Mantis - I received Teddy Bears Picnic as a bonus, and that first year I didn't know if I would keep it. But it has been a stellar performer for the past three years and normally has bud counts in the 20s. This year I think 15-17 buds is the norm. It does change color during the day. It starts out that grayed lavender and changes into a dark purple by afternoon. I like the chameleon characteristic but some don't. Here's a photo at the end of yesterday with a real temp of 95 and a heat index of 102. Debra

Schoolhouse, could you go early evening, sit in the car in the area and still see them? We have done that. Waiting until 9 pm or so makes a long day. I don’t find them particularly interesting after decades of attending firework shows, but other family members do and the kids of course. I would be happy to stay home. There was a loud show near our home last night. I was glad when it was over. The dog was not scared, just puzzled. Lgmd, I hear you, but that’s a battle we cannot win! (Remember I’m in charge of environment and recycling on the KT.) However there are a lot worse forms of pollution than one night of fireworks.

We have so many problems in our community with illegal fireworks and law enforcement acts like there is almost nothing they can do about it. Last year was awful with fireworks going on every night for a month before the 4th- and we are in tight tract houses :( Thankfully this year hasn't been quite as bad. Last year on the 4th, someone a few houses down lit his shed on fire with some illegal fireworks- bad enough that it required the fire department. We saw all this when we were coming home from the community display. People less than a block away were continuing to light off large, illegal fireworks and law enforcement present at the fire did nothing??? Our cat has already licked himself some bald spots from fireworks stress this year- again not as bad as last year. We had a dog who was terrified of fireworks, but who seemed to be drawn to gun shots (we had lived between two training ranges at one point and she would sit in the yard and turn her nose and ears eagerly in the direction of the sound of gunshots.) I don't know how she could tell the difference. The scariest thing I remember was hearing fireworks on New Years Eve and then realizing that the dog was not having any reaction...

Dick - Scarecrow only has 10 to 11 buds per scape here. Jim Murphy told me he usually gets more than 10 on it and some southern growers have reported bud counts from 18 to the 20s from it. Scarecrow multiplies very rapidly, and I'm still growing it in a large pot. I hope to finally get it in the ground this fall. I expect it will have more buds in that situation. Sherry - Waves Become Wings is a beautiful, dependable Hanson late. I imagine it would grow even better in the north. The blooms have heavy substance and nice pink color that doesn't fade like others with temps in the high 90s. I'm planting Sunshine Bouquet this fall just to find out if it has those high bud counts. I will say on its first day to bloom it was a bad fader in this heat. It was hybridized in PA, so it probably didn't face the kind of July temps were have here on a regular basis. Debra