If anyone is interested in the Theme Garden Seed Swap, it is posted on the Round Robin Exchange Board I won't be checking the board here so if you want more information or to sign up please follow the link. Link: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/roundrobin/msg0900480714157.html?14279 Jeanne

How about the evolution of one area 2010-2013? It's taken time to try to get the effect I wanted, especially because I didn't know what effect I wanted in the first place. 2010: Got rid of that lawn and the Cercis trees in 2012. 'Laguna' climber has grown to obscure a good bit of the neighbor's roof. Yay! Added a tutuer as a focal point for the axial view, but the dull green color doesn't attract the eye. Moved all the 'Jubilee Celebration's there to form a hedge. Temporary row of bell peppers in front of the roses proved quite ornamental. Dahlias and shasta daisies and 'Rozanne' this June almost stole the show from the roses... November 2013...the dahlias and daisies are done for the year, but 'Rozanne' and the roses go on and on. The eye is supposed to be drawn from the 'Rozanne's back and forth along the path up to the 'Perle d'Azur' clematis on the right side fence and then to the tuteur, which doesn't look like it in the photo but painted now the same color (in person) as the 'Rozanne' flowers. That's the theory, anyway. Now if the exact right shrubs can be found to render the rest of the neighbor's roof invisible, I will finally be satisfied. (Temporarily.) As a garden evolves, so does the gardener--or is it the other way around? And to recall 1999 again, the same area but looking in the other direction.

Thanks guys! Glad to hear your gardens are in full swing! Thank you to everyone for sending in seeds each year. Your collections are fabulous. It makes it fun to share them all out and imagine that we all have a hand in growing things right across Canada! Happy gardens! Nicky

Generally, around 10:00 AM. A little earlier is probably fine, but we don't want to wake Henrietta up or make her neighbors call the cops by showing up at the crack of dawn. It usually goes on for at least a couple of hours, at which point we break for lunch. If you are going to come late, make sure to let those folks with whom you're trading know about it; otherwise, people might consider you a no-show and send your plants home with someone else.