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Almost everyone I shipped to this week lives in the northern latitudes. Please make a mental note that the plants you are receiving come from the south and may be 3-5 week ahead in their perennial cycle depending on how far north you are. Don't worry, they will adjust to their new latitude before their bloom cycle next spring.

By now, down here in NE Ga., the flower cycle is long over and the flower stalks have decomposed. Now the leathery, mean & prickly summer foliage is at its peak.

All of the plants that I shipped this week came from a bed I planted back in 2003 so their root systems are a full 8 years mature, even the smaller plants but - the bed started out as a seedling bed so they have been growing very close together. You will find some of them tall and leggy. Next years growth will grow to a more appropriate size. Also, if you find some of your smaller plants have only one leaf, don't worry about that either. The root ball should indicate their maturity with one or more 'knots' from last years flower cycle.

Your plants from this weeks dig are showing a little stress from what has so far been an unusually hot and dry summer down here in Ga. We've gotten some pretty nice rains in the last week but it's been pretty dry so far this summer. Don't worry too much about the stress burn on the leaves. All of this summer foliage will be dying off later in the early winter months anyway. Next years growth cycle will be the real teller. Try and keep your plants watered if you too are having a hot and dry summer.

When packing your order, where ever I thought any plant looked a little small I threw an extra plant or two into the bag. (I look at the amount of roots that fill each bag when I'm packing your order and usually, everyone gets more than they ordered:) For spacing purposes, plant everything I send as an individual mature plant. Every one of your new plants has the potential to become a trophy size plant in 3-5 years - 36" in diameter and 18" tall.

Be patient, Lenten Roses are slow growing perennials and for the rest of this year nothing much is going to happen, in fact, the summer foliage you see here will be dying off later in the fall. For all of you in the north, if you have a winter this coming year anything like the one you had last year you should mulch around your new plants this fall or just before the first snow. Next spring they will start filling out on top......and, of course, they are all guaranteed to flower. In two years your plants should be established and quite full indeed.

Lenten Roses love filtered sun/shade, good humus soil and the lions share of natural rain run off or water from the garden hose when they look thirsty, especially during the hot summer months. 2-3 feet apart will allow for trophy size growth. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

For a video chronicle of the Lenten Rose perennial cycle, keep an eye on my monthly video post called - The Lenten Rose Almanac - on my web site or on YouTube (please subscribe). Thanks again for your order &