Nate, thanks. 'Dundaga' looks interesting. Don't know 'Densata' - I wonder if it is just a good (black hills spruce) cultivar -- named pre-1959 when cultivar names were allowed to be Latin..... could be. Save a scion of that aristata for me! Tonite's late sun photos: Fagus sylvatica 'Aurea Pendula' - morning sun only - a must (dappled mostly-shade otherwise). Worth showing: Cedrus libani seedling Cedrus libani seedling Cedrus libani seedling Picea omorika 'Gotelli Weeping' Picea omorika 'Gotelli Weeping' Picea abies 'Sherrie' Picea pungens 'RM 222' Picea pungens 'RM 222' Pinus banksiana 'Compacta' Dax

Messyme, Thanks for the tips on nurseries. Sounds to me like I need to be back in town for the day after Memorial Day and that sale at Grandpa's Greenthumb! :) I think the Wall O'Waters hint will work. He usually gets me whatever I want. I should qualify that statement by saying I am generally a very frugal and practical person and don't ask for silly things. A lot of his friends at work have wives who are always asking for new cars or cruises or diamonds and such. Me, I'm always asking for things like mulch or compost or rose bushes. So, I think he comes out ahead, having a practical wife! However I have about 100 tomato plants a year, or maybe I should say 100 plants at a time since I sometimes do a double planting...one in March for summer production and one in late June for fall production. So, I told him I wanted at least 100 WOWs. He knows me well enough to know I meant it. (That doesn't mean I'll get 100 of course, but I might.) After all, how could I plant out "Aunt Ginny's Purple" and "Black Krim" early, and leave "Dr. Wyche's Yellow" and "Marianna's Peace" for later if I only had a few WOWs? I'd never be able to decide which to put in the ground early and which to save for later. lol lol lol Seriously, I have found them in gardening catalogs sold in a case of 36 for a fairly reasonable amount. Maybe I'll get a case of them for Christmas. If he seems to think that is a silly outlay of money, then I'll tell him a new car or diamond ring might be nice....and I guarantee you I'll get the WOWs then!!! I'll be in OKC two more weekends in April, so plan to do some shopping! Dawn

tropicalzone7, I certainly try to enjoy the benefits of zone 9a every chance I get; especially after coming from a zone 5a! The sea grapes have been prolific! I never in my wildest imagination figured they would or could grow that fast! The coconut looks like a cocooned caterpillar right now, just for safe measure. The low ended up around 40 degrees here at the house last night, and another night in the low 40s expected tonight. As a general rule, if they call for temps below 45 for any length of time, it gets wrapped. Regarding the papayas, there are tons of them in neighbors' yards. Most of them are fruiting, so I know that we can get fruit in the area. The avocado wasn't too bad with a turkey burger ;).

Hi everyone. Green Larry – It’s amazing just where these amazing plants will pop up. I guess it just gets down to conditions, if you can simulate the conditions these South American plants grow in you can grow them anywhere in the world but the more into the northern hemisphere you get the more expensive it will be to simulate these conditions Your pictures show Vrieseas, Guzmanias, Ananas and Tillandsias as far as I can see, and I think the conditions must be perfect to have an Ananas carrying fruit. Maybe they are grown somewhere off site and just brought in for display purposes when they are in flower or fruit; I guess only the curator would know. In any case they would have been a pleasant surprise as you walked around looking at the animals. Thanks for sharing. All the best, Nev.