purple, in other photos from EU countries, I saw prices which didn't use the Euro symbol. I linked to that particular photo to show that the same model of yellow price tag is used in Italy. Some of the tags in the other photos had a comma where we use the decimal point (the comma is European usage); I'm not sure if there's a comma in the photo above. At least one photo showed the last two numbers underlined (as Americans underline the cents). I think there were others with the entire price underlined. Many years ago, my parents lived in Belgium. Prices of everything were much higher than in the U.S. Food, gas, everything in stores. (I think the same was true the last time I was in Britain.) So I'm not surprised by the price of the mum. And maybe it's a high-end store where all the prices are high just to make you think they're ultra exclusive mums.... As for the gradient coloring, ombre (shaded; variegated) yarn has been sold for many decades. I know how low-tech crafters make it, though I have no idea what the big yarn-producers do. So the gradient-dyed fiber is the easy part. Then, maybe, chunks of dyed fiber are clamped together and glued to a piece of something-or-other. Then the piece is attached to the top of the "trunk". (I'm sure there are other ways to do it.)

I think they are fascinating trees--Poncirus. The first time I ever the tree was in Longwood Gardens in Pa.. They are hardy were I am but no one seems to grow them and I never see them being sold at garden centers. As I understand it, botanists classify them either as true Citrus or a very close relative. Their leaves remind me of the Kaffir lime (though the Ponciris has an additional third lobe). I As I said, I have mine containerized because I tread the thought of what I'd have to go through if I ever wanted it removed--those thorns are NASTY. Then again, I'd imagine they make for great security fences--and they're deer resistant I believe. Keep in mind though that the tree is deciduous.

I'm too far north to imagine what the banana might look like, but I bet it would be nice. And the fan palm would be lovely. Chaste tree, Vitex angus-castus, is a pretty southern substitute for lilac, with grey-green leaves and beautiful blue flowers. Desert willow seems like it would be nice, too -- not sure how tall they get. Fothergilla is beautiful in bloom; you could prune it to a single stem I think. Sterile Rose of Sharon, trimmed to tree-form would be an unusual, tropical looking plant. (I did this with regular ROS and while I loved the look, the seedlings were killer!) Hope you find something that works for you -- looks like a lovely space!

There are some researched medicinal effects to the digestive tract induced by some compounds found it cabbage, but it depends on enzymes produced by the pancreas. I've also heard of it being used for mastitis, but with instructions to keep the poultice away from the nipple area, iow not in contact with the fissures. I cannot vouch for it or condemn such advice, but it smacks of alternative medicine to me, and suspect my vet would have put in a drain and secured it with an external stitch or two. Was it the tech or assistant who recommended this or the vet him/herself? Did an actual vet even see it when the stitches were removed? Oftentimes, and actually routinely, that job is just done by a nurse or a tech, on a return visit and they're supposed to INFORM the vet or physician if there are any problems with it. I'd call the office and ask to speak to the vet and see if indeed they consider this proper protocol, and it wasn't just something the tech 'prescribed'. Your pet might need to be actually seen or on oral rx.