Hey Mike -- Congrats. And WOWSER -- did you see that the one he sold after yours went for over $75.00! And I'll second the John's a really nice guy comment. Anyone not in California who wants to listen to the show can get it live over the internet between 8 and 10 (california time) on the attached link. Click on "listen live." They also have a toll free number and take questions live on the air. And if you figure out something about roses to ask that Bagnasco doesn't know -- kudos to you! The toll free number and the list of California radio stations can be found at www. gardencompass.com. Here is a link that might be useful: Saturday Morning Garden Show with Bagnasco

Last year, my bulbs were in lawless conditions. I bought a children pool and put them in it in their pots. It was easier to water them this way. I just poured the water in and they all got some. But then some rains came and completely drenched the bulbs. They were neck up to the water and they stayed that way for a long time by the time I noticed it and let the water away. So I ended up with most of the bulbs shrunk to tiny bulblets that I didn't think would even survive. Then I had to move to the new house, so I unpotted them, cut the leaves and put them in the new wine cooler I bought for this purpose to make sure that the bulbs do not freeze down. A month later I noticed that the wine cooler froze down and even killed about 10 bulbs. I returned it to the store and just bought a huge standing fridge that had the freezer part separately. I kept my bulbs in that fridge. Then I planted them up from Summer, hoping that they would still come back to me. And to my amazement: More than 50 percent FLOWERED! They shrunk, they were sitting in water, they froze down, they were in dormancy for a half a year or LONGER, and they BLOOMED! I am still floored by some of them. Now, they are out in the flower bed, fattening up. I hope they enjoy the situation. So you see, once they want to bloom, they just bloom, even if they kill themselves.

The first two pics of mine were moths that I took at night and the last two were daytime butterflies. I liked your butterfly photo too. You really got a good view of his whole wing span, which I keep trying to do. I just snap a lot of pics and then blow some of the better ones up. I can't get them to stay still and get close enough either. [g] Aha! So that is the reason you get the snakes! Ok, now I feel better. My yard is so dry and no high grass, so I think I am safe. [g] We do have a neighbor with a very tiny water feature with a pump, but I would be surprised if that attracted anything. I LOVE your frog photos! That last one is a good one. He looks like he was posing. lol You must get a lot of enjoyment from the pond. Thanks for sharing your pond pics! Way better than the snake pics. [g]

I have no patience, I'm just stubborn, and won't give up as long as a plant is alive and breathing. No, I didn't grow it from a seed. I bought it in a 3 gallon pot, and it just went downhill from there. Hurricane Charley ripped it to shreds, and I just took cuttings, and it's been a challenge ever since then, but it's finally paid off, and I've learned that this one needs to be grown in a pot. It actually opened yesterday, sort of white, but turned overnight. I think it must be a night bloomer too, because it was open all night long. I love that the blooms are so large! Thanks for the compliments on the COT. I'll be cutting it back soon, because it's rooted itself into the ground out of its pot, and it grows over onto the porch. I usually have to cut it back twice a year. I bought that plant in a 1 gallon pot, just two little stems.