That first shot is worthy of being framed! What variety of Aconitum is that? Very nice blue shade on it. Your Leptodermis is lovely. I picked one up last year, but have yet to see a bloom. The more I see Angelica the more I like it. Lovely pics gardenbug! I could seriously look at them all day ;-) Thanks CMK

Anybody have any further information on the size of the greenhouse needed for using honeybees for pollination? What about a greenhouse which received all the lighting needs through artificial light? Would the bees still try to kill themselves attempting to leave the greenhouse?

Hot on the trail of the Rare Fruit Orchard near the freeway that stanofh had suggested existed in San Jose ... I found it ... right next to the 280 ... a freeway! The Prusch Farm is an old estate that was donated to the city and is a good place to bring your kids for a picnic and outing. Most of the grounds are occupied by a huge open grassy field in the middle, but there are two garden centers which are worked by volunteers and which are generally closed and fenced off to the public. Else, the orchards and other areas are accessible. There are some other areas which are used administratively by the park employees and these too, are off limits to the public. Here's the old Prusch farmhouse ... And you'll have these dinosaur descendants to keep you company ... And hey, look ... they label the fruit trees ... Only a few of the trees in the International Rare Fruit grove were producing fruit this early in the year, while others, especially, the various varieties of Cherry, were in bloom. And some Banana too ... There are also flowering plants like this cool blue one ... I have to apologize as I don't know what these beauties are. This blue cluster is on a tree ... Here's 'El Jardin', one of the Garden Centers worked by volunteers ... This is a neat plant that is very prevalent on the farm ... And there are Oak Trees that literally cover the ground with their acorns ... Here's something different ... Calla Lillies ... I wonder how badly this cat would like a chicken dinner? And the chickens dig these holes as a way to cool down by laying in the colder soil they turn up ... Old Farm Implements ... They're great for photo art ... Every Farm has got to have a barn ... and livestock ... Oh, Oh, Oh. Hold on a second ... This reminds me as it's time to go ... Beef? Pork? Chicken? Picnic Tables? Hot Coals? Sounds like its time for Bar-B-Que! Yep! Diversity is a wonderful thing. It's a bad photo because it suffered from camera jitter, but check out this old meat smoking truck they put inside this restaurant ... And check out the napkins on the tables ... rolls of paper towels. Now that's a barbeque place! And hey, look ... they label the fruit trees ... Only a few of the trees in the International Rare Fruit grove were producing fruit this early in the year, while others, especially, the various varieties of Cherry, were in bloom. And some Banana too ... There are also flowering plants like this cool blue one ... I have to apologize as I don't know what these beauties are. This blue cluster is on a tree ... Here's 'El Jardin', one of the Garden Centers worked by volunteers ... This is a neat plant that is very prevalent on the farm ... And there are Oak Trees that literally cover the ground with their acorns ... Here's something different ... Calla Lillies ... I wonder how badly this cat would like a chicken dinner? And the chickens dig these holes as a way to cool down by laying in the colder soil they turn up ... Old Farm Implements ... They're great for photo art ... Every Farm has got to have a barn ... and livestock ... Oh, Oh, Oh. Hold on a second ... This reminds me as it's time to go ... Beef? Pork? Chicken? Picnic Tables? Hot Coals? Sounds like its time for Bar-B-Que! Yep! Diversity is a wonderful thing. It's a bad photo because it suffered from camera jitter, but check out this old meat smoking truck they put inside this restaurant ... And check out the napkins on the tables ... rolls of paper towels. Now that's a barbeque place!

I read the whole letter in my best Ellie Mae voice, jusa grinnin from are to are. Then cracked up at the end. Toooo funny!