"Roughly speaking, how much of the flora is unable to grow on the West Coast?" Seems like it's usually more like what won't grow here? (Often with bad consequences, in the case of invasives.) For instance, my mother is endlessly frustrated by my interest in native plants (she is in New Mexico), as she says "You can grow ANYTHING there and you plant plain old Apricot Mallow???!" lol. Of course, I still have a lemon tree, orange tree, palm tree, tea tree, orchid tree, hibiscus, hydrangea, avocado etc....Full disclosure: I am a newbie and just got some actual dirt a year ago - but it has been amazing to learn about this amazing climate - which is Mediterranean btw. Often I wish there was a California version of every forum here - particularly veggies, since our planting times are totally different. Some books I like: Mediterranean Kitchen Garden: Growing Organic Fruit and Vegetables in a Hot, Dry Climate by Mariano Bueno, Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening, and California Native Plants for the Garden by Carol Bornstein et al. The Sunset Bible is also on my shelf. The micro-climate is crucial - I am in East LA and have a totally different zone than you will in Santa Monica. One thing that I'll add to look into for native plants is the Theodore Payne Foundation which is local - it's really a neat non-profit nursery and educational resource.

I am so happy that you all want to get together again. Getting together in Tampa and on the East coast would definitely be on a weekend. I hope that we can get others to join us. Hi Barbara, I am looking forward to seeing you again also. Hopefully we can get Sharon to join us and others in the Tampa area. Start thinking of a place that we can meet where we can sit and chat and have some good food also. The place we went to last time was really nice but I can't remember the name of it. Anyone else out there that wants to have some fun and get to meet folks from the KT?

YES, YES it's still on. I fly out at the crack of dawn on Friday. Dances and I will be in Tampa by 4:30. Going to spend the night at my cousins house about an hour away. We will be going to the FL State Fair Saturday morning and will go from there to the get together. We are both looking forward to seeing you and Sharon. Hopefully any other KTer's in the Tampa area will show up. Don't need to know in advance. The get together will be held at CODY'S on Hillsboro Ave just east of the Flea Market & Racetrack Rd at 3:30 on Feb. 7th. If anyone has any questions or need any further information please post it here and either Barbara or Sharon will help you out.

I have noticed the differences between East and West. Not sure how the mid-west fits in, but probably more Eastern? Our country was mainly settled in the East, and then people migrated West. There are many more historical minded people in the East. California has a lot of Spanish influence, and many of those homes have a lot of color in various rooms. One such home had a roof fire a while back, and driving by, I was amazed at the various colors inside that house! Pink, mint, aqua, orange, lavender....wow! There are many new developments here, and for many years those homes come in one color on all walls. Maybe people think "new" should be neutral, so they continue with the trend. If they buy "old," they tend to paint all the walls a neutral color to update it. Our entire home is painted a soft neutral beige with white wood accents except for one room. The ceiling is painted dark navy blue and the walls a deep brown. That room is where we go to watch TV and gather with friends. We call it our "Pub." There are differences between Northern and Southern California too. San Francisco has a lot of color. Maybe because of the fog? Whoever said weather has an influence is probably right.