Neillia Sinensis. I had this shrub at my old house and have always regretted leaving it behind. When I bought it at a specialty nursery I asked the mature, quintessential British gardener looking saleslady what it was and she leaned her head down a little, peered/glared over her glasses at me, and said, "it's a very choice shrub." I almost felt guilty for buying it as I was a gardening newbie and wasn't sure I was worthy of such a 'choice' plant but I did and it was indeed very pretty. I'm very sad that I have never been able to find another one as I would plant one in my new garden if I could. Here is a link that might be useful: Neillia Sinensis

Paul, Buddy is so beautiful. I'm so sorry for your loss. Maybe this story will make you chuckle... Years ago when I was little, we lost our beloved German Shepherd, and my father, whom she adored and who adored her, insisted on digging her grave alone. Although he was crying so hard he almost couldn't see, turns out he didn't have enough breath to dig through Maryland clay and cry at the same time. Down through six feet of clay and stone he went, but in his grief he overlooked one thing...how to get himself out of the hole he'd dug! There he was on a 100-acre farm, deep in a hole over his head. After yelling for help (no-one heard him as he'd told us all to leave him alone) and thinking it over awhile, he carved himself footholds and climbed out...then realized he'd left all the tools in the hole! So he jumped back in, threw the tools out of the hole, and climbed out a second time. Then he laid her to rest himself, wrapped in her blankets with all her toys. Only then did he have us bring her all the fragrant red roses from the bush she used to lie under. I'm so sad to hear about your mother, too. I'm sure she'll be comforted to think of her wonderful faithful Buddy waiting for her.

I’m so glad I stumbled across this forum! I live in northeast Ohio in 3rd floor apartment building. I have a lot of outdoor plants including a small water feature with aquatic plants. I first discovered this little guy under a pillow on my outdoor bench about a month ago. Not wanting to disrupt him very much, I’ve kept an eye out for him and let him have free range. He has pretty much taken up residence in one of my potted plants, occasionally disappearing for a few days and then sure enough he shows up again. I try to leave the outside light on to attract bugs and have seen him out at night hopping around. This last week however we’ve had a dip in temperature and he seems to be less active. The plant he enjoys is sitting in a terra-cotta pot (it’s not actually planted in the pot if that makes sense) and he has been staying down inside the pot and not really coming out. I’m not sure if maybe I’m just not catching his activity at night any more or If the change in temp is slowing his activity. I don’t want to disrupt his natural instincts but I also have grown fond of him and don’t want him to stay put In this plant if he needs to move on in preparation for the winter. If he’s not coming out is he getting enough to eat? I also typically bring my plants in but obviously don’t want to kick him out so I will continue to let this plant stay out as long as possible. Does anyone have advice? Will he eventually leave when it gets cold enough? Is there anything I can do to create him a better space in the meantime? I’d appreciate any input! Thanks in advance!

halloblondie, you've got a nice start to your gardens--and don't worry--one of these days, you'll look around and realize you have a "mature" garden. If it's any encouragement, I like to joke that when I moved into this house back in the early 1980s, all my back yard had was weeds and sunshine. So I immediately planted a couple trees in strategic spots along the western property line--so there would be a little protection from that late afternoon "killer sun" that my zone 6 garden has to endure. However, I have to admit that the previous owner was evidently a talented gardener herself. I still am growing some of the plants (peonies, daylilies, hydrangeas, iris) that she left me, although they have been moved around a half dozen times or so since then. I basically started with the two garden beds she had and kept expanding them a few feet more --a little wider here, a bit longer there--and now, thirty some years later, those beds cover most of my back yard--which is fine with me since I have no use otherwise for a backyard. We will enjoy watching your gardens expand over the years also! : ) Cynthia--I had trouble getting the larkspur started. For two years I threw seeds all over the back garden and would just get a handful of rather pathetic looking larkspur to grow. So I started ignoring them, having given up on that project. Well, that handful of larkspur threw their own seed at the right time and by winter, all sorts of tiny larkspur plants were growing. At first I thought they were a new kind of weed, but getting behind on my weeding, some of them grew large enough that I finally realized they were larkspurs! Since then, I do nothing except when I pull out the plants after they are done blooming, I do shake a few of the plants over spots where I'd like more larkspur next year. They are now so busy re-seeding themselves that by spring, I will have to pull nearly half of them out so they dont' choke out some other desirable plants--but there's always enough left that I get a natural show for about 5-6 weeks in late May and most of June. Here it is July and I still have a handful still blooming out there--but I think this is probably their last week for this year. Siberian Iris--that's easy. They are tough and super cold-hardy--hardy down to -40 degrees! Gorgeous spring bloomers, no diseases, no care. You might be confusing them with Japanese or Louisiana irises that have greater water/moisture needs and probably don't like the sun as much as other irises do, but other than that I think they are all very cold hardy, but I've never grown Japanese or Lousiana irises, so I cant' say for sure about them. However, my mom grew Siberian irises in South Dakota, so I can swear by their cold hardiness. I treat them like I would any other perennial--no additional fussing at all. You do plant them in full sun, don't you? You must try them again sometimes. Sun and not too much water. That's about it. Now, as to Princess Diana clem--mine is always just barely making it. I think that western sun tends to boil mine. I had no idea she was a thug elsewhere. Have you got some pics of yours? I was afraid I'd lost mine during an exceptionally cold winter we had a couple years ago, but she is creeping back again--so I'm guessing it is the hot summer that is harder for her to handle. To all the other posters: I'm so enjoying all the gardens. So many different styles and combinations--and they all look wonderful! Kate