You're very welcome, Aloha! 'Dragon's Blood' and S. hybridum usually get about the same color over winter, so possibly there's some difference in the conditions where they are--or else maybe the D. B. just hasn't completely changed color yet.

If you're able to make it to one of the swaps it sounds like you should have enough cuttings to make a few "small bouquets" and start some to bring to help Spread the Wealth.

When all that Ajuga starts growing, let me know how it's doing. I hope they do well enough to start filling in for you this summer.

Skybird

I think the hybridum is such a compact plant that it appears redder. You've got me hooked on sedums of all sorts. I look forward to having someone to give things to. It's so hard just to toss good plantings out.

Though I didn't see any life in the Ajuga yet, I'm sure it's going to be filling in quite nicely. I reviewed some of your pics of ajuga and just drooled how beautiful it was. My DH didn't realize that it flowers. He's in for a very nice surprise.

Your S. hybridum plants are probably "compact" now because they're still brand new, small plants, but they're not gonna look compact at all by the time they bloom this summer. If you want them to look compact again next winter/spring you'll need to cut them all the way down to the ground after they finish blooming. That will give them time enough to grow back out into a pretty, short "mat" before they go dormant next winter.

For more info check out Zach's current "Succulents look succu-lost" thread. And in that thread I link to an old ground cover thread that has some pretty good pics of what both of them look like when they're cut short and have their winter color, and also when they're growing long and blooming. My May 2 reply in the groundcovers thread shows the best comparisons.

My Ajuga is just barely starting to show signs of new growth, and mine has been in for years so yours, being new plants, will probably start a little bit later. After the Ajuga blooms you're gonna want to cut the dead flower stems off of them too if you want them to look good the rest of the summer. You can either go thru it and cut out just the flower stems, or you can go over it and shear down all the stems AND the foliage, and in a couple weeks it'll be growing back all fresh and pretty for the rest of summer.

Skybird