I live in NYC. I have to admit, pretty much everything I have in the ground that I spend time growing really is marginal at best. The only plants I grow in the ground that I actually see around here is a Crape Myrtle, a Fig, a Camellia, coneflowers, and an eastern prickly pear. All the rest are tropicals planted in the ground for the summer, or palm trees planted in the ground all year long (and then my potted tropical plants also!). I really like brugs because they are so easy to store indoors! I forgot I had a brug for most of the winter and then I found it behind my other plants. I gave it some water and it started growing leaves within a week. I dont think I have many other tropical plants that need such little care during the winter! I want a greenhouse very badly, but living in NYC means that space is a big problem, so all my plants go in the house and its getting pretty crowded. I think my least favorite time of the growing season is early April and mid October for the same reason as you (plus my yard looks pretty bare until about late June). I was happy to see my Frostproof gardenia blooming again today (second bloom of the week), and since its planted next to my brugmansia, they both work together to make the side of my yard EXTREMELY fragrant at night! I was taking a few pics of the plants tonight and as soon as I got within 20 feet of my Brug, I smelt it! Im definitely planting more in the same spot next season! I dont think I would complain much about living in a zone 10. I would probably have spring bulbs growing in the dead of winter (and storing them in their own fridge or something for the rest of the year) and the tropicals would of course be outside all year long! It would be like a vacation every time I walk into my yard (without the worry of having to bring them inside every winter and the wait until July for them to start getting really lush looking). I think there is only 4 months of the year that I can say my yard looks very lush and tropical, but its all worth it! -Alex

very pretty! It is always exciting even if it is just one flower! My Claire de Lune always bloomed up against the house, just not a lot. I moved it to a spot with a little more sun and it blooms a lot more.

Julia, Mabou is from a more Northern hybridizer. After several bboming years, last year was just so-so for Citrix, but it has mnay more blooms this year than last. Mantix, Indigo Edge is about the same size bloom as Citrix. Brad, I lost my first Spoken in Parables to voles, but liked it so well I replaced it. Jean, some of the fancies take more than one season to really settle in, and I will wait6 for this for CB. Debra, my eye is too easy to catch:). Thanks, Ruth, I like too many of them myself. Chris, I really figured Indigo Edge would have trouble opening, but it opened well, early. I bought Mabou because I love the photo New York Rita posted of hers. Thanks, Jean. Sorry I've been off a a couple days. My grandkids gifted me with a virus that put me down:) kay

Congratulations! I hope your first will not be your last and welcome to the forum. This is one of the nicest forums on the internet except me and Arthur from Australia arguing. I think you are very brave to start with such a challenge.You will not succeed with all of them but there are a lot of guys here to help....