Garden Detective

I don't generally gush over new products, so I'd like to make one thing perfectly clear: This is not a paid endorsement. I didn't get a free sample. Not even a coupon.

Whether you have a bad back or you’re like me, lacking the strength and desire to crank up a garden hose every day (sometimes several times a day), you’ll appreciate the Reelsmart No-Crank garden hose reel from Hydro Industries.

The ingenious gadget doesn’t rely on batteries, electricity or a gear system to do its job. Instead, it uses water pressure to power its internal piston engine. And no human strength is required: A simple lift of the lever engages the Hydro-Pro system, automatically rewinding the hose into your choice of cases.

Available in open and enclosed models (there’s even a wooden one to match country-style garden décor), the Israeli-developed devices come in different sizes to accommodate different lengths of hoses, which are not included.

Just be sure to heed the packaged instructions’ warning about storing the unit indoors over the winter. If the mechanism freezes, there’s a good chance the reel won’t function anymore.

Reelsmart gets a Garden Detective nod for being one of the best back-saving garden inventions to come along in quite awhile.

Want one? You'll find them at Lowe's stores, Target.com or directly from the manufacturer at prices that range from $39 to $189, depending on size and model.

Two authorities on the art of container gardening -- master gardeners Claire Reisert and Ellen Rush -- instructed the class last Tuesday, sharing tips and techniques and an educational journey through plant, soil and container selection.

Full disclosure: I've never been a fan of container gardening because, frankly, most of my potted plants meet an early demise. An untimely death, if you will, caused by, well, neglect.

It's no secret that plants in containers need more care than their in-the-ground counterparts. If they're outdoors, they dry out way more quickly than plants that have a seemingly endless supply of soil from which to soak up water. And they need more soil additives. While my garden plants get by with nary a squirt of Miracle-Gro, thanks to the nutrients that naturally exist in the soil, contained plants can't take up nutrients if they aren't incorporated by human intervention.

With two kids, a husband and a dog to feed, I try to go low-maintenance when it come to feeding plants. That being said, there certainly are situations when even I will resort to planting in pots. Window boxes on my porch, for example, add color and interest to an otherwise drab house front. Oftentimes that color ends up brown, but it's still color.

Reisert and Rush made a convincing case for containers, I must admit, and during their presentations I found myself pledging to give them another try.

Here are 4 take-home points they emphasized:

1. Drainage is imperative.

2. Those saucers that come with outdoor containers are not only useless, they're counter-productive. Throw them out.

3. Don't re-use potting "soil".

4. "Soil," above in quotes, should never be used in containers. Use a soil-less potting mix.

Want to learn more? The Cornell Plantations site has all the details you need to get started.

Click the title above to read other entries in the series.

What a busy couple of weeks! Anyone who thinks the Cornell Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Program is fluff, where one learns about pretty flowers, is insane. This course is a lot of work.

I don't recall ever having to apply myself so much in all my years of school. Maybe it's because I'm more creatively inclined, and this stuff is pure science. Or maybe I'm just getting old. No matter, I'm averaging a high B, but I'm working my tail off.

Since I last wrote, the class was treated to lectures from several experts in their respective fields. We learned about herbs from Donna Gerbosi-DiFulvio, vegetable gardening from John Deignan, the science of composting from Michael Szabaga, bulbs from Harry and Mary VanAllen, weeds from Julie Seghrouchni, pest management from Bonnie Klein and how to apply diagnostic skills from Segrouchni and Klein, both Nassau CCE agents.

Some interesting tidbits:

* The mulch that's been sitting uncovered on my driveway for 3 months is probably decomposing anaerobically, which means the lack of oxygen in the pile is breeding some nasty fungi and bacteria that might be toxic to my plants. Don't buy mulch unless you can use it immediately.

* Diagnosing pest and disease issues isn't as easy as it might seem. Symptoms that might indicate a problem in one species might be completely normal in another. This is tricky stuff.

* Deer and other critters will not eat chinodoxa, scilla, narcissus, fritillaria, allium, galanthus, muscari. I knew that already, but it makes me happy.

* Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) makes for a nice, unique alternative to common container spikes (Dracaena). And it smells really, really nice.

* Most herbs require a neutral pH, good drainage, air circulation and sun. No need to fertilize them, ever.

* Organic amendments are pretty much a cure-all. One can never have too much compost. You can pretty much do anything with it except brush your teeth.

* It's best to prepare a vegetable bed and dress it with organic matter in the fall, giving it all winter to break down and nourish the soil.

* You can get by planting tulips pretty late. Our mentors once were delayed until Christmas Eve, and though their tulips bloomed a bit later that first year, they made a nice showing and were right on schedule in subsequent seasons.

* Applying oil sprays on glaucous (blueish-colored) trees will remove the silvery blush from their foliage. If they require treatment, use horticultural soap instead.

* Weeds are symptoms of garden problems: Clover in the lawn indicates a nitrogen deficiency; oxalis, drought; plantain, compact soil. The list goes on and on.

Gotta go study. Big test on Tuesday.

We're in the midst of prime bulb-planting season. If you haven't already, get to work planting those crocuses, chiondoxas, fritillarias, hyacinths, scillas, tulips and daffodils. Later-blooming lilies and irises need to go in now as well.

But if you're not quite ready, there's no need to panic -- technically they should be fine as long as they're in the ground before it freezes. If you haven't purchased bulbs yet, you still have a bit of time to do so -- and if rush delivery is an option, you might even be able to go mail order.

As this is the last day of our bulb series, I'll leave you with some basics.

Bulb-planting guidelines

1. Planting depth should be 3-5 times the height of the bulb, or 3 times the diameter for all bulbous plants, except hyacinths and tulips. Those do best when planted 12 inches deep.

2. Bulbs need good drainage. Choose your site accordingly.

3. Only purchase bulbs that have been packaged in mesh bags or boxes with ventilation holes. Plastic is taboo!

4. Get them in the ground before frost.

5. Ever wonder why when you follow the bulb-spacing directions on the package, your garden looks sparse? For a lush showing, plant 450 small bulbs or 200 large bulbs in a 50 sq. ft. area; 900 small or 400 large in a 100 sq. ft. area; and 1800 small bulbs or 800 large in a 200 sq. foot area.

6. Never remove, braid or otherwise tamper with leaves of plants that have finished blooming. They need them to photosynthesize and store nutrients for next year.

7. Squirrels and rabbits are repelled by the toxins in daffodil bulbs. Plant them among your tulips to protect the whole bed.

Beautiful bulbs

In addition to the cool Colorblends I told you about earlier this week, here are some of my favorite findings this year. All are from reputable distributors:

	Muscari mixture April-May blooming Seen at vanengelen.com
	Tulipa humilis Eastern Star April blooming Seen at vanengelen.com
	Tulip Antoinette May blooming Seen at vanengelen.com
	Tulip Double Dazzle Late April Seen at vanengelen.com
	Bi-color Blue Grape Hyacinth April-May blooming Seen at dutchbulbs.com
	Bronze Dutch Iris Blend May-June blooming Seen at dutchbulbs.com
	Butterfly Daffodil Rainbow Of Colors March-April blooming Seen at dutchbulbs.com
	Narcissus Safina April blooming Seen at whiteflowerfarm.com
	Camassia leichtlinii Alba May-June blooming Seen at whiteflowerfarm.com

I love the nodding, bell-shaped flowers on these spring-bloomers. Even more so when they're orange, which for some reason is always the most difficult color to find. After visiting several local nurseries last fall, to no avail, I found the 'Crown Imperials' in stock at Michigan Bulb Company.

My order of 6 bulbs was pricey, but they proved themselves worthy in the perennial border inside my picket fence.

Here's a replay of an entry written at that time about a dog, an odor and my first fritillaria bulbs:

The first time I purchased “Crown Imperial” Fritillaria bulbs, it was by mail order. When the package arrived, I brought it in the house and set it on the kitchen counter. Some 10 minutes later, when the dog, Shelby, entered the room, I noticed a very strong, foul skunk-like odor. Naturally, I put the dog out.

The suspect

And so it continued for the better part of an hour -- in and out -- with accusations flying among family members about who had fed what to the dog.

Then John happened upon the box and determined it was the bulbs, not poor Shelby.

The culprit

Word to the wise: when you bring your Fritillaria bulbs home, if you’re not going to plant them right away, store them in the garage or outdoors in a protected area. The good news is they not only repel people -- rodents and deer stay away as well.

And so it went. Bad luck with Alliums, which have a reputation for being pretty reliable and easy to grow. Last year, I planted a bunch of 'Purple Sensations," and while they all grew in the spring, they were dwarfed, stunted.

These Alliums belong to same family as onions, and most species multiply by producing offset bulbs. Because of their relation to onions, their bulbs repel most garden pests, but bees and butterflies are attracted to their blooms.

This year, I'm giving them another shot. I just underplanted my Knockout roses with Allium giganteum Globemaster, which promise 10-inch globes of flowers on nearly 3-foot-tall stems from May through July. To be cost effective -- and because of my run of bad luck -- I'm starting with just 10. If they make a nice showing, I'll get more next year.

Name: Allium Globemaster
Height: 36"
Bloom time: Late spring, early summer.
Purchased from: Colorblends.com
How many: 10
Duds in the batch: 0
Catalog description: "The most spectacular of all the alliums. It produces perfect 10-inch orbs of densely packed, lilac-purple flowers on tall stout stems. Because the flowers are sterile, they last a long time. An outstanding cut flower, fresh or dried."

I've made no secret about my penchant for mixing purple with orange in the garden. And in my wardrobe. And in my home. It's such a happy combination, so bright and bold. So when I spotted this collection on the cover of the new Colorblends catalog, I nearly ripped the pages in my excitement as I searched for the description page.

Colorblends is the wholesale-priced source for bulbs I promised to tell you about. When I asked Christian Curless, a horticulturist at the Bridgeport, Conn.-based distributor, for the specific names of the three varieties in this particular "blend," he told me that, well, he couldn't tell me.

"We invest a lot of time and effort in developing, testing and marketing the blends," he said. "They are what sets us apart in the marketplace."

Colorblends grew out of Schipper & Company, a bulb business that got its start in the Netherlands in 1912. After World War II, founder Cornelis Schipper moved to the United States. Since then, the family-run company has been supplying wholesale bulbs to trade professionals, estates, universities, golf courses, corporations and private growers.

The Colorblends approach is to sell pre-blended mixtures of different varieties of tulips. Sure, individual varieties are available, but I love the striking professionally arranged combinations offered. Plus, it takes some of the pressure off: You don't have to worry about coordinating bloom times or heights or shapes.

And the best part is the bulbs come direct from Holland -- without a middleman -- and are sold at wholesale prices to anyone. You needed be affiliated with a business to take advantage of the deals.

I found the customer service to be excellent and quite conscientious. When I requested my bulbs be delivered a couple of weeks earlier than the "recommended planting time" for our area, which is when most catalogs ship, a concerned Curless contacted me personally to inquire about my plans. (This is a courtesy I assume is extended to everyone, as he didn't know I was a garden columnist before he contacted me.) When I told him I wanted them early so that I could plant them at the same time shrubs and foundation plantings would be going in, we agreed on a compromise. And the bulbs -- tulips, daffodils and crocuses -- arrived right on schedule, nicely packed in a milk crate.

In all, I ordered 710 bulbs, and I found them to be of impeccable quality. Of those, less than a handful needed to be discarded. All too often, a disappointing percentage of bulbs arrive rotted, moldy or broken. I'm very impressed with the quality.

And the prices -- I picked up 10 Allium Globemaster bulbs, which I've seen retail for as much as $19.99 apiece, for just $5 each.

As far as I'm concerned, Colorblends can keep it's proprietary combinations a secret. I don't need to know the botanical or common names of my tulips. I'd just like my garden to look like I hired a designer.

I'll post the end results -- along with photos -- in the spring.

Name: Above and Beyond, a Colorblends tulip collection

Height: 12" - 16"

Bloom time: Mid-late spring

Purchased from: Colorblends.com

How many: 200

Duds in the batch: 1

Catalog description: "A festive blend of three tulips that bloom at slightly different heights. Each is beautiful on its own; together they put on a rousing show that will have you, and passersby, asking for an encore."

Naturalizing is a term used to describe an informal planting style that is planned to look, well, unplanned.

The most common means of achieving this look is simply to select an area, toss dozens or hundreds of bulbs into the air and then plant them where they fall. It's easiest to do this if you first dig up the entire area to the recommended planting depth.

If naturalizing on an existing lawn, you can either poke individual holes into the soil with a bulb planting tool or you can lift up the sod, toss the bulbs and replace the sod. The latter method, which is is less time consuming and less back-breaking, is achieved by cutting the sod with a spade and then gently lifting it up, folding or rolling it out of the way. Be sure to cut deeply enough so you lift the root system with the grass. After loosening the soil underneath with a tiller or fork, plant the bulbs at their recommended depths and then fold the sod back into place. Walk over it a few times to tamp it down a bit.

Early spring-blooming bulbs, corms, tubers and rhyzomes (for simplicity, let's just call them all 'bulbs') are best for naturalizing in lawns because they make their appearances before the grass-growing season begins. Often the first signs of life of a new growing season, they fade around the time you're ready to mow for the first time. You do have to wait until the foliage has turned brown and died down before mowing but that shouldn't interfere much with your lawn-care schedule as long as you stick to early bloomers.

Later-blooming plants such as most daffodils and tulips -- while perfectly suited for naturalizing -- shouldn't be planted in lawns because the grass will get really long and mangy looking before their foliage turns brown, usually 6 weeks after blooming. Cutting down leaves before they dry up will result in a sorry showing the following spring, as it cuts short the time required for the bulb to soak up and store nutrients for the next growing season. It's best to plant these in beds where daylilies and other later-blooming plants will hide their foliage.

Early bloomers like crocuses are ideal for naturalizing in lawns because they meet two important criteria: They're low-growing, so if you have to wait a bit for them to die down, they won't look funny in the grass, and they multiply, resulting in a better display each year. Just be sure not to fertilize the lawn with a high nitrogen fertilizer, which will cut down on future blossoms.

Naturalizing needn't be relegated only to lawn areas. Spots under deciduous trees are ideal because they're quite sunny when the trees are bare.

My pick this year:
Name: A pre-mixed batch of crocuses called "Crocreation"
Height: 5"
Bloom time: Very early spring
Purchased from: Colorblends.com
How many: 300
Duds in the batch: 0
Catalog description: "This blend of bright purple and golden yellow is very floriferous, each corm producing several large flowers. Plant them under trees or shrubs, or in the lawn."

Daffodils are among the most reliable bloomers in the spring bulb garden. They're protected from squirels, deer and other animals because they contain a bitter-tasting chemical that repels them. And unlike most tulips, daffodils are perennial, returning for many, many years of color.

My pick this year:

Name: Triandrus Daffodil, (Angel's Tears) 'Hawera'
Height: 8"
Bloom time: Mid-spring
Purchased from: Colorblends.com
How many: 100
Duds in the batch: 0

Catalog description: "A tiny lemon-yellow daffodil that makes up for its size by producing 6-8 flowers on each stem. Exceptionally fine for perennial beds or a rock garden. Planted in a sunny spot it will last for years."

I mixed them in with the bakeri tulips I told you about yesterday (Tulipa bakeri "Lilac Wonder") for what I'm expecting to be a beautiful front-of-the-border display.

Have questions? Here's a great FAQ from the American Daffodil Society.

Most tulips are show-stoppers the first year, and then dwindle quickly until nothing comes up except some foliage. You might wonder what went wrong with them. The truth is -- nothing.

In our climate, tulips aren't reliable returnees to the garden. In fact, botanical gardens and commercial properties typically plant thousands -- sometimes hundreds of thousands -- of tulips each fall and then yank them out when their blooms have faded. The bulbs are discarded and new ones purchased the following year. Such a shame, considering the cost of bulbs and the work involved installing them each year.

There is a such thing as a perennial tulip, but you must look for varieties specifically labeled as such. Perennial tulips usually return nicely for several years, though still, they're not as reliable as say, black-eyed Susans.

This one is my current favorite, pictured above.

Name: Tulipa bakeri "Lilac Wonder"
Height: 6"
Bloom time: Mid-spring
Purchased from: Colorblends.com
How many: 100
Duds in the batch: 1
Catalog description: "Showy lilac-pink flowers with deep yellow centers bob in the slightest breeze."

Tomorrow, I'll tell you what I paired them with for an eye-catching display.

To me, spring-flowering bulbs are no-brainers. They're easy to plant, they don't require much in the way of care, and their color and vibrancy is not only welcome at the end of a long, gray winter -- it's downright necessary to end my suspected case of seasonal affective disorder.

Check out this video on How to Plant 100 Tulip Bulbs in 30 Minutes. That's really all there is to it. Then scroll down past the viewer for more details.

If you're installing a mass planting in a large area, just dig up the whole site to about 6 to 8 inches deep. It's best to lay out a tarp or a few large green trash bags nearby for holding the soil while you plant. This way, your lawn won't get wrecked.

This year, I sprayed my bulbs with Squirrel Stopper from Messina Wildlife. I love how the product is released from the pressurized sprayer in an environmentally friendly way. Plus, it smells nice. A friend likened it to Vicks VapoRub. Squirrels hate it, apparently.

If you have these:	You'll need this:

This is a very important step, I've learned from experience. Last year, my bulbs were snacked on by those beasts and made a lame appearance at show time. Some gardeners put blood meal in the planting holes. The smell of "death" is supposed to repel squirrels. Others install chicken wire over the bulbs to create a physical barrier.

Once the bed is dug up, space bulbs according to the directions on the package. Pointy side up is recommended but really, the plant knows which way is up, so don't make yourself crazy about it.

Replace the top soil and tamp down gently. Water thoroughly after planting if the soil is dry and wait for spring.

If you're spot planting or installing bulbs in small areas, you need to dig down to the depth recommended for each specific bulb using a trowel or any of the various bulb planting devices available commercially. I'm partial to the dibble. You just poke it in the ground to the depth line marked on the spike, twist it around a bit to widen the hole and you’re done. You can read more about planting techniques and tools and see photos here.

With the basics out of the way, tomorrow I'll kick off a week-long series of bulb profiles. Because Garden Detective appears in Newsday every Thursday, we're going to follow a "Garden Detective Week." That is, the series will run Thursday through Wednesday.

Come back to find out what I'm planting this year, learn about unusual new varieties and old standbys and get an 'in' with my wholesale-priced supplier.

The class took its final field trips last Thursday, visiting Hofstra University in Hempstead in the morning and Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson in the afternoon. Our guides at each location were their respective big Kahunas.

At Hofstra, Fred Soviero, the director of grounds and landscaping there, led us through much of the 240-acre campus, about half of which is maintained with donated funds. Many of the gardens and individual trees in the arboretum have been planted in memoriam or dedicated to past administrators, alumni and students who have passed away. As such, once installed, their upkeep is guaranteed in perpetuity.

Soviero is meticulous about keeping the University's end of the bargain. With a scant crew of 25 (amounting to approximately 12 acres of maintenance per crew member), he oversees the upkeep of thousands of plants and trees, implementing an integrated pest management approach to ensure the safety and well-being of the thousands of students, employees and visitors who traipse through the campus every year.

First stop: The bird sanctuary. This 2-acre sanctuary, installed in a sump, serves as an educational prototype for all of New York State. It receives 363-day-a-year attention that rivals that at Walt Disney World. The plantings, however, do not.

Here, it's all wild and natural, with most of the plants seeded by wind and birds. And even though it's made up mostly of weeds, it provides water, food, shelter and a place to rest for migrating birds. Plus, it offers a nice, peaceful respite for humans, especially in the area beside the pond.

Elsewhere on the campus, there's a pinetum, a formal labyrinth and a sensory garden with braille plant tags and sweetly scented flora.

The Hofstra campus is a member of the American Public Gardens Association, one of only 430 arboreta in the United States, and certainly worth a visit. To see what's in bloom there at any given time, click here and select "In Bloom" from the left side of the page.

At Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson, the very charismatic Jenny Ulsheimer took the class on an entertaining and educational journey through the 12-acre "living museum and educational facility."

Ulsheimer, director of horticulture at Clark, introduced us to the Garden's collections of native wildflowers, conifers, roses, perennials, wetland plants, rock garden and -- my favorites -- its herb and butterfly gardens. Tropical plants, such as banana trees and elephant ears (the largest I've ever seen) add a wow factor to Clark's appeal.

She also runs a wonderful educational program for kids (currently filled at its 60-participant capacity) that not only teaches them about but involves them in hands-on gardening. I can't think of a better leader to mold children's passion and get them excited about gardening than Ulsheimer, whose own passion and exuberance is contagious.

Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann Ph.D., an entomologist and Integrated Pest Management expert, was the guest instructor for the morning portion of Tuesday's class.

She led the class on a fascinating journey through the wonderful world of creeping, crawling, flying, biting, stinging, sucking, disease-carrying and food-stealing entities.

While the principles of IPM discourage the instant use of chemical insecticides as a first defense, it doesn't rule them out entirely. When all else fails -- or when benefits outweigh risks -- they are permitted. It's a common-sense-prevails method, which I like because typically I'm turned off by extremes in any direction.

Gangloff-Kaufmann is a crackerjack entomologist and highly accomplished in her field. The woman knows fleas and cockroaches, aphids and Asian longhorned beetles. She even covered mousetrap types. Intrigued by the idea, I poked around a bit and found this one, which I absolutely love. I'm almost wishing for a mouse just so I could try it out.

After lunch, class resumed and was treated to high-energy, comedic instruction by Tamson Yeh, Ph.D., a turf specialist at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County.

Yeh is like a cross between Albert Einstein and Robin Williams. She reminds me of the Food Network's Alton Brown, whom I watch whenever I have the opportunity. So smart, so passionate about -- strange as it sounds -- grass.

"I love injecting humor into dry material because I think that lights up the world for people," Yeh told me months ago, when I interviewed her about her recent book, "Can My Petunia Be Saved?" "I like to get a little humor in so that people remember things."

Mission accomplished.

There's an organic garden in Amityville that's run by the Sisters of St. Dominic. The endeavor, Sophia Garden, is a community-supported agricultural (CSA) mission that provides food to needy local families. It also sells "shares," as an agricultural co-op would, to its members, who also commit to a set hours of volunteer time working the land, pulling weeds, turning the compost pile, and harvesting crops.

As in other CSA set-ups, members share in the cost and success of the garden, as well as in the harvest. A share at Sophia Garden costs $700 (weekly pickups,) and half shares can be purchased for $350 (pickups every other week). Each pick up consists of 10-15 pounds of a combination of the 25 or so vegetables grown at the site.

As you can imagine, a staff farmer is a necessity. Unfortunately, the Garden has been experiencing difficulty holding on to one. "It's difficult to keep a young agricultural farmer on Long Island, explained Sister Jeanne Clark, who founded the organization. They usually come from other parts of the country, and housing here is too expensive." Some get priced out of the area, while others simply get homesick, she said.

The sisters are in a bind. "We really want to hold onto this farm," Sister Jeanne said, adding that the farmer position is unique in that -- unlike most farmer positions -- it doesn't require any managerial work. It's strictly farming, she said. The position pays $24,000 a year plus health benefits.

The garden also needs an intern for the 2008 growing season, who would receive $10 per hour.

Interested? Send an email to Sophiagarden@aol.com or call 631-842-6000.

With the Great Long Island Tomato Challenge behind me, I now can concentrate on other things I've been wanting to share with you.

When I returned from my once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hawaii in July, I quickly shared instructions I picked up for propagating pineapples. But there's so much more I want to tell you about that part of the world.

You know how when you land at JFK or LaGuardia and step outside to where the taxis are, the first thing you smell is exhaust fumes? To me, it's become synonymous with arriving home. I've inhaled similar air at some other airports across the country, some more odiferous than others. But when we landed at Honolulu International Airport and stepped outside, the first thing I noticed was the strong, sweet smell of Plumeria. The scent was everywhere, and it was intoxicating. Walking the streets was like being in one of those Febreze commercials, where the characters just can't get enough of sniffing their belongings.

While not the official state flower of Hawaii (that would be Hibiscus,) Plumeria can be seen -- or at least smelled -- just about everywhere. At the airport, growing along the side of the road, in home gardens, in front of schools and businesses and, of course, on people: Plumeria is a popular blossom used to make traditional leis and worn in women's hair.

Related to the beautiful but infamously toxic Oleander, Plumeria is one of nature's big charlatans. Its scent strengthens at nightfall in order to lure feeding sphynx moths. While the hungry moths search for nectar, prancing from barren blossom to barren blossom, Plumeria gets pollinated. Meanwhile, the moths leave with empty tummies because Plumeria flowers contain no nectar, they just smell like they do. But take just one whiff and you'll forgive their sneaky underhandedness.

While bringing a live plant onto the mainland is prohibited, I did bring home some packaged cuttings to give as gifts and plenty of scented hand cream, body lotion and candles.

While I was simply enchanted by the flower, it seems many Hawaiians take it for granted. Lois Taylor, formerly of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin once wrote: "Plumerias get very little respect. Hybridize an orchid and you get written up in national journals. Introduce a new ginger and the garden magazines are at your door. Develop a new Plumeria and friends ask what you think of the Bishop Estate. It's because a Plumeria tree is so easy to grow it's the meatloaf of Hawaiian gardening."

Well, I for one am crazy about meatloaf.