On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 10:26:20 -0500, "Susan H. Simko"
wrote:

Thanks Dave. I think. *grin*

Actually, the main reason for my dilemma is that Desert Peace reminds me
in many ways of Granada which I have already. I don't, as far as I
know, have anything the deep mauve colour of Barbra Streisand.

I can see that. I can tell you that I prefer the garish Desert Peace
to the more subdued Granada, but that's just my opinion, of course. I
can see how others might prefer and prize subtlety over showiness.

Oh well, I may have solved my dilemma. Yesterday whil looking around
the yard, my eye lit upon the small bed in front of one of my living
room windows. It currently has mums in it from the previous owners of
our house and which I don't really like.... *big grin* Now, the
decision, which bush goes where? How much scent does Desert Peace have?

Mild. There *is* a scent, but it's not the main attraction. There are
two big pluses (three if you count the vividness of the colors, which
just POP in the sunlight). The first is the substance of the blooms.
They last for several weeks, are very sturdy and have a long vase
life. The other is the same virtue that Joseph's Coat has, and that's
the incredible variety of colors and the change of said colors as the
bloom matures. Plus, different blooms on the same plant mature
differently with different shades of color.Even a bloom in the final
days is incredible. Here's an example of 2 third season plants in full
blown mode (and this is after me taking a few choice blooms). The
cluster of three in the front are in the final stages of life. They
have a couple of days left, and they are the most outrageous
red/orange Hawaiian sunset color ever.

http://www.pbase.com/image/27023387

Oh yeah, a couple of other pluses is that during peak blooming season
(May - June 'round these parts) they will throw multiple blooms on the
same plant. No onesies twosies. They will also continue to throw
blooms intermittently throughout the rest of the season. I even get an
odd last bloom or two in October.

I also love the classic form of the unfolding bloom, even if it looks
like Jackson Pollack painted it.