Yes, it could be that. The odd thing is I had a Clematis armandii, but I removed it at the end of 2012 because I didn't really like it. It was about 20 ft. away but I suppose when I dragged it out, a seed could have blown into this area.

LOL Dax. A friend got it for me from Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle. It used to be out on a dock. They name the docks there. It came from the dock called Holiday. I just can't figure out where to put it in an appropriate spot in the garden so it looks like it 'belongs'. Mike

Brenda, when the city and club were MUCH smaller (16 years ago and more), the addresses of the winning gardens were published in the newspaper, and anyone could see them. Unfortunately, when things are free, some people don't respect them, so winning gardeners found beds trampled, plants vandalized (people ripping off cuttings), and lawns ruined. :-( The Calgary Horticultural Society (CHS) decided to start charging admission, and that did two things: it raised money for the society, and it limited the number of people walking through the gardens. And, if you had to pay, you just might be more respectful. Rules were started too, saying that viewers needed to keep children under control and pets at home--what a concept!! The first year, the tickets were $5. The price has slowly climbed (now that there are about 1 million citizens in Calgary, 6,000 of whom are CHS members) to $20 for non-members and $15 for members. The "ticket" is actually a small booklet with the names and addresses of the winners, and the categories they won. The addresses are clustered by quadrant of the city and usually, except for this year for some reason, contain a simplified map to help you plot the route. With 24 gardens scattered all over this huge city, and only 12 hours, it takes a fair amount of planning (and a good map or navigation system)! Viewing is limited to those who have passports because a) you don't know where the gardens are without one, and b) there's a volunteer at the entrance of each winning garden and he/she doesn't let anyone in who doesn't have a passport in hand. He/she is also keeps track of how many visitors each garden receives. Volunteers usually do a three hour shift and then they get to view the gardens with their complementary passports. I volunteered a few times, but found it hard to get to all the gardens I wanted to view with 3 fewer hours!!! Lawns still get trampled with the number of people (I've heard that many winning gardeners have to fix their lawns after the tours), but there's much more control and hardly any chaos. It makes the experience much more pleasant for the winners and the viewers. I'm really sorry I don't get to go this year. :-(

RITA: I hope when you eat one of them CHINESE CUKES you will tell us what you think of that cucumber.If it taste the same as the others, more seeds, less seeds,,etc. I have never hear od them, myself. You had me laughing about your neighbor coming after some more tomatoes.Thats kind of Nervey. but, at least you didnt have to go bring them.Whats the matter they can't grow some in a pot, too, like you do?Are they senior citizens or disabled? I have a black neighbor next door that I give my excess tomatoes to. He is so nice. a very good neighbor. he kept looking at my roof , how it had lots of pine needles on it,and told me several times I really need them off my roof as they will rot the roof, I told him I know this, but, my daughters tell me to stay off the roof, and I can not afford to find some one to pay them to do it for me, and daughters are afraid of higth anyway, and so am I really. well, he came over last fall and brought a long pole with him,and said hes going to try and get them pine needles off my roof for me.Well I had a broken rake against the house, so he took the rake and taped it to his long pole he brought,and he did get all that mess off my roof for me.Well, after that, I raked up pine needles for a couple days aand ended up with over a dozen huge sacks full.he told me to not try to get them to the curb for pickup that he will come do that.. This man is 75 yrs old and works every day with out fail down town some where, i forgot where, but hes a hard worker and a good neighbor, so I bring him tomatoes to eat when I have more then I am going to eat, and hes so happy to get them..Its good to share when you have too much for your own use, but, RITAjean