Jeanne..... you were in Dupont and you didn't stop by!?? haha. Not that there's all that much to see here, but I do have a few perrenials still doing well and I just managed to finally get the container plantings planted. Now if I could only get the front beds planted I will be in good shape. This year's theme is coleus and cannas and bananas.... mostly because the coleus overwintered so well on the windowsill! I decided I can't wait any longer for the tulips in the front bed to die back. I have to plant the coleus in the same spot so I'm going to just dig them up now and hope for the best. I should have just ripped them up after blooming as planned, but they did so well I'm going to save them for next year. I guess I got greedy. Frank

The cultivar known as "Heavenly Blue" is Ipomoea tricolor. Clarke's Heavenly Blue was selected out by Mr.Clarke because it was an early blooming strain , blooming 30 days earlier than whatever other Heavenly Blue / Ipomoea tricolor was available at that time. Clarkes Heavenly Blue in addition to being an earlier blooming cultivar , was also a lighter blue color than many Heavenly Blue available today. The Heavenly Blue commonly available today is a darker color that was being pushed by the jobbers around the early 1980's because they thought it would be more visible from a distance and marketed this darker version as the 'improved' Heavenly Blue. The fact of the confusion regarding the species is based on the fact that many merchandisers really do not know how to tell the different species apart and simply mimic whatever they find on google. The Clarkes description is often used because it is related to an old heirloom cultivar and therefore likely to sell more but most sellers don't have real Clarkes (= false advertising) or for that matter even know what Clarkes really is... Sellers , merchandisers, et al - Rule #1 in business = Know Your Product - and if you don't really know your product than refrain from false descriptions and inform your potential customers in advance that you aren't really certain about your product and that you have not VERIFIED your product. Simply accepting the description you were handed by anyone else who doesn't know how to accurately identify their product is NO EXCUSE !!! I would add that if sellers really do not KNOW WHAT they are selling , they shouldn't be selling it and the excuse 'that is the label they received it with' is NOT an excuse , because it confirms that they didn't take the time to verify their product ( by growing it out first) and therefore do not know their product. The various names attached to describe the products are false advertising whether intentional or unintentional and technically a bona fide legal crime. Would any seller think it fair if you didn't pay most of the product price (?) , or if you gave them phony money = No, they wouldn't and buyers shouldn't accept any lower standards of treatment from any sellers. So, before you believe any labeling , ask the seller (who is accepting your $$ and making $$ on whatever they are selling) , why the product is accurately described in every aspect and if their answer is less than convincing , then reserve your $$ for something you can be more sure of.... I hope my answers are helpful and that my position statements make people think... regards, Ron

This is the year of "no presents but lots of love", and not by my choice LOL. For 11 years, I've spent the entire year trying to figure out exactly what I should get Dave for Christmas, but he just DOESN'T care what he gets..a few books, maybe a puzzle or a crossword book..he's fine..yes, I am the saddest person ever, when my "I've aced it..I KNOW what to get him, only to find turntables for the comp, weather stations he mentioned a million times, the teak shower bench that he said he'd spend cold winter nights sat upon in our brand new slate and stone shower with power jets beating him into submission (only to find he only uses it to stand his shampoo bottle on!) gifts still in their boxes, partly assembled, or just given away. The past couple of years I've given in to his wishes/wants.. and he's been happy with the books he's shopped/bought himself. I'm not, as I love the shopping/surprising/amusing little tags on/thought of you gift giving, and yes selfishly, I wish he liked doing the same as well. When we bought this house with the woodstove, I mentioned that some of the wood that I was splitting and stacking in the woodshed needed a splitting wedge..lo and behold, come Christmas morning, I received a 5lb ice cold wedge of steel..wrapped in a paper bag, and no tag, no name.. yes, I did ask for it, and he's still as happy as a pig in.. whatever ;) lol at the surprised look on my face when that was my ONE gift for the year! Guess I fooled him with my acting skills..so well that the next year I got a Lodge cast iron griddlepan to cook his steaks in for the winter times! Yes, wrapped this time in real wrapping paper and the price tag on it so I'd know how much he appreciates me!!! This year, he asked in November for my list.. I know, gasp! He's cracked it, he's figured out I like to receive AND to give. I'd secretly had books shipped by his parents from England, and a couple of neat things to surprise him, but not over whelm him. On Saturday, December 22 DH Dave went out to the garage to bring in one of the last pieces of door trim we were doing as one of my begged for gifts, and he fell in the snow on a slick of ice. He broke the ball off the top of his humerus, dislocated his shoulder blade and broke his collar bone. After surgery to pin everything to gether, locate the shoulder blade and arm bone, he's home from the hospital now. With his sling and pain meds in place, he's mostly comfortable, but he won't be able to hold the massive hardover books he so wanted, he can't drink the lovely wines and beers he bought, or do the shopping on the list he asked me for in November. He will be able to start therapy in about 2 weeks, and with at least 6 weeks off work that we can ill afford, he has lots of time to think of gifts for next year! Guess I won't be asking for door trim or a splitting wedge! I do love him..honestly! LOL Sorry for the novel! Off to shovel the snow so I can bring in a couple of bins of firewood that I split, with a great wedge!

Sandy..its hard to discribe the scent..here{♣} take a deep whiff..watcha think...lol..just jokin...actually I can't put my finger on the scent..its not a sweet scent..it smells similar to Miele Color Care, but not exactly..it very hard to describe. .it does smell fresh. LOL.. not very hhelpful I know.