nhbabs - Most of these are spread out throughout my garden, but because the garden is relatively small, all the mums can be seen with a couple of glances. I've thought about trying a mum bed, but have never done it. Spreading them out also makes the entire garden look more colorful than it actually is this time of year. I did try a grouping of 3, but I kind of screwed it up. Evidently I didn't pay close enough attention to heights and the shortest one ended up in the rear and the tallest one in the front. It looks kind of weird. Sandy - I don't do anything special for winter - no protection other than leaves that get caught in the dead foliage. I don't trim them back so that seems to help. I've only lost a couple in the last several years. As far as soil ph, I've never paid any attention to this, but did find the following blurb from the University of MN Extension Service: "Soil, Site, and Fertilizer Garden chrysanthemums grow best in a variety of soils but must have excellent drainage conditions. Growth is poor and winterkill likely in poorly drained wet soils. Sunny locations are good sites. Plants in semishady locations will be taller, have weaker stems, and bloom later in the fall. Incorporate 2 - 4" of peat moss, compost, or well-rotted barnyard manure into the soil. If you use only peat moss or do not add organic matter, apply 3 to 4 pounds per 100 square feet of a complete fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 in the spring. Sidedressing plants with a complete fertilizer in early August, especially in years of abundant rainfall or irrigation, also is recommended. If the fertilizer applied in the spring is a slowly available type, such as coated or organic fertilizer, the second application may not be necessary. Space plants 18 - 24" apart, depending on the mature size of the cultivar." and from another site: "Soil : The ideal soil for chrysanthemum growing is a well-drained sandy loam of good texture and aeration. The soil should be neutral or slightly acidic with pH 6.5 to 7.0 having high organic content. Very light sandy soils are not recommended owing to their poor moisture holding properties" Kevin

Always fun to list faves, though I think the best is the one that's blooming now! My current summer faves: brunfelsia Isola (lactea x americana, I believe, though no one seems to know for sure)is a blooming machine: I should have taken a picture a week ago, over 30 blooms in a 12" pot! It does get mealy bugs in winter, but it can handle a bit of abuse. Aglaia odorata, aka rice flower: mine's now 3 ft. tall, and seems to bloom after putting out new stems. Interestingly, the fragrance was almost the same as a cymbidium sinense orchid that bloomed at the same time -- heaven to your nose! Trachelospermum 'Mandianum', aka asiaticum, aka whatever they're calling it these days: has stayed in the same pot for years, almost a natural bonsai at this point, keeps popping out small yellow flowers with a marvelous, soft fragrance. And you gotta love the way old leaves turn red before dropping, for that two tone effect! And last but not least, now that I've figure out I wasn't watering my MOO enough, it's blooming all summer long! Yellowthumb, brunfelsia in Ontario? Have you checked flora exotica? Enjoy the scents!

Keith, Thanks! The spanish moss looks good, but I think it's freeze dried. Even the moss in my garage did not pull through (probably from the lack of moisture), but it was alive well into February so it was very close to the light at the end of the tunnel. I'll definitely be replacing it all in the spring. I've noticed that Chamerops pups show more cold tolerance than the mother plant, I still have no idea why. haha. My guess is that it's because they are closer to the ground. Thanks Trishmick! Sounds like you had a good time too! I hope you have luck with germinating the seeds you collected. I collected some loquat seeds from Florida 3 years ago and still haven't tried them. For some reason I never get around to starting seeds even when I have them right in front of me haha. I'm hoping one day to drive to Florida instead of taking a plane so I can bring back some nice seeds and plants! Thanks Bradley! I killed 3 pygmy palms indoors in the past so I know how that feels. I have found them to be the hardest palms to grow indoors which is weird considering that they are considered pretty hardy palms. For now on mine will definitely stay in the garage over the winter. Thanks for looking everyone! -Alex

Kim I couldn't find your first post. ARe there other issues that I am missing. Does your mother not show you or your son love? Unless I am missing something it doesn't seem like it is your mom's or your niece's fault on the day that she wants to have her Christmas. Like I said in a previous post, my mother gets my nephew every other Friday night and so when I plan my kids birthday party I always (so to include him) make sure to have them on a weekend that my mother will have him. It's not his fault that his mother is being this way and doesn't give him up any extra :( I am only saying this because you were upset that you had to halt the norm but it's not your niece or your mom's fault. I think I would be more upset if my mom had Christmas with my nephew and my kids on different days. My traditions of Christmas with my kids is on Christmas day but whenever anyone else chooses to give them a Christmas present I don't care if it is 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after. You said that if you have to ask her to show love then it is not worth it.. what does she do? It sounds like she spent a lot on you for Christmas by getting you something that you really wanted.. even though you told her that it was too expensive. Does she do other things that are making you feel this way? I think it would bother me more if my mom didn't care if she had all of her grandkids together... meaning if she cared more for your niece she could have just did Christmas Day with your son and not included him she could have had just her granddaughter on the 15th.. but she obviously wanted both of them together. Anyway.. let me know if I am missing something. The fact that your mom is keeping her all night and not your son would probably bother me but from the way that you talk your mom works full time and from what I can understand she doesn't get this little girl except during this time so she probably feels that she has to get her then if she wants a relationship with her whereas you are not holding him from her. Has she always kept her all night or has this just started?