to visit their new location next door. But it's a pity that South Miami nursery closed - it was a magical place. I learned about it in Begonia forum from hcmc - and was visiting there for 3 years in a row....it was obvious that they were going to close - the place was overgrown and kind of falling apart - but plants there were just STUPENDOUS!...i just adored the place! at least i have lotsa pics ;)...

In case anyone missed the PBS special The Botany of Desire which premiered Wednesday, October 28, 2009, you can still watch the entire program online. It's incredible. Book turned documentary. BOTANY OF DESIRE is a documentary which tells the utterly original story of everyday plants and the way they have domesticated humankind. An interpretation of the relationship between plants and people. This two-hour documentary explores plant evolution and takes viewers from the potato fields of Peru and Idaho, the apple forests of Kazakhstan, and the tulip markets of Amsterdam. View online in it's entirety: here This is another related program by the same presenter on LINK TV (a cable access channel) which is timely: Deep Agriculture Traditional methods of agriculture in most developed nations have long ignored environmental concerns. Factors such as soil erosion, water shortage and the impact of chemicals on bio-systems have been overlooked in favour of massive crop yields and cheaper food. But what impact does this have on our health and our environment? View online in it's entirety: here __________________________ Sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and witness the evolution of an Organic Kitchen Garden.

Gaillardia or Blanketflower is a good 'plant it and forget it" flower. I planted some seedlings last spring and around October they were finally big enough to bloom. And they haven't stopped. Even on the recent mornings where I've had frost weighing down the burned stems of other plants, the Gaillaria has been quite happy and seems to have a new bloom for me every other day. They're not very tall, but over time they will sprawl across the ground like a blanket. And a bonus is that they self-seed. So even if I do lose one to frost (not likely from what I've seen so far) there should be plenty of offspring ready to take over.

Rick - Yes, that plant was a big plant. Luckily the plant snapped in half towards the end of my growing season so I was able to eat many of the fruits. Dwarf in papaya terms means that the plant will begin to set fruit low on the plant, not that the plant will be small. Papaya plants thrive in very warm temperatures so you will have quite a challenge. YouTube videos that I have seen said that plants do well under LED lights. I haven't tried it. No, the leaves are not flexible. The leaf's stem snaps easily. When you introduce your plants to the outside, be sure to give them shade for a while. Then slowly increase the sunshine. That helps prevent sun scald on the leaves. Since you asked, yes, I think that you may want to consider a different plant. Perhaps a dwarf banana. Someone that I knew in Massachusetts grew a calamondin tree in a pot quite successfully for many years. It's a very close relative of citrus. The fruits are small and taste like a sour orange. My tree is 15 years old. Much more cold hardy than papaya and banana. Christine