Cath, Magnolia grandiflora is one of the more tolerant magnolias, and is certainly a magnificent tree, but I'm not interested in it. I long for the deciduous, mostly Asian magnolias: M. stellata, M. denudata, the Soulangeanas, the x loubneri group, the yellow-flowered hybrids of M. acuminata. Actually, I plan on getting a Loebneri magnolia: I think I actually have a place, one spot in our thirty-three acres, where it will grow. Magnolias are fairly common ornamental trees down in the Po Plain below our hills, and in our local town, which is located in a valley and has good alluvial soils. It's five miles away and about 225 meters lower than we are, and they can grow plants that we can't. Conditions vary. It's not that I haven't tried magnolias, but much of the soil in the big garden bears a close resemblance to adobe brick when it's dry, and they just can't handle it. The shade garden either has dry unfriendly soil, or it floods, and I don't think magnolias like to be flooded either (roses on the other hand can handle tremendous amounts of winter water). Also much of the shade garden is shady, of course. But I do have one spot I think will work, and I'm looking forward to getting the right magnolia, and then seeing it in splendor in a few years. They are magnificent, glorious trees. Otherwise I may get a pear for one spot where I want a flowering tree. That may not sound obvious, but pears have a heavy noble structure and a massive whiteness to their bloom that makes them, in my eyes, the hill country aesthetic equivalent of flowering magnolias. harmonyp (Beth?) I think you're right about dahlias. I got rid of my numerous family of them a few years ago after a very long drought because I didn't want to water them; and I got tired of lifting the tubers and keeping them in my mud room through the winter, then replanting them, and staking them. Right now the garden has just three or four survivors that have made it through two unusually cold and wet winters without rotting. I have a handsome pink one growing in the cottage bed next to the house where it flourishes in clay and with little supplementary water. Dahlias come in a great variety of forms and colors, many of them very beautiful: rich burgundies, violets, soft oranges, waterlily pinks. They're undemanding about water and soil. They don't get any pests or diseases to speak of. They make excellent cut flowers. One of the things I liked about dahlias when I was growing them in quantity is how they're movable foliage, excellent for filling in gaps when the shrubs are young; and they have big, bold, flourishing dark leaves with never a trace of mildew. They bloom when much of the garden is quiescent too. Now I'm wondering why on earth I don't have more dahlias. I don't quite trust them to be tough enough to thrive out in the big garden, where life is a battle: they're more suitable to the vegetable patch, and I have very little of that kind of space. Perhaps one year I'll be able to conjure up some room for dahlias. They are wonderful flowers. Melissa

I have the book, Guide to South African Aloes, and it actually does reference where each Aloe is native, and whether it is a summer or winter or year round rainfall habitat. There is some limited mention of garden care, but its mostly in reference to whether the species is tolerant of winter rainfall conditions of the Western Cape, and will often say whether a particular species has proven adaptable to garden culture in South Africa, or is better left to experts. A few of the species they mention as less easy to cultivate, such as A. plicatilis and A. polyphylla, actually seem to thrive with our foggy, cooler summers and relatively balmy winters. In general, almost all of the winter rainfall Aloes do just fine here in Berkeley, and I have had no problems with giving Aloe plicatilis year round irrigation as long as it has sharp drainage and full sun. Aloe dichotoma, although from a winter rainfall area, only tolerates near desert rainfall amounts unless it has excellent drainage, so would be one that needs protection from too much rain, as you can rot this one out at the base before you realize it is damaged. In general, Aloe species that are from the areas within the Eastern Cape that are borderline between winter and predominant summer rainfall would also be extremely adaptable to Berkeley conditions as long as they got good drainage. The only Aloes I've had problems with in my own Berkeley garden are usually due to poor drainage/not enough sun in winter, for summer rainfall species such as A. chabaudii and A. glauca and others that prefer a drier and warmer winter. Of the others on your list, it is worth mentioning that A. vanbelenii and A. cameronii seldom color up in foliage unless you keep them dryer from late fall into winter. They need full sun and drought stress, or else the foliage merely stays green. I'd also suggest that you grow A. polyphylla with morning sun or cool sun if all day long, and plant it tilted slightly so it can't collect and trap water in the foliage under high rainfall conditions, or it may rot out. It also seems to hate consistent 80F and above temps for lengthy periods in summer, which can weaken the plant. All the other plants on your list seem pretty reliable, as I've seen them growing well up at the UCBBG. I've never tried growing A. cryptopoda myself, but would assume with good drainage as it gets up at the botanic garden, it does well here. You may find that the Aloes that come from the more tropical/further north locations of South Africa are often more touchy about too much winter rains here, and are often more freeze sensitive as well.

Melissa, love the pictures! Your yard is maturing so beautifully. I too, love the headboard idea and the gaura and blue basil are amazing. Yes, our yards are bad now, but with spring we'll be happily planning and planting again. By the way, I love the purple ruellia with the firebush. Great color contrast. Sun worshiper, isn't the farfugium a great plant? I have tried every which way I know to propagate them. I have spread seed, I have chilled the seed in the fridge for weeks as I saw somewhere, I tried from leaves like begonias. I also tried to secure the flower stems to the ground to see if that distal little leaf would form roots. Nothing. I do have a 3-4 year old plant that looks like it has a baby- but the baby has been the same size all year. I think maybe it came up from the roots? Mine do get bigger. Almost like they get more than one head, but it takes a couple of years. Maybe that's why they're so expensive. I buy them when I see them though, because I rarely see them. I plan on getting more because they are so easy and always look good, especially in cool weather. Let me know if you figure out a way to propagate, and I will post if I do too. Anyone out there know? Anna

Nope, many times internet facts can be misleading. I grow queens and grew a foxtail at one point. Queens will get slight frost damage at about 27F but can survive to about 20F or a bit less with considerable damage. It can take over a year for them to recover and have a full crown. I know this from experience. Because of this long recovery time period, an annual hard freeze (below 20F) would spell out death for a queen palm. Like David said, Foxtails will not tolerate frost at all. They are definately a strictly tropical palm. I lost mine to fungus after they experienced low 30s. Keep it as a potted plant on your porch or patio and bring it indoors in the winter. or you can use it as an annual if you'd like. Believe me, they do not survive in zone 9b, just like David said.