Fall color and/or flowering would be nice, but certainly not required! And by not wanting a "messy" tree I mean one that is going to drop fruit that will attract bees, or leave stains on the driveway etc. I don't mind seed pods or leaves falling (I DID say I wanted a deciduous tree, after all.) And I'm thinking less than 30', so maybe that would be considered a small tree? Something bigger than an ornamental, but smaller than, say, a maple. Thank you, Waas, for the *Helpful* suggestion!

If I count myself, we're up to 5 participants, so we'll proceed, provided EVERYONE has a WANTED list up on their Trade List, and it is best to have a list of what you already have in your garden. Each participant should send me an e-mail with their GW screen name, full name and shipping address, by Friday June 26th. Please use the e-mail link on My Page above, you have to be logged-in to be able to use it. I will leave this invitation open for inclusion of more participants until Friday June 25th. You will be sent the name of your recipient by Sunday morning June 27th latest. Here are the basic rules of the game: 1. While most swap rules say you should send a minimum of least one plant to your designated recipient, I believe you get as good as you give and I encourage people to send at least 3, possibly 5 or more even. It makes it more worthwhile for the shipping costs involved, particularly when shipping out of province. 2. If possible make your gift plants ones that are on the recipient's wanted list, or failing that, send them plants they do not already have - this is where it becomes important to have a list up of what you already have in the garden. 3. Make sure you know how to identify HVX and foliar nematode damage. If you do NOT know, kindly refrain from participating as you do not want to be the one who sent diseased plants to an unsuspecting recipient. It is best to send divisions from plants you've had in your yard at least 3 years or more in order to minimize the possibility of shipping plants with a dirty payload. 4. Your divisions should be at least one healthy shoot, or 'eye' if you prefer, with a good number of roots. Rinse all the soil off the roots and wrap them in soaking wet paper towels, tuck in a name tag and roll into plastic wrap and tie off with an elastic band. Take a look at this page on my website if you have never done this before. Water will leak out of this bundle and you should wrap the entire bundle of Hostas in something like a plastic bread bag before you put it into a shipping container. This to make sure the seeping water doesn't soak into the cardboard and renders the box next to useless. Try and keep the box as compact as possible since you pay not just for weight and distance but also cubic volume. 5. Shipping to be done Canada Post 3 day Xpres Post and e-mail me the confirmation number when you have sent it. It is customary to acknowledge receipt of your gift Hostas as part of this thread. Pieter

My Brazilian rock rose are that color, sort of pinkish-white with burgundy throat. I just love their lil cute selves!

Here's another picture from the other side of the island. This is not in the U.S.