I'm back from my trip to Las Vegas and it was a wonderful time. I avoided the strip and tourist traps and headed to the parks instead. Springs Preserve was not as enjoyable as I hoped. Everything was very artificially constructed & arranged. There were tons of cool plants, but it was very "Vegas-y". Not my taste. On the other hand, Mount Charleston was AMAZING. I climbed the trail to Mary Jane Falls and was astounded to see so many things blooming in summer. My absolute favorite moment was finding Dodecatheon & Aquilegia in bloom at the bottom of the falls. Now I *totally* get it. I've read for years about Aquilegia in the desert growing around waterfalls... but it never made sense to me until I actually experienced it. Now it makes perfect sense. :-) (Bear in mind I'm an easterner who doesn't live anywhere near any waterfalls... or deserts.) I also loved the landscaping around the city (again, nowhere near the strip). The only plants I truly recognized were Moraea bicolor which were just barely still flowering. All in all, it's good to be home (and I'm glad I missed the heatwave! it was hotter here than it was in Vegas during my entire stay). Dennis in Cincinnati