Update.... In June of 2012 we came to the Tampa Bay area where our family all lives on what was supposed to be a short visit. We ended up staying here for a couple of years. All of our kids and grandchildren are here and we are thinking about a permanent move. We are from here originally and will still keep one of our homes in the Keys so we can vacation there. I left my huge trees of course and my fairly large Gulfstream, Aztec gold, Daisy WIlcox and Guillots Sunset as well as all of my Thai seedlings. I only got to see one seedling bloom so I may bring them up here since they are getting really big now and are planted way too close together. Plenty of relatives up here that want some of them. :) In October I dug up all of my youngsters that were planted in the ground and brought them up here. I kept them dry, put them in the garage when it got cold but still lost the following to either black tip or rot: Bali Whirl Black Purple Chocco Delight Compacta Peach Cookstown Sunset Essies Fantasy Gardenia Gladys K Grant Gold Coast Peachy Kaneohe Sunburst Lilac Clouds Mary Moragne Mele Pa Bauman Muang Oncarek Orange Sherbert Plastic Pink Singapore Texas Aggie Thai Orange Splendor The rest so far are doing good and 80% are waking up and I have just re-potted them in Al's Gritty Mix. I have done all but about 20, Have to get more Turface tomorrow then will finish the rest. The ones already done have been dosed with Root Excelerator. Thank You LAURA and Al for all the advice on the Gritty Mix. WOW was that a job, getting the items, sifting, mixing, potting them..... I'm lucky my husband is even speaking to me. LOL. I hope it works or I will never hear the end of it. The large 5 gallons from Jungle Jacks that were shipped in pots when I bought and none them never missed a beat and were the first to leaf out. We will go back in a couple of months to feed the plants in our yard in the Keys and I'm going to get cuttings from my big Guillot's Sunset, Gulfstream and Aztec Gold, and hopefully root them up here. Elucas101- they take up a lot of space but 75% of them were youngsters and in 1-3 gallon pots or planted in the ground. Jandey- I haven't seen many of them bloom yet, many of them are only 2 year old rooted cuttings. I really love Guilllots Sunset and for scent Vera Cruz Rose. I like Sangria a lot and also Inca Gold because it blooms non stop and has huge rosettes of so many blooms. honeybunny2- I am always glad to share or trade. Black Tiger rotted. It didn't have many roots when I got it and it was a tiny little thing not in the best of shape when I received it. This year I am going to be much pickier about what I order. I would rather pay more for more roots and a larger size. Almost all of them are fine. Many that I lost were not that great when I received them. One of the disadvantages of ordering online. I'm going to order again from Jungle Jacks. I was VERY satisfied with all that I got from him. They were healthy, big and had tons of roots. **** edited to add Gardenia to the goner list This post was edited by powderpuff on Fri, Apr 12, 13 at 11:14

Hi Bill, Yes, it seems to be working good for my plants..It looks a little cluttered, but the plants seem to like it so that's all that matters! Next year I'll have to come up with something else though. We are going to start remodeling our home and adding a pool, so I will be spreading them out along the wall a little bit more. Plus they will all be bigger, so I'll be putting them in bigger pots. But I'll still try to use the umbrella method, especially since we'll probably get a couple more of them anyways for around the pool.(for people to be able to sit in shade). It's just so darn hot out here! Where you are it's a good deal cooler (as in 20 or so degrees cooler) But OC is so darn expensive to live in. We looked at houses down there (my husband works in El Segundo), But it's just too pricey for what we were looking for...Oh well... Oh and guess what, the seeds that you sent me have started to send out their first roots...I have them floating in water so I can see what's going on...And they are germinating...Yeah! Soon I'll need to transplant them into some pellets...These little buggers grow so fast! In regards to the meeting on August 6,2006, yes I'm going to be able to go. My husband is going to watch the baby for me, so I can head down there and be a part of it :) That way I can also meet some of the people on here as well (like you!) What time does the meeting start? Do you happen to know how long it usually is, and where I can get directions? It's in Huntington Beach, right? And that way I can get Karen her long anticipated Celadine :) Thanks again Bill! You're a really nice guy, you know that? :)

There are two Houston PSA Shows/Sales every year. Come to the one in June, south of Houston in Clear Lake---tie in a mini vacation down on Galveston!!! And while you are shopping at the Sale---let the family tour NASA (Mission Control, astronaut training, etc)...less than a mile down the street on NASA Rd 1!!! Also, the Kemah Boardwalk is down the other way less than a mile away for excellent seafood & entertainment on the water!!! The June PSA Sale is fantastic & it is during the first leg of summer!!! P.S. The shopping carts are SOP down here! You download the list of plumies that will be on sale & at which tables a couple days before the sale, draft a Wish List... then shop till you drop!!!! PSA Sales are the best!!!!!! :))) Thanks for posting the pics!!!!!

It's beautiful, Roxanne!!! Do you have another GS? We will talk if you don't!!! ;-) Love this bloom !! It's a.beauty!!! Take care, Xoxoxo Laura