Hi Jeanne; I haven't replied for a couple days because I have been thinking about your question. Keep in mind that "goldenrod" is a generic term. There are some 75 species in the Solidago genus and another 9 plus in the Oligoneuron family. If you had asked me two weeks ago if Solidago canadenisis was a good nectar plant, I would have said "no". However, over the last week I have seen more things nectaring on it. Not a lot however. I did see tons of things on Stiff leaved goldenrod, Oligoneuron rigidum. However, it seems that these plants have a long period where the flowers are present but not producing nectar. Nectar may be produced for only a week or so. I have been watching them closely on my butterfly surveys and that is what I have been observing. That being said, these are beautiful plants. I would encourage you to look in the Oligoneuron genus. The Riddells (sp) and stiff leaved are beautiful plants and like I said, I think you will see more on them. However, I am still observing! Cheers, Elisabeth

I know I know I said but on the way back to the house I noticed that Sultana still has blooms - she's too tiny and low to the ground and the light is fading so no pics , oh hey look over there high society is blossoming still too Y'all will get a break from me now since I have to make crab apple jam, can tomatoes, and the pear trees + a few more apple trees are going to get me busy soon too I'll still find time to look at all your pretty pictures though! hh

How come we grow plants that aren't compatable with our zone? lol Your flowers are beautiful. My gingers are just now sending up flower spikes, I doubt there's going to be enough time left for them to open. The color of that scarlet ginger is beautiful. It looks a lot like a canna. Which one is the cape honeysuckle? The red, yellow or both? I've heard of it but have never seen it. Do you grow it from seeds or cuttings? Does it have a scent like wild honeysuckle? I have some sort of hardy red honeysuckle but it has absolutely no scent and is kind of a raggedy vine. I was going to rip it out but the hummingbirds like it. Most of this week is supposed to be warm so we sould be able to enjoy our gardens for a little while longer. Karyn

Here are some examples of what location and heat can do to the same cultivars: Sherbert Town: Grown in South Florida and actually this is who I got my Sherbert town from so they are from the same source. Beautiful pic by Lopaka. Lopaka's Sherbert town My Sherbert town which came from Lopaka but blooming in cold coastal So Cal: Here is another one I bought from Lopaka (can't find my pic of it blooming last year) Lopakas gorgeous pic of Unicorn: My Unicorn did not perform like Lopaks, very washed out. Jungle Jacks Jackie, and Taj Mahal have not perfored well either in the cooler temps. Bill, I bought my Rim Fire in 2002 from this guy in FLorida via Evilbay, bidding was furious as I ended up paying 300.00 for the rooted plant. I actually won a 2nd rooted plant later from the same seller, I gave one as a gift to Suki in Hawaii as she said it looked different and was gorgeous, hers bloomed like his. According to the pics (the sellers pics where gorgeous but again it was FL with heat and humidity.) his Rim Fire looked very different than JL's Rim Fire, more like Danais Delight, Someone on MPG from Texas posted pics of her Rim Fire blooming couple years ago and it looked like the pics of my sellers Rim Fire. Ill try to look for the sellers pics. I think it may be different as the color is stronger than JL's Rim Fire (JL's seems more pinkish on rim, I use to have JL's also but cleared it out as I preferred mine.) If you would like a cutting Bill let me know at my Rim Fire is pretty big now.