Edj, which nursery did you buy it from? Is it a grafted plant? Can you give an idea of its price, ie under $50? Over $50? (About growing conditions: yes, full sun in summer is likely to scorch the leaves--avoid strong winds too, esp. those hot northerlies--but I reckon it wouldn't like heavy shade in those long cold grey Melbourne winters either. It's a thirsty plant during the growing season, and will start dropping leaves quickly if allowed to dry out, and eventually die if kept dry for too long. But it doesn't like to be waterlogged either. Give it a good rich soil with lots of organic matter, some light shade from the hottest summer sun and some wind protection if you can manage it, and use mulch in the growing season to help retain the moisture in the soil. Good soil and water will keep its roots healthy and the plant growing well, and protection from the hot summer sun and v. strong winds will keep its foliage looking good.) Jim, this business of reclassifying plants is very frustrating. As soon as you become familiar with a plant's name, they go and change it--sometimes every decade or so. How's a person supposed to keep track? (Not your fault, of course, I'm just venting.) Anyway, I thought michelias were separated from magnolias because michelias flowered in the leaf axils.We always knew they were related to magnolias, so that's no revelation.

Gardenias are only difficult to grow in climates with dry air, especially dry climates that are very hot and sunny. I think it would grow better in Southern California if it were put inside a humid greenhouse during the Summer. The fruit of Quince is fragrant too, the most wonderful smell, very floral and almost a hint of violets. There's a particular odor within the aroma that is one of the elements in the smell of pears, I can pick up on, but the overall fragrance is definitely not like pears. I am talking about fruiting quince (Cydonia oblonga), not ornamental flowering quince. Some people used to leave a basket of quince in the kitchen to make things smell nicer, or even hang quince in the closet. I think grapefruit is very fragrant too, as well as Bergamot Orange (not really good for eating though). If you live further north you can grow Yuzu.

Don't forget to add BRUNFELSIA right next to No# 1, next to Bouvardia! The best thing about Brunfelsia is that it is much more hardier than the Bouvardia. Great job with this list considering I am well on my way to having them all:-) Mike

Aloha Steve, Well, Wally's World (Walmart) seems to have cleaned up their act so I'm considering lifting my personal boycott of them. I've been through their garden area several times lately and not heard a single frog peep. The webbed stowaway in question is the coqui frog from Puerto Rico which is very invasive and spreading across the islands. It makes a really loud noise at night and they multiply in incredible numbers so if your area gets infested with them it is hard to sleep at night. I'm considering getting another invasive species, the Jackson chameleon established in my area so if the frogs do move in hopefully the chameleons will eat them. Maybe guinea hens too. They are used in places on the mainland when there is a tick infestation. Coqui frogs are about the size of your thumbnail and don't need water to breed so once they get established they are really hard to get rid of. The assistants at our local stores are extrememly friendly and as helpful as their sometimes limited database will allow them to be. It's just the little extras, such as the frogs, that I object to.