Paul, they are all small plants right now, but I have tried to allow for ultimate growth. I have a pretty big back yard, and after gardening in it for 8 years, it still looks kind of empty. So, I had some room for these trees. The mystery plants I got are actually conradina (false or beach rosemary). I don't think it is hardy here, but MON reports that it is, after I checked it. It is a very nice looking foliage, like rosemary. In fact, that's what I thought it was when I first pulled one out of the box. But, I rubbed the leaves and while it has a minty smell, it is definitely not rosemary. I think it can be used for culinary purposes, though. The plants are very nice, though. I can't wait to get Lantana 'Miss Huff' (a pink/yellow) and hamelia patens planted. Has anyone grown HP from seed? It is not hardy here either, but if I can save some seed and grow it next year, I'd love to do it. I went ahead and got a cephalanthus occidentalis, though I have winter sown seeds. I wanted to get a jump start on nectar. The lonicera I got was just marvelous. Already has flower buds on it, and I hope it will hold them to bloom. The illicium was also very nice and at least 3' tall full of foliage. I ordered 3 Aristolochia tomentosas, which arrived yesterday, too. Can't wait to get those planted as well. My backyard is about 5,000 sf I would guess (2 city lots). While neighbors have lots of trees, I only have a Bradford pear, a Japanese Maple, and a contorted mulberry, all small trees. So, I really do have the room to plant them. And fortunately a lot of them will tolerate partial shade. I have little Wild Cherry seedlings that are putting on rapid new growth and leaves right now, albeit they are only about 6" tall, they appear to be vigorous plants. Black willow is all that I'm lacking right now. It's enough to make my brain swirl, thinking of all that I want to plant for the butterflies! I will take pics soon, but nothing to really look at yet, since everything is still pretty much dormant. Susan

In USDA 6 you can get away with fall planting of fully hardy kinds, this is the preferred time to plant whenever possible anyway. In fall plants are often taller, an entire growing season having just ended. But big tops in small pots are not preferable, if roots are circling and compacted these will have to be opened up to assure long-term success. Mauling roots in fall defeats part of the purpose of fall planting, as replacement roots from cut root ends will not appear until top growth starts in spring. If undisturbed root systems are installed (early enough) in fall, existing root tips then immediately push a considerable distance into the surrounding soil - immediately giving the new acquisition a good start. Plants installed during any other season will not get as good a grip on the ground until the first fall after planting, fall is the only time when the roots get to have all the fun - the rest of the year the energy budget is prioritized for other parts of the plant or the plant is basically sleeping (winter). Elongation of new roots formed in spring is minimal, the tops also being active at this time and taking their share of the available energy - which is at a low point because of winter having just taken place.

I've ordered from many JM nurseries, but the best and healthiest plants I've received have been from Lucille at Whitman Farms and Diana at Topiary Gardens. They regularly send very large, very mature specimens. I haven't ordered from Davidsan's yet, but their reputation is outstanding. I have a JM friend with hundreds of cultivars recently bought, and he also raves about Garden Design Nursery, which has Winter Flame in stock. (http://www.gardendesignnursery.com/GDN%20Internet%20AvailabilityPDF.pdf) Diana is sold out of Winter Flame right now, but it looks like Lucille has them. Her $25 gallon pots are a steal for what you get. I just ordered three more because her earlier spring shipment blew me away. (http://www.whitmanfarms.com/allplants/ornamental-plants/maples/acer-palmatum/winter-flame-acer-palmatum-winter-flame/)

Yep - each pot becomes a sort of mini garden...although I generally grow mine in individual 4 inch pots (after pricking out) and keep them in larger trays for ease of watering, moving and keeping the pots upright (rampaging collie).. Plants are infinitely adaptable, really want to live and are amenable to being lifted and moved, sometimes numerous times. With gypsophila, for example, I will keep half a dozen in a pot and transplant them in chunks rather than single small plants. If you can grow tomatoes, you can certainly grow other perennials....germination can be tricky and as you accomplished that, the loss was down to misfortune (pesty creatures) rather than incompetence or lack of knowledge. Keep trying - maybe just some cheap and easy annuals. Growing from seed is as easy as any other aspect of gardening - maybe easier in some respects and most perennials need no special treatment apart from an autumn sowing and a chance to germinate and grow with very little input needed from us. - I certainly do not faff about with heat or light although that can be required for some vegetables which need to mature over a longer season than a cold climate will allow. Perennials are actually easier in that many will simply grow in their own time, just as they would in a natural, non gardening setting.