California has a million micro-climates. SF Peninsula where i live can vary 15-20 degrees based on if you are in the path of the incoming fog. My particular city (our motto is Climate Best by Government Test) is pretty much optimal - not as much fog as up north but not too hot in the summer, we haven't seen frost in 3 years but still get enough chill hours for peaches and plums. My neighbor to the right grows bananas and has a mango tree (no fruit yet) and the other neighbor grows cherries. Zone 9b, Sunset 16 - its gardening paradise. It will cost you big bucks to live here, though, especially with enough land for fruit trees.

Aloha farmfreedom First; the best place to grow most everything is from 1500 foot elevation to 2000. That would include Poinsetia that will not grow and bloom at sea level. It would also include Singapore Plumeria that grows at sea level but not above 2000 feet. That would still not be good for Peaches or other cold weather fruit. In other words no place grows everything. Second; The most economical places are on the Big Island. Mostly on the east side, Hilo side, or the south end. There are a lot of lava fields that land can be cheap but very expensive to develop. The best way to find out would be to visit Hilo and start researching. Seeds of most plants can be imported. Cacao seeds can be imported. They have to clear agriculture. Cacao is a tropical tree that would grow almost anywhere on the islands up to 2000 ft. On the leeward side they would have to be watered. There are a lot of variables to what you are asking. A Hawaiian Atlas from Amazon or Barnes and Noble has a lot of research information. Good luck. phil

Never fear, it is a lovely hosta anyway, and I just potted mine up. It will not be thrown out for sure. I won't hold its lack of fragrance against it at all. Thanks, DonR and DonB for the input. The LIST is my favorite shopping tools for fragrant hosta. We're about to begin 3 days of rain, so I must take pictures of it now before the bottom falls out.

I've been to the Big Island six times. The first was when I was a geology undergrad and we went as a field trip for a class I was taking, and the most recent was two weeks ago with my two kids ages 7 and 8. My kids have each been there three times. Hawaii is where we choose to vacation. We make decisions in regards to other finances in order to make this happen. Anyway, definitely rent a 4WD vehicle. There is a gorgeous green sand beach (green sand...yes! It's formed from an old cinder cone where the magma has all eroded and what is left are the olivine crystals.) three miles from the end of South Point Road. Unless you want to hike six miles round-trip (I've done it twice and don't recommend it), the only way to get there is by 4WD. Also, if the water is calm at South Point, take a chance and jump off the southern most point of the United States. Definitely a thrill. Then hike a little more and go around South Point and see how dangerous the water is on the East Side. It's an amazing place. A 4WD will get you up to the top of Mauna Kea to see the telescopes. Although you can make it easily to the Visitors Center with a regular car. I would highly recommend spending an evening stargazing up there. Punalu'u Black Sand beach is a beautiful place to see a black sand beach and sea turtles. A hike to the bottom of the Pololu Valley will also get you to a gorgeous black sand beach and you can see the remains of the 1946 tsunami that hit the area. HVNP is well worth the trip, even if you can't see the lava up close. I've been there when we've hiked right to the lava and I made my own rock (this was on the geology field trip and is not recommended for amateurs), seen the lava flow from either side of the Chain of Craters Road, and most recently, only seen the lava glow at night from the Halema'ua'u Crater. The first time I went, we were able to go right to the edge of the crater at the overlook and we even hiked across the Kileau Crater. Now, the crater is active and the area around it is closed. The overlook was actually destroyed in an explosion when the crater became active. The lava changes every day and you never know what you are going to see when you go. Have a fabulous time! We've never stayed at the 4S. Instead we stay a bit further up the Kohala Coast at the Fairmont Orchid. The beach at the 4S is rockier and smaller than that at the Orchid, but the other amenities at the 4S make up for it. Maybe if we didn't go every other year, we'd be able to afford the 4S! :-)