I have a database in the computer with all my perennials/bulbs/shrubs recorded in it. Each winter I make sure that it is fully updated and then in spring I make a hard copy that I usually keep in my vehicle to have with me all summer. In my database I record... name, common (eg. bellflower) name, 'real'...(eg, campanula for the bellflower) sun and/or shade height/width color of flower description of plant location in yard year acquired hybridizer year registered by hybridizer what I paid and if in a trade what it would be worth who I got it from awards it has received bloom time zone requirements parentage dates I took a picture of it date the best picture of it was taken so as to quickly find the picture if someone wants to see a picture of it. size of leaf (for hostas) size of flower (needed for my daylilies) pruning group (for clematis) There are now over 2000 different perennials in our yard. I spend time each morning taking pictures of what is newly blooming in the yard. This is recorded into a binder and then transferred into the computer. In the winter I will take the time to label each of the pictures and transfer one good one of each perennial into my Photobucket album. With hostas I like to take a picture of the individual leaf, its flowers and a clump picture. Each perennial also gets a homemade copper tag made up for it which is placed immediately behind the plant. Since I have traded all across Canada, sell/trade privately in our area and have a table at the local farmer's market with my perennials, it is very important for me to know the name of each perennial and what it should be worth. I could never go by memory with my plants. Hats off to those who can. Brenda

Bkay...thanks, I looked it up and BINGO! It was there at the top....now that is one game that is challenging! I'm only fairly good at guessing at hosta I have myself, because it is easy to identify what you already have, isn't it? Since I have under 100, my guessing would be very limited. :-( I have visions of your little doggie going crazy with a hosta pot...it may be funny to me, but how disheartening for you! She will grow out of it I hope. Like I said before, since you rescued your latest dog and adopted it, perhaps Cleo will be too busy with her new companion in the spring to bother with your hosta! Fingers crossed... I was visiting relatives in Florida years ago, during our March Break when kids are out of school, and recall how frozen my aunt's garden looked at that time of year. She said it was a bad spring...that was back in 1989. It was actually beautiful in a way...nothing was disfigured, everything just had a coating of clear ice and the forms of the plants were perfect. But I would hate to have hosta suffer, or have them die on me. I have a beautiful Dark Star in its 3rd year coming 2014...let me find a pic to show you...not to add insult to injury but simply to share with you. The way it grows for me reminds me always of your famous So Sweet. I hope this year will be much better for you - weather and Cleo! :-). One can hope. Jane...opened your list thread...:-) now searching online for some interesting named ones you have listed..oh boy, fun! Will comment when I am done on that thread. Jo

Looking again at the Forums page, I think the Subject Areas should be left for use by occasional visitors who need to know what's available on Garden Web. For frequent users who want to get to a forum quickly, you need a comprehensive list that doesn't involve a lengthy scroll. In my case I check "Building a Home", "New England Gardening" and "Soil, Compost and Mulch" every day, so these appear on my bookmarks menu along with the "Garden Webs Forum" page (and some non-GW sites). If there's something interesting going on in a particular forum I'll keep a tab open for that forum. I avoid using the main Forums page because it's annoying to have to scroll down. Claire

And to add to tigereye's comments.......if there are certain forums you tend to follow or you frequent often, click on the "follow" button off to the right hand side when your cursor hovers over that forum title. This will result in an alphabetical listing of "Your Topics" at the top of the listings on the left had side of your screen so you can access them at will without needing to go into the Explore Topics heading. It will also bring up any threads or comments to any of these 'followed' forums to your 'Your Discussions'/'Your Topics' main screen. And this works regardless of which side of the website you enter!! ( I avoid using the Houzz side almost exclusively unless accessing one of the forums you can't get to via GW). IMO, this is only one in a long series of glitches as they continue to integrate the two platforms and coordinate the software. They usually only last a few days at most until they get things corrected so all one needs is a work-around (which I and tigereye provided) and a bit of patience :-) This too shall pass!! Others may have stronger feelings but I am happy to work around these temporary aberrations in favor of benefiting from the superior features offered by GardenWeb compared to any other online gardening site. And that includes any Facebook site!!