Keep warm, Marilyn! Don't wish for Spring to come too fast...enjoy your youth now...

HELLO and HAPPY 2014 to all!
Good to be back.
But...we are having such warm weather here... amazing.
And also, not good.
Feels like spring.

Hi Calin, Happy New Year to you too! I'd be happy to send you some cold weather if I could! Enjoy the warmth.

Happy New Year Calin.

Did you ever find that piece of property?

Hmmm, well nope. Not yet.
The ones I like are too expensive, and the ones I can afford are not suitable for what I want.
I'm not in a hurry... when it's the right one, I'll know :)

Although....IF I found The One, I could work it a bit and soon start collecting Sempervivums and the like LOL

Keeping my fingers crossed that the right one comes along soon.

Calin, start collecting Sempervivum now... ...just to help keep on schedule...

Good advice Bev!

Don't want Calin sitting on his hands when he could get started with the FUN part now and be totally prepared to populate the land when the "right piece" of property comes along unexpectantly...

Good luck with finding the right place Calin.

And happy new year to everyone!
It's not such a good start to 2014 for my semps though, I've lost at least one, probably more. The terrible, and unrelenting storms that we've had for weeks now is affecting them badly, they look pretty sorry for them selves.
I am INCREDIBLY greatful that we haven't been flooded - it seems we're in the minority, most of the country is under water. I hope that the weather imporves for all those poor householders AND my semps. That said, next week isn't looking great, the huge snow system that many of you guys are dealing with is headed our way. It'll warm up during the trip so we're in for even more rain

Indeed Bev... good advice. But it's already on my mind
And well, I can always dig up the lilies, irises and the like I already have in my small "flower garden"...
Kidding!

Kate, sorry to hear about your semp babies. What trials they seem to have been going thru... I'm still remembering the grub episode...I'm hoping that they keep shouldering on and stay as tough as Lynn and Chris say they are. Stay Warm and Dry for 2014!!

Oh Kate, bummer about your lousy weather. Ours is turning out to be much more severe than originally predicted too. The last 7 mornings when I got up we had actually temps of at least 20 below zero. Today is the first day the highs are supposed to be over 10 degrees, but I'm not so sure we'll make it.

We even had a first in our area - an Ice Quake. Apparently that happens when the ground freezes much deeper down than is normal. It causes the water way down there to freeze which causes "ground failure" and the ground moves. They're much like earthquakes, but we don't get those around here. Like I said, guess we'll see how tough they are.

Kate, we are having lots of rain here too. No floods though so that's good. I'm wondering if some of mine will make it to spring. Time will tell. Strange how we never here about the weather in Europe on the news here in the states. Stay safe from the floods.

The snow storms in USA and Canada have made the news here every day. Brrrr
Chris, I've never heard of an ice quake before!

Stay warm and dry everyone! Ive covered my Semp bed in plastic and it seems to have helped...too early to tell still!

Oh, sorry about the bad weather(s) in the UK and USA.
I'm not sure to call my weather BAD.
Kinda warmish, not enough water (rain or snow).
They say both are kinda BAD.
We need cold weather and water for spring / summer crops.

I hope you get some lower temps and rain soon Calin.

I got a bit carried away while browsing Ebay earlier - I couldn't resist this pack:

1. Ajuga reptans 'Braun Herz'

2. Cerastium tomentosum ( snow in summmer

3. Veronica repens or Mazus reptans 'Albus'

4. Phlox subulata ' Marjorie'

5. Saxifraga aizoon

6. Saxifraga red or yellow mix OR Lysimachia nummularia
(Golden Creeping Jenny)

7. Saxifraga cuneifolia 'Variegata' OR Lampranthus 'Tresco Brilliant'

8. Delosperma Cooperii

9. Polygonum vaccinifolium

10. Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Robin' or similar item

11. Sedum Pachyclados ' white diamond'

12. Sedum mix

13. Sedum Oreganum

14. Sedum Rupestre 'Angelina'

15. Sedum Reflexum Blue Spruce

16. Sedum Spurium 'Voodoo''

17. Sedum Spurium 'Dragon's Blood'

18. Sedum kamtschaticum Ellacombianum

19. Sedum Spurium Tri-Colour variegatum

20. Sedum Sexangulare / Sedum acre ‘Aureum’


They are small plugs, so will need a bit of growing to get to a good size but I can't wait to see which one's I get from the either/or selections :)

When I got home form work Mr Postman had also left me a present

I can't wait to curl up with it later

Kate, Looks like you have a bunch of beauties coming. Also, some good reading.