Took a trip through my favorite local nursery today, bought a
very nice Chinese high-fire rectangular pot (8x4x2") (with a
magnificent chop impressed on the underside!). It is gray,
"unglazed," and a very spartan design. Nice for a small upright
juniper some day.

Also discovered a plant that's new to me. Escallonia x exoniesis
Small (1.5 inch) pointed, dark green, glossy, rough(ish) leaves
(alternate, if I recall). The Genus comes from temperate Chile,
according to Botanica (the only book I have that contains this
Genus) although this cross was developed in Britain (!?). Small
pink/purple flowers spring to fall. Zones 8 - 10. It grows to
15 feet and is said to take top trimming well. I wonder about
root pruning. The plants are the nursery were in 15-gal pots,
and were moderately expensive ($45), so if I get one, I wouldn't
want to chop too much root if it is touchy that way.

Anyone used this plant for bonsai? I'll do a web search.

Also bought a Kurume azalea 'Mildred.' It has tiny leaves and
violet-purple flowers. Blooms early in the season. Mildred is
my mother's name. She's 91 and has been quite ill recently, but
is doing much better. Anyway, because of the name I couldn't
pass this one up (and at $4.90 in a gallon pot and a 3/4-inch
trunk I'm not risking a heckuva lot, anyway ;-).

Is anyone familiar with the cultivar? It's a little late to do
any root work (or much on the top) for azaleas around here, but
I'll probably cut the top back a bit as it is very leggy.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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