Oh Kate, what a wonderful list. You are going to have so much fun.

Sounds like Christmas all over again Kate. What a nice bunch of plants.

Thanks all, I'm excited to start experimenting with alpines other than semps :)
And at only £12.99 I couldn't resist this pack of starts.

Wow Kate,
Lovely list
Good price too... 0.65 GBP each :)
Looking forward to pics when they get a bit bigger

Hi everyone... Just dropping by to say hello, and that I haven't forgotten y'all. I am officially retired now but it sure doesn't seem like it! And I confess I have been hanging out at the iris forum lately. Those beautiful iris photos are a real lift midwinter! Can't wait for spring!!! And am looking forward to meeting folks at the semp shindig in May!

I also am excited to meet you, Patty, at the shindig!!!

But good for you. "shindig" I used to be good but to take part! You'll also be organized in a good "Shindig" (Hungary) may talk a lot, ask for advice, exchange of information. I am waiting, I am also in the spring. We have had no winter at all. Now there are 10-12 °C, and it is very hot.

Hi Patty, it is so good to see you.

Laszlo, sure wish you could come, you would have such a great time.

I am really looking forward to that great first weekend in May.

Me too... I am most excited about meeting you too, Lynn.

It is going to be the highlight of 2014 for me.
By the way, where is Greg lately? And I haven't talked to Cynda for a long time.
And where are the rest of you?
I have lost touch with all of you since I started working.
Here is a photo from November. Spring is almost here.

I still pop in Lynn. Just very busy these days and not much new going on. I've seen Greg around a few posts here and there.... It's just quiet on our forum these days. Waiting (im)patiently for spring.

Nice picture of 'Eomer'!

Hi Lynn! I check in periodically! I haven't had much to talk about so haven't posted. As usual I hope everyone is dry, warm, safe and happy!!
Peace!

Me too. I check in to see what is going on at least once a day, then duck out. I have no garden things going on and the weather reports wears thin after a while. Thank Goodness nothing dramatic to report there......

Marilyn, you're funny! but yes...pretty much true!

Wahoo, a new year is hear, and spring just around the corner. I actually got to go out this morning and stroll around the semp beds. Lots of work to do out there. Winter weeds have germinated and starting to grow.
Won't take much to get rid of them with this new sandy loam soil in the beds. Weeds come out so easily now.

I'll see if I can get a few before and after photos today.

Happy weeding, Lynn.

I started to take a look at the damage that was done to my container plantings with the upper 20's temps we got a month ago. A few members in each pot bit the dust and I have to prune out the dead stuff and hope the remaining stumps will put forth when spring gets here or replant with extras. I also noticed mealy bugs on some of the echeveria and graptoverias so will have to clean them off and assess the damage. May have to pull those members out of the containers and replant with their offsets if any.
My next chore is to go outside and deal with a little mealy bug problem I've noticed on the semps in the semp bed. I've also noticed a few ants scurrying around and some of the red lava rock seems to be pulverized into sand texture. Can't imagine that happening by itself. Wonder if the ants do that because I see tiny piles of very sandy red rock here and there amongst the semps...

Oh Bev, how exciting. It sounds like you have a very industrious colony of rock mining ants.
They are working very hard at improving your soil

Just finished up with indoor chores, on my way out with the camera.

There you guys go again,... tempting me to go out and uncover my semps. But I refuse, remembering what happened last year. I will leave them alone until after Mother's day or ... maybe a peak before I fly to Oregon end of April. But just a peak no.... uncovering and moving about... we had a freeze after May 1st last year so I MUST wait.

I know you guys are in a different zone than am I but when you start talking about it I am soooooo tempted to just peak.

You do what you think is best for your area Marilyn.

Hang in there Marilyn! Its like a child waiting for Christmas huh!!!