Yellowstone and Glacier are the public gardens in Montana. The state doesn't have urban parks per se, so no botanical gardens. But, you will see millions of wild flowers on your trip. I would suggest you purchase a book on Northern Rockies wildflowers so you can identify what you find and see. Hope you enjoy our native beauty! Linda in Helena, MT

Whoa Josh!!! Gee, thanks for all the neat "links" you posted for me!! I was in reading last night for quite a length of time, & there is much info on alot of this stuff! Now, I'm not sure if Missouri's type of foliage & flowers are similar to ours here in Idaho, as I think they might "differ" a bit... mostly due to our Desert climate right in our area. The MOBOT Herbarium Instruction page was a "mind-blower," as it was some really in-depth reading, and I could go for hours on that one! Wow! I was really glad to hear you know what "Prickly-Pear" Cactus' are, because they grow wild here, by the "scads," and alot of folks use them in their rock gardens & such. When roaming or hiking in the mountains or Desert areas around here, you really have to watch where you're stepping, because of the large groups of them that grow everywhere! I've even seen them growing right out of the tops of lava rocks around here... with no soil!!! Too bad I can't figure out a way to get the beautiful blossoms off of them to "press & dry!" (... that would be a real fiasco` though, because of how sharp they are!) You had mentioned the "Yucca" Plant. That is one I am not very familiar with. I did try to grow some "Yucca" at one time out here, but as usual, I had no luck. It is just too dry on our Ranch here. I will have to ask around & see if folks grow any Yucca around here. I have not navigated around on the Site much here yet, since I have been a Member, so haven't went into the "Native forum" yet... but will do that. Thanks. You are right when you stated that right now, we should have a vast array of tiny flowers & things growing out in the Desert here on our Ranch. Always in the Spring time here in our area, everything of Nature is just loaded with many unusual Spring flowers & foliage. I am hoping to get out and pick some wild "Indian Paint Brush" to press & dry, that's for sure! This was something I wanted to do over the Easter week-end, but our weather was really stormy with alot of high gusts of Wind,... so I couldn't get out to do that. I am like you Josh... not only do I like to attempt to press & dry "flowers," but I also like the foliage... alot of it, & am always so interested in dried "leaves" and such. "Moss" fascinates me too!! I was reading on some of the previous "links" you gave to me on various plants, & it was telling how to "skeletonize" leaves & such... That was quite interesting to me! (maybe something I'll have to try sometime, but realize it's also difficult to do.) As far as me "trading" any plants from your area, I would be willing just to send you some of my Western "sage" foliage from out here... because that's all it is, is "leaves," but I would have to "press & dry" some first. Let me know what you think? Thank you for responding & Posting Josh.. it's always good to hear from you, & I will be in reading more of the info in the "links" you sent to me as well. Take care, & I will anticipate hearing from you again~ Warmest regards, ~ IndianPaintBrush ~

Wow, should not have been gone so long. Look at all the beautiful rose pics I have been missing out on! They are BEAUTIFUL! Overall my babies did pretty good. Not as good as last years blooms and not as much growth as I had hoped for. I lost a few but replaced them with many, many more... Here is a pic this last season after more digging,planting and remodeling but before the nasty snow hit Here are a couple of my own seedlings grown from seed I live in a cold zone 4b. I do not protect my roses. I have been weeding out those that will not survive here and replacing them with zone 3-4 roses that need no protection. For the most part I will not know how my new babies will do until the new season. Last years zone 3-4 planted roses came back perfect this season. There was very little to no die back. I am very pleased with them. Freezing in Idaho & sick of snow, The Lioness

shades - I went thru a huge envelope of samples I had and there was a sample of allure in it! So, I guess I did find one I liked. I still like it but I reread the old Allure threads on 'flooring' and it sounds like future trouble. I hope your friend doesn't have problems with it! I also spilled the dog's water on that tile I posted above and soaked it up with a microfiber cloth. Then I figured since it hadn't been cleaned in a few days and was wet I'd clean it some. I scrubbed at it with a few paper towels and they came up clean. That is a MIRACLE tile I tell ya! Nothing is clean here after a few days, me and dog walking on it and desert dirt blowing in! so I took another paper towel and tried again - still no dirt on the paper towel. I'm amazed. I'd better use it - lol! I'll still check out a few other things but that tile is looking real good at this point!