Well, as computer gremlins would have it, I had a huge email that somehow disappeared. So, I will start all over. I am now in OH at my uncle's house in z 5b. There are some real surprises this spring. Tropicals/non-hardies: Cardoon is sprouting and is about 3' tall. Parsley is up and about to flower. Tetrapanex 'Steroidal Giant' has suckered and I have about 5 new plants. I had removed the main plant last fall and sent to myself (it died). Salvia Black and Blue up against the house is nearing 3' tall already. Brugmansia (overwintered in the unheated garage) is sprouting from the top Fuchsia 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt' also in the garage in a pot is sprouting Agapanthus in the same garage is completely evergreen. I wasn't expecting that. Hardy tropicals: Crinum (mostly powellii and moorei but a few Ellen B.) are quite large this year but no signs of buds forming. Rhodophialas are everywhere that I planted them. They have started to clump quite nicely. They put on a nice show last fall when I was home. Lycoris (longituba, squamigera, and one other that I can't think of at the moment) are up and lush. they seem to have very little tip burn. They have been in the ground for 3 years or more and have not bloomed that I am aware of. I did have radiata in the ground that flowered but they have since disappeared. Yucca rostrata seems to have overwintered quite well. I gave it a few tugs on the leaves and there doesn't seem to be any rot. Some happy notes: I am seeing some Japanese and Siberian iris bloom that I haven't seen before. I also have what I thought was I. cristata in bloom but it is white. Is there a white form that I might have picked up? I originally had it planted under a magnolia until I realized (as I should have known) that they have opposite soil requirements. I have planted here nearly 18 different iris species/types. Then I have maybe 6-8 of each type at the most. Of the Japanese ones I have maybe 8 varieties, 6 or so Siberians, a dozen of the Germans, some Dutch, some Spurias, etc., etc. My Spiranthes cernua var. odora (from Plant Delights) have increased well. I added more plants last year to increase the size of the area. I love them. I think they are adorable and one of the easiest orchids next to Bletillas for cold climates. I do have large stands now of the Bletilla. I asked my aunt what she thought about them and she said that she doesn't like the leaf and wondered if I could take them out. I, of course, said no. I told her that she should be proud to have large stands of orchids in her yard. She didn't seem to be too impressed. Maybe this fall I will pull some out and move them around and give some to other family members who should love them more. Lilies are doing well. I have buds on my regals and the formossanum are chest high already. The OP and LA lilies are also quite tall. Most of these I got from Judith at the Lily Garden. In my shade garden (a rather small crowded area) had some nice blooms. The Trillium grandiflora (from Naylor gardens for a steal, $7 each) bloomed for the first time this year. I also have blooms on the Arum italicums. There are other orchids that I planted here to try them out but I haven't searched for them just yet. I planted Epipactis thunbergii, Orchis graminifolia hybrids, and Habenaria radiata. The area has a ground cover of a Campanula that is doing better than anticipated. I will have to remove some soon. There is also a collection of 18 or so Tricyrtis that I have acquired. I will be pulling out my original hirta as it always has dried leaf tips in the fall when blooming. It is right up against the house and doesn't get enough water. Since I have so many nicer varieties now, I won't be too sad. The Rohdea had it throughout the winter. I need to take a closer look when the rains stop but it looks like there might be some variegation starting on the leaves. In the same bed I have planted some Arisaema sikokianum and cyclamen. The later seems to be smothered by the Pulmonarias nearby. My aunt want the Pulmonarias removed as well. She is quite hard to please sometimes. I have several Hellebores that have been in the ground for several years and I still have no blooms. 'Black Lady' put out maybe 4 or 6 flowers last year but nothing this year. The only bloom I got this year was from foetidis. What am I doing wrong? They are somewhat small plants yet but I thought that the wayside hybrids that I got 6 years ago would be larger than 8" tall by now. They are infuriating. Growing some plants has taught me patience (clivias, palms, etc.) but since i only see these plants occasionally, I thought that there were be major growth spurts between visits. What do they need that they are not getting? They are in a humus rich (peat and compost) soil in bright dappled shade (some direct sun in the morning). There is leaf litter and moisture. They don't stay wet at any time of the year but they don't really dry out too much either. The peonies are doing well. The trees are finished except for a few sheltered blooms. The herbaceous are either in full bloom or just getting started. Coral Charm and Coral Sunrise are finished though. I did get to see the last blooms the day I arrived. They were quickly removed the next day with rains. I had no idea that they fade to a yellow/apricot color though. Of my peonies there is one or two that I have to rave about. 'America' is incredible. I know that I have said this every year but WOW!. The single magenta red blooms are huge. They are easily over 8" across and never flop in the rains. The other one is 'Karl Rosenfeld'. Even though it is one of the most common commercial reds, the color is gorgeous. It has been raining all night and they are still standing without any support. Most of my herb. are on peony rings but not this one. I was hoping to get a bloom on 'Bartzella' this year but I guess I need to wait for another year. One peony that eludes me is 'Lord Calvin'. I have had this plant for several years now. I have had to move it several times over the years but I have never had a bloom. It is at the end of the driveway near the house so it might be getting a lot of salt. How salt tolerant are peonies? Also, this is same location for my Sarracenia flava that is blooming for the first time. It is planted in the open clay/loam soil. I have quite a few Alliums blooming, schubertii, christofii, and another muddy white one with wide grey leaves from Brent and Becky's. This one is about 4" tall with 3" umbels. The name escapes me at the moment. That reminds me that I need to check on the ones that I got from Mark. I haven't really had too much chance to get out to the garden between the rains. OK. I just looked and they seem like they are elongated and buds are on the rise. The Fritillaria imperalis seemed like they bloomed good this year. I am glad that I found, finally, the proper place for the. They are located at the base of a birch tree on a raised bed that never holds water due to it's angle. The other location is out at the mailbox which is nearly pure sand and rocks. I need to search for the other Frits (from Jane) to see how they are doing. Looks like the Ornithagaulm sp. (which escapes me, also from Jane) seem to have bloomed nicely. Iphieon uniflora and 'Alberto Castillo' have formed nice clumps. They are done blooming by now. I'd love to get some more of the other varieties, namely 'Charlotte Bishop'. This is my aunt's favorite color other than teal. My 'Charlotte's in L.A. didn't bloom this year so I don't know where they have gone. With the winter being very mild, I am expecting to find the Hippeastrums sprouting when I get into the beds to work. They made it through the previous winter which was pretty cold. Digitalis grandiflora (seeds sent to the BX) are starting to bloom. This is a work horse Digitalis. It is blooming in the spring when I am here and again in Sept. when I return. I have no idea of the interim but they are not dead headed and have never reseeded, unfortunately. I'd love to have a large stand of them around. Penstemons are budded and rearing to go. I usually loose them after a few years. They get too much moisture here. The callas are all sprouting. I have lost only one calla that I've planted in the ground. I ordered (from Plant Delights) a large white spotted calla. I hope to get some large ones that will spread nicely. One plant that I am amazed is hardy is Zauschneria 'Orange Carpet'. This is an 8" tall mound about 3' wide from a single plant. It is massed in Sept with orange flowers. I recommend it for any climate. If they grow here and in CA, they can grow anywhere. I'm sure that I have left some things off this truncated email <G> but I'll send more info when I find out more. John Ingram in L.A., CA. http://www.floralarchitecture.com/ "Your Clivia Connection" john@floralarchitecture.com 310.709.1613 (cell, west coast time, please call accordingly. Thank you)