my seed list was last updated 12/7/14. some seeds have been traded/used since then. but I have not found the magic link to update my list. can email current list to anyone interested.

Hi all! I'm Michelle from Saskatchewan and I'm very new to this forum. Started out searching on the computer for hosta problems and like somebody else said was always directed to this site. For two weeks I just read what people posted and then I decided it was time to join. Everybody on here has been so helpful to me, because I had or maybe still have the dreaded HVX virus. Very disheartening. I've always liked gardening somewhat but was mainly annuals in containers. I have pine trees in my yard and never knew what to do there. We dug a pond and what do you do with all the extra dirt?? Shoved it under the pine trees and decided to make flower beds. That was maybe four years ago. Hostas caught my eye and I bought a few and some ferns and coral bells etc. The hostas have now taken over my life as I can't get enough. I was the kind of person that just bought what looked good at box stores and nurseries here. Now that I caught the darn HVX I will not do that anymore. I am into the collecting of different names now even though I have MANY with no names from the start. I have also learned on here that in my Zone I can plant more hostas in the sun. Annie posted about squishiness and hard to plant far apart, well I am kind of like her too. Ive planted small hostas too close to one another and as they get more mature its obvious I have to move to a new location. Ahhh but its so much fun. I have over 250 hostas in my backyard and still growing with new varieties and hostas I don't have which is many. Love the hostas, love the forum and all the friendly people that have given me great advice.

I have been reading about lacebugs and it is a big concern here. Apparently the "hairier" leafed varieties (Impeditum??) are less susceptible. I was talking to a woman last week and she said that she has managed to keep them at bay by keeping a close watch on the leaves and washing the undersides of the leaves if she sees evidence of their presence. A rhododendron garden in Portland is using some type of sprinkler system to spray upward from underneath the leaves.

Rosa cantabrigiensis is so lovely. Sigh. And that photo of Climbing Cecile Brunner...!!! I think the slope should only have species roses? What do you think? I've started populating it with some. So far there is a r. canina, r. gymnocarpa & as of about 2 hours ago, a r. californica. Which, from the blooms on it at the moment, looks like it has a very long flowering period. Is this true? Also if what I've read is true, it can get huge. I'm hoping it gets huge. Anyway, those are on the "left hand side" of the slope. I want to add a Stanwell Perpetual near-ish the gymnocarpa because I think the colours look great together. So the left hand side is the pink-y, reddish, apricot side. The "right hand side", the one with the tree in question, facing the infamous robinia pseudoacacia, is more "wild" because it borders a little clump of "forest" so I was thinking of having a bit of a white, cream and yellow theme on that side..... Félicité et Perpétue is still on my list nonetheless, despite its looking "done up and ready for a party" and the likely possibility of spent blooms hanging around too long. As you can see, I did not make up my mind in time for the flower show, and will just have to drive to the nursery to pick it up eventually :) :) :) La Mortola, R. Laevigata, and a bunch of the other big white ramblers are all still on the list too. Here's a shot of the robinia & elm from the back of the garage, different viewpoint. F. has expressed a desire for COLOUR. Only to make decisions even more difficult...