Thanks everybody! I'm going to have to read all these posts carefully b/c I know that different conditions work in different climates. For example, 3 hours of afternoon sun probably wouldn't work for me since in Maryland the afternoon sun is pretty "toasty", but 3 hours of morning sun is much cooler. I'm glad to see from some of the posts that they don't have to be wet all the time. They sound a little like fuchsia (moist but not soggy roots). About planting media, how would leaf humus work, (vs. peat moss)? And while many C. Reginae grow in alkaline conditions how critical is this and how alkaline is necessary. I have a garden along an old brick shed foundation (the shed is long gone) that has leaf humus on top of clay soil. I planted my pubescens on one side of that and I was thinking the other side (with morning sun) might be good for reginae. While I had sucess with my pubescens last year I'm definately a cyp newbie. I'm willing to take another gamble, but since I would be buying them from reputable sources (I'm thinking Vermont Lady Slipper or Roberts) and do not have an unlimited supply of $$$ I'd rather not kill them straight off. :) -Helen

Got my first ever bloom on the phlox I got from a friend a couple of years ago. So nice to see that it is a lovely lt. pink/purple - not lavendar but not pink either. Also have coreopsis "Mouse Ear", miniature patio roses, tuberous begonias, sedum Matrona (well, what's left of it that didn't fall over from the abundant rain early in its growing season!), purple petunias that just surfaced a couple of weeks ago & are now in bloom (left overs from wheelbarrow planting 2 years ago!) and an airy spreading groundcover with little pink flowers that for the life of me I cannot remember the name. PAM -- Amelia, OH

Hey Bonnie in Newark! I'm not far from you.... I live between Fredonia, Alexandria and Granville! Grew up on Cherry Valley Rd. Bakemom - I think I heard your son the other day! LOL! We should all get together somewhere for a fall garden talk day or something! Love those Beauty Berries. Mine is going strong. Had an English woman in the garden the other day and she was amazed at the fall foliage on the witch hazels (I have quite a collection) and then she saw the Beauty Berry... "Where did you get that?????" Baker's Acres! She said she would go there on her way home to Johnstown and pick one up! I have missed the frost and have daylilies, shrub roses and other stuff still going. I got one of those new roses this year at Wilson's... darned if I can remember the name, but they are all the "thing" this year... a bright fushia pink shrub rose. --Oh I remember- "Knock Out"... and it's been blooming it's behind off. I don't "do" regular roses, but shrub roses do well with my neglect of them! I know we didn't mention going for walks, but I went this past weekend and it was beautiful - if you dodge the asian lady beetles.....so, if you want to go for a beautiful walk, just north of Johnstown off of Rt. 62, go west on Dutch Lane - I think it's about a mile from 62, is the state nature preserve "Morris Woods" and it's about a 2 mile walk around. The trail if pretty level, but in some areas, there are many roots you have to be careful of not tripping over. Really pretty this time of year. Lots of neat trees and shrubs to see. Also, in Alexandria is Lobdell Reserve (or is it Lobdell Preserve - I can NEVER rememeber that), which is a Licking County park, and it is really something. I think it's 500 acres!! I've hiked there for 4 hours before without being on the same trails. But, it's pretty rough hiking in spots - pulling yourself up the hill by grabbing sapplings! But, there are also many fields you can walk around that are not very difficult, and it's very pretty. An old farm that had HUGE woods and was turned into a park. Big old trees, streams, stands of native gingers, all sorts of neat stuff. Jules

Will wonders never cease! The malva and the red scabiosa are still blooming. (By my count, this makes it over 5 months of bloom for the later.) There are still some marigolds in bloom and a few calendula. But it blew me away to walk outside this morning and realize that, despite several nights in the 20's, I had a new rose on both my Shadow Dancer and Kathryn Morley! Not to mention a few little blooms on the Pink Fairy ankle biter. Who'dda thunk it? Roses blooming in December!