Greg, My wife threatens to do this to me all the time. Lucky there are no takers here. If only she knew of you guys. My daughter came in the other day and asked if I had any extra snake plants so she can put in her basement windows and my wife said yes and help your self to all or any. She went home with two large window boxs full. Best part, I almost can't tell she took any. Stush

sambacmouse, thats great news. Atleast your sprouted sooner than mine. It takes really long time to sprout. I am from southern part of india. You can get these plants for quater doller(25C).In 2-3 years they start bloming. I grow up with this plant and i love them. I never knew that there are different varieties like Artabotrys hexapetalus and Artabotrys odoratissima.

As far as I can tell from the internet, for a large flowered Hedychium,'Tara' is considered among the most reliable cool climate bloomers worldwide. Below are example comments for North America. And note the comparison inferences about other varieties. Glossler Farms OR "Probably the only ginger (the spice) that blooms early enough to actually flower in our garden. Many of the hedychium species we've tried will bloom for 2 minutes in November and will be puny at that. H. 'Tara' has beautiful light orange flowers in late august-September. The plants are upright with narrow leaves. This perennial can make a strking plant for the tropical look." Dancing Oaks OR "The most reliable blooming ginger for our garden. Wide green leaves on sturdy stems proudly bear tangerine orange flowers with delicious fragrance. 4' t x 2' w * " * Note: warm climate (HI, FL, SC, NC) growers list 'Tara' at 6' - 8', likely due to the climate advantage for subtropicals. Hedychium must grow large = tall enough before it flowers. Phoenix Perennials BC Canada "In mid-late August 'Tara' offers dramatic large firey orange and fragrant flower clusters. The most reliable bloomer for the West Coast climate and indispensable as a subtropical accent in the perennial border. Tropical-looking foliage provides interest all season long. Mulch with fallen leaves in winter. In colder regions grow in a pot or store in dry peat moss and keep above zero." Plant Delights NC says this "Hedychium 'Tara', a selection of the high mountain Himalayan species Hedychium gardnerianum, is a good performer in the upper South as well as the Pacific Northwest. Hedychium 'Tara' is one of only a few ginger lilies to be awarded the Royal Horticulture Society Award of Garden Merit for outstanding garden value. Hedychium 'Tara' emerges in late spring with 6' spikes of grey-green foliage that rockets skyward. In late summer, the vigorous clumps are topped with lightly fragrant, 16" bottlebrush spikes of bright orange flowers...stunning!" On fragrance of 'Tara' most say light, not strong in cooler climates. A few say they didn't know it was fragrant until the brought it inside. Most say fragrant in late afternoon. Collectively these comments may suggest most fragrant when warm enough. ______ From this research, I suspect that NY gardeners, in z7a a zone colder than our z8a but with warmer summers, have a fighting chance with 'Tara'! Mulch well for winter survival, plant in a protected full sun position, ideally against a south facing wall, where the heat collects. Watering will likely be necessary in hot weather to support sufficient growth and maturation in time (if not your soil might not be draining well enough and you risk tuber rotting). Fragrance might be light, unless it's a hot day. Some Hedychium are said to be most fragrant in late afternoon ... when it's warmest? But I also have read a Bremerton, WA z8b grower blog "be sure to smell at night. It is strongest at 10 to midnight." If so, I wonder how many gardeners go to bed early and fail to discover their Hedychium is in fact very fragrant?

It was impossible to hit "Like" after reading your post, Campanula. Hearing about Mr. Campanula's situation did put the gardens in perspective. "Let the woods be woods" is sane advice. I often think that if my dh & I were so lucky as to be able to travel around the world for a year seeing all the sites and gardens I've always longed to see and if there were no one here to water, prune, weed, etc., we would return to woods.... especially considering the way tulip and maple tree seedings take hold in the yard. There's much truth in mxk3's post. A little spark does help us bounce back. Like all of you who have battled droughts and water rationing, this year's garden has become survival of the fittest. I don't expect much from my roses until the fall. And so I've also begun thinking about bulbs and looking again at my John Scheepers and Van Engelen catalogues. Campanula, your mention of T. humilis alba coerulea oculata made me smile. I've circled that one, too! I think its brilliant whiteness will sparkle in the gardens. And that blue center is luscious.