If you have time, I would suggest visiting Niagara Fall's gardens. Nothing to buy, but the gardens are beautiful. The Lilac garden should be in full bloom on Memorial Day. The gardens near the butterfly conservatory are also wonderful. I was just up there, but we missed the lilacs by a few days. Bellatrix

I don't know what area your mom is in to make recommendations. I have personally been to Ritchers and it's dangerous in there for plant lovers. Do check with US Customs about bringing live plants in dirt across the border - I'm not sure if you can do that unless you have a clearance certificate. It would be awful if you purchased plants only to have them seized at the border. Dry root plants I believe are safe because they don't transport dirt. Please do your homework before you buy. I'd listen to your customs people before any advice from a vendor. I hope you enjoy your visit.

I thought I better get on here and respond before this post gets bumped to page 2. You can tell it's spring by the activity on the forum lately...it's hard to keep up. But I love it! Anyhow, thank you to all who commented. For those who liked the clematis let me also mention that it is wonderful in the evening. Those pure white blooms under the moonlight are heavenly. They really show up! This clematis is only in it's second season here, believe it or not. I am very happy with it and to dipsandtets...you are very wise to get his one. Also, to those who asked about the blue columbine it IS indeed all blue, and as blue as blue can get. I don't know names of any of them since they came from mixed seeds. (Sorry I'm not any help on that). I have a lot of pass-along plants that were given to me or from seeds from others' gardens. I have been collecting plants for most of my life, and oh the story some could tell. Thanks again! Celeste

It looks like summer chores has priority with everyone right now! I haven't even walked into the sewing room yet. I spent most of the morning stripping pine needles off of the branches of 3 pine trees my husband cut down because the power company came along and butchered them AGAIN. They do this every couple of years and the way they wack the trees up they will never amount to anything and they look just awful. So this is free mulch, just time-consuming. Also walked way out to the corner of the property to the pond, he told me an interesting looking plant was blooming out there, so I had to take the camera out to photograph it. I'm doing an album of all the native plants on our 5 acres. Maybe tomorrow I'll mosey into the sewing room ...maybe not.