JG, "...it would be nice to develop a large, multi-petaled, very toothy flower that would appear as if it had many more petals than it really did because of the toothiness..." I agree wholeheartedly. That's why my interest in toothy zinnia petals persists. What we need now is a "super toothy" mutant. The more "toothies" we grow, the better our chances of finding one. "...it might also be worthwhile to develop a "daisy" strain of whirligigs, having only one layer of petals, but multiple color combinations in the mix..." I have to agree with that. The examples you just showed are most convincing. The single, or near single, flower form doesn't hide the two-color or three-color patterns, and shows them to the best effect. I don't like a lot of yellow florets in the center, but maybe some scabiosa recombinations could replace those with something more ornamental. And I always want to re-design the petal form, into something a bit unusual. But a strain or strains of big multicolor daisy-like zinnias could be very successful. I should cross my good Whirligig color patterns with various other zinnias, including those with unusual petals (like the Dinosaurs) and those with modified florets (like the scabious). I have some Whirligigs coming into bloom now, but so far nothing unusual. Hopefully I will eventually get some "needle petaled" or "pencil petaled" Whirligig specimens. ZM

HZ, "I had never used PhotoBucket because I understood that I would need a digital camera, and then I had been told by our librarian that I could not bring the card from a camera here to use on the computer because "that is how viruses destroy everything that our county has tried to provide". Let's see what I've learned without destroying anything:" Apparently your phone takes some very small pictures. The picture you have linked to is only 160 x 120 pixels. That is not very big. I experimented with increasing your picture size some but, as you can see, the result is rather blurry. There isn't a lot of image detail in a 160 x 120 pixel picture. Does your phone have an option to take larger pictures? I'm not criticizing your phone pictures. Please, do continue to share them. But since you are a gardener who appreciates flowers, in my opinion you would enjoy an entry level digital camera. And, when you get your own computer, you would enjoy an entry level picture editor, like Adobe Photoshop Elements. In the meantime, your phone and the library computer seem like an excellent enhancement to your ability to communicate about your zinnias. Your flower does seem to have become a bicolor, or was a bicolor to start with. The effect looks good. Actually, with that petal shape and the light color at the base of the petals, your zinnia kind of reminds me of a rose. Do you happen to know what variety of zinnia it is? I have to wonder why your librarian thinks your phone pictures might somehow transmit a virus to the library computer. I don't know anything about computer viruses, but I never heard of one starting in a phone picture. But our digital world does have its marvels, so maybe it would be possible, somehow. MM

I'm in Ontario and my QOTS does not retain the same intensity of blue as in spring, understandably. It isn't completely green either - more of a green/blue. It is in shade with some morning filtered sunlight. July is always quite hot here 86-93F with August not quite as hot but not that much cooler. Rain can be a gentle shower, a steady downpour, or an intense, windy onslaught... add intense heat, and sun exposure - all have an effect on blues. Whether it is from rain or overhead watering, a blue hosta can have its leaves marred easily, depending on the type of canopy protection it gets. The blue cast disappears from the leaf surface in intense heat. As my QOTS is exposed to the variables mentioned, I think today's colour still shows some blue....more a blue/green than a blue or a green. today, Sept. 2/15 please overlook bird poop...there are berries in the shrub and tree sheltering this hosta....unfortunately the birdies dine and dash in same locale! LOL ugh! ruffwood, shade will protect the blue somewhat but a QOTS that remains a solid blue all season no matter the siting....that would be rare. I would love to see a blue QOTS in September. Anyone have a true blue QOTS at this time of year?

No big dogs. 40 lbs max for me. I like dogs that I don't have to buy a truck to transport. I don't like dogs with smashed in faces much. Although I have met some I like personally, I don't think I could stand to hear them wheezing. They seem to have such a hard time in hot weather. Don't like german shepherds much, they kind of scare me, I have known so many over the years that were vicious. Would never ever own a dog that was even part pit bull. Exceedingly yappy dogs, like schnauzers, and chihuahuas. Although I don't mind dogs that bark, just those non-stop high-pitched yappers. I like the terrier breeds and I like (and have owned several) dachshunds. Longhaired ones because they are more mellow than the smooth haireds. But unfortunately the american breeding trend is to breed them smaller and smaller miniature sized. WAY too small for me. So I doubt I will get another unless I can find a breeder of the standard size ones (rare in america). No teeny tiny dogs that you could kill if you accidentally stepped on it. cicidae: Most shih tzus that I have known have such great personalities. My aunt had two, my co-worker has two, my sister has one. So friendly. Owned a border collie. Great dog to train, too high of an energy level unless you have a big fenced in yard. This goes for most shepherd breeds and hunting breeds as well. No retrievers, for some reason that oil on their skin makes me sneeze. And I live on a river so those retrievers would not get out of there I am sure. Nice and stinky. Cocker spaniel: that breed has been ruined by overbreeding. I have known several that have severe personality problems. Completely untrainable.