Lykaon, What a beautiful yard you have...it makes me realize I should really spruce up my edges...mine is way more "rustic", so to speak. I say "YES" to your idea on future hosta beds, you have such an excellent backdrop there for beds. What are your flowering shrubs, Viburnum? Not sure on the Thunderbolt question, it doesn't look quite like mine that I can remember (I lost mine.)....I think mine were more blue, but someone else may have a better thought. Thank you for sharing! Your beds are beautiful! I finally bought Regal Splendor last year after having it on the wishlist year after year...can't wait to see it furl out now! (Eyes are only just now popping up this week here.)

Boo, I grew Cherokee Trail of Tears a couple years ago. They did stay pretty short through most of July, and then they took off like Rockets! I got a nice crop out of them. I've been getting rain, but thankfully not too much. I'm lucky with the weather most of the time. Sometimes the patterns go haywire though, and I get bizarre/bad weather. I live in the lane between the two lake patterns. Often times you can be at my house and see the line of clouds to the north and south, and have it clear here. So unless a storm or cloud cover is massive, I miss the brunt of it. Of course when it is a really dry summer, I'm talking to the cloud begging them to move over this way! Remy

Thanks Embo, maybe the drain pipe doesn’t help, but these were planted last summer, in a wind-exposed location and last winter was really long and harsh (many days of -40 Celsius). They look better now than they did in Spring. I promised myself it would be the last time I would plant large specimens. If you look closely, you’ll see that my blue spruces have also suffered damage.

Luke is definitely a cutie, peren.all! Your garden looks great, as always! Nicholsworth (without the 55 part!)---now what can I change my name to---oldhostalady?---your compost factory is quite the process! Lots of work involved, but I believe it when you say that your plants are loving your compost! I have to say that I am envious with anyone whose hostas are now gone dormant! I am waiting for a freeze just so I can put my hosta containers away. It's cold and windy and I just don't enjoy the outdoors very much anymore. It's too cold for me! Now about Fragrant Blue, I remember a thread where forum members were discussing whether or not they could smell any fragrance from Fragrant Blue. I was surprised that many said that they could not. Mine does have a scent, but it is a light one. Nothing compared to something like Guacamole's stronger scent. Now doesn't that make it more confusing! In June: In August: In October: