Many of you know that Tom and I moved lock, stock, cats, plants and a considerable amount of AIS related paperwork from Dubuque Iowa to De Leon Springs, Florida arriving the day before Thanksgiving.

 

Tom brought a U-haul plus two cats with him in the pickup.  The elderly, diabetic matriarch cat and I flew down.  U-Haul was full of dozens large planters with "black gold" Iowa dirt and dug from our yard in November when they had already gone thru "Winter" but the ground was not yet frozen.  We also brought scores of bags of plants was well as pots, yard art and equipment.  Long story short-all now think "Winter is Over", even though it has been chilly in Zone 8a and we have done some "blankies" on the planters of miniature hostas and rock garden plants.  The huge clump of my friend Mona French's seedling, introduced through the MIS publication The Medianite Fall 2009, was forming stalks so Tom planted it even though the work to change "sand to soil" hasn't been completed.

 

Here are the February 15th pics of 'Florence French' (MTB 2009 Mona French) cross of Chanted X Chubby Cheeks!  Take heart my iris friends, Spring is coming!!!

 

Tom and Rita Gormley, De Leon Springs, Florida who are just learning how to garden in Zone 8a!  Watch for articles in future issues of The Medianite on growing Medians in Central Florida!!