Well, actually, I do know many of the botanical names - not all, but many. I think it helps to know about the botanical family because you learn more about growing them and caring for them. It's all those special variety names that get to be too much. Just look at Daylily lists for instance. It is maddening! There are hundreds upon hundreds of named varieties and probably many more unnamed ones! Sheesh! And, I don't go gah gah over every new one and feel I have to have it because it is new. I don't collect flowers, I grow them. If it suits me and my climate, then I put it on my wish list and sometimes, if I am lucky, I actually get it sooner or later. I do like to know what they are called for future reference if I am on the hunt for them, so I write them down in little notebooks, but I can't recall right off the top of my head most of the time. That's just not what's important to me. I'm not trying to impress anyone. ~Annie

Annette - thanks for this thread - so interesting!!! Cameron - curious what you said about dome asters....they are on sale at the local Home Depot, can't remember the price, however, I have been bitten before by buying asters before, and them not making it through the winter. So, I started stalking the ditches!!! lol. I did not bring any with me from the old house. I figured I'd haunt the ditches again. I have the Random House of Late Perrenials open, and I think that I had Monch, a gorgeous purple that looked like Chequers, but the flowers may not have been this large. Right now, I have tall, tiny white, lavendar-purple in the garden. These are the truly wild ones. They are mixed in with golden rod. Since it is my first year here, I let everything grow. There is a great nursery in Ottawa that has some asters growing on display. I just checked their web site, but no info. I'll have to go there for real, and check it out!! Nancy.

Dirtmomma, What works for you should certainly work for me (locality wise), but I'm not sure what you are recommending. Should I wait until next year to see if they bloom or do you think I should be dividing the clumps this fall. They were just planted this Spring, but have grown into quite large, healthy green clumps--none of which are showing any signs of blooming this year. Interestingly, Fine Gardening magazine this month lists them as being one of the best plants for this area.

Ok, now that you have put the fear of whatsit into me and made me feel rather 'unclean'I need to know if it just stays in the one plant (in the clumps of Shastas - which even tho it will leave a big gap will be coming out in the morning) or will it spread to other plants nearby only if I have used tools in that area. The Shastas bloomed really well last year so much so I divided them and made several clumps and I haven't actually dug around those clumps as they shot up nice long stems with really big flower heads so apart from watering occasionally they have almost been 'mistreated'. Close by are Michelmas Daisies, Iris, Lavender, Campanula and also Roses - are any of these likely to suffer the same way? The MD have grown fairly high and look they have flower buds, the Irises bloomed well and haven't died down yet, the Lavender (Allardi) has fabulous long stems with flower heads and the Roses in that area flowered (so -so) but the correct colour. The tall Campanulas that actually flowered were a bit off but maybe lack of water early in the season could have been the reason. . So, apart from ditching them as suggested and cleaning all my tools is there anything else you can recommend. Don't say 'pray' or I'll thump you!!:) Cathy