Conifer hybrids are rare but if you look at the Leylands & related hybrids, they seem to take after the hardier parent in that respect. The supposedly more tender "Cupressus X ovensii" did absolutely fine for me this winter; not 10 miles away as the crow flies you started to see typical leylands in open fields were damaged. I myself would have no concerns about these MC X BC hybrids in the DC area.

Every year our town has 2 big plant sales. First it is the Friendly Garden Club. Their sale is so big, they have to rent space at the fairgrounds for the sale. Last year I bought so much stuff I couldn't get it all in my car, I had to make a 2nd trip. It is all local stuff that grows well in our area. A week later the Historical group has a plant sale and I always buy a lot from them. The most I ever paid for a plant was $5 for a curly willow tree and another $5 for a Japanese maple. Most plants are just a dollar or two. I love those sales. I have 5 acres and I have lots of room. I will just have to start another bed or 2.

Despite their new popularity Chiritas are still not widely available except from specialty (which usually means mail-order) nurseries. I have seen VERY limited offerings of gesneriads at nurseries in the DC area--you might try Behnke's in Beltsville, MD, where I've seen a smattering of Columnea, Nematanthus & Streptocarpus, (but never Chirita). But your best bet is still membership in a local chapter, which will usually get you access to many new, rare, or otherwise hard-to-find gesneriads. Speaking of which, I am the membership chair of the Washington, DC chapter. Feel free to send me a private message with your home and/or email address and I will make sure you get a copy of the newsletter. There is a meeting at the arboretum on Saturday, April 14, at 10:30 am in the administration building; there is usually a good assortment of plants for swap, raffle and/or sale at meetings. This month's speakers are Dee (not Lee) & Bob Stewart, visiting from the New England chapter, who are phenomenal growers with eclectic tastes and will almost certainly bring a few interesting plants to sell or give away. Several chapter members also grow chiritas and there are usually a few available at meetings. (Sorry about the out-of-date chapter website, there has been talk about giving it a major overhaul.)

Heather, you would be welcome if all you brought were brownies or other nonornamental chocolate. Our philosophy is that we don't worry about one to one trades. We do ask poeple who bring no plants to be considerate about grabbing a lot of plants early in the plant swap. And that people must respect plants labeled with other people's names that are specific pre-arranged trades. After lunch, all bets are off. If you touch a plant by some one's car, you must take one. If you ask about it, you must take two. Just ask about my sedum autum joy please. Prearranged trades: About a month or so before the swap, "haves" and "wants" lists get posted (along with a food list for our potluck lunch). If you see something you want or have something some one else wants, you email them privately and pre-arrange a trade. Then you label those plants with your name, the name of the person who gets its and the name of the plant. Any type of label will do, but ones you can stick in the ground with the plant as an id are most welcome like even on a plastic spoon or knife. We have several people who are really into hostas. Me, I'm looking for the two toned ones-light and dark green. So if you have any of those to swap, let me revise my comments on our ground rules. If you have two toned light and dark green hostas, you have to reserve some for Kimka first. Then well, welcome to our swap. You will be amazed at what people will have available, especially at our spring swap. This year's drought may keep our fall swap a little more meager than usual. Bring garden related stuff as well as plants including plastic pots, planters, tools, old magazines, seeds, just about anything. Come have fun with us.