Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Winners in the garden 2012

I want to thank you for all the nice comments and feedback from my blog this year.  Thank you Shawna Coronado for the tool you designed for DeWit Tools for the contest give a way.  Congratulations to Jeavonna Chapman, who won the tool.

There were some amazing moments in the garden this year.  My orchids bloomed like never before, since I fertilized them more often and moved them to get the proper light in the garden.





I started a garden/landscape/food channel on YouTube and it has been a great success.  Thank you so much for all your views and comments.  I still cant believe there have been thirty four thousand views already.  While working 14 hours days, blogging and social networking weekdays, and filming the videos and writing for Examiner.com, it has been a super busy year.  Here is one of the videos.  Please subscribe for free.

I tried to make them fun, informative, fast and unique.  Living in the sub tropics has its advantages.  I grew up in New Jersey and moved to Florida while in school.  I consider myself a student of horticulture.  There is always something new to learn.

My book I have been writing for three years took a back seat.  Goals for the new year include finishing the book.  I wish you all the best for the upcoming year and I hope you too will reach your goals.

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Friday, December 14, 2012

Holiday Gift Guide for Gardeners and Contest Part 1


One of the best gifts you can give someone is something they can actually use and enjoy.  What could be more practical than providing the necessary items to grow your own food, or grow a beautiful garden?  Who needs another tie, pair of slippers or bubble bath?  

Here are some top picks for this season. 

The Living Ledge is a wonderful addition to your kitchen garden.  You can grow herbs or flowers right on the window.  This clears clutter from the kitchen counter or window sill, the usual place for growing plants in the kitchen.  Suction cups adhere to a glass window, holding the acrylic planter and shelf in place.  This versatile gadget can also be utilized as a terrarium.


DeWit Garden Tools are handmade in Holland and I found out about them through Shawna Coronado.  They are available in the USA by Garden Tool Company  There is a nice selection of various tools.  These tools are made to  last a very long time.  Shawna actually designed a tool herself!  It is specifically for removing soil from containers and planting in containers.  There is a sharp side for opening bags of potting soil as well.  Brilliant idea Shawna!   Write a comment on why you would like a Dewit tool and you could be the lucky winner!  Winner announced 12/24/12


Global Garden Friends have some very useful products to make your gardening easier.  The Ultimate Plant Cage and Ultimate Plant Clips help keep your veggies off the ground so you will be able to eat the produce before the critters do.   are Very sturdy green plastic planting stakes are available that are useful around the garden.


Disclosure:  The above were gifts that were sent to me to review.  I have tried them and the comments are my own experiences. 


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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Garden books for winter reading


Gardeners in the temperate climates have a hard time over the winter.  How can you garden when there is a foot of snow on the ground?  How can you dig a whole when the soil is frozen solid?  Garden addicts get their fix in the winter by living vicariously through books.
Gardeners leaf through page after page of lush landscapes, fantasizing what plants they will plant in the spring. They get new ideas and inspiration in the winter.
Three great books are reviewed in the following YouTube videos. Enjoy the reviews and let your imagination grow wild.


Building Soils Naturally by Phil Nauta

Any Size, Anywhere Edible Gardening by William Moss

Florida Gardener's Handbook by Tom MacCubbin and Georgia Tasker

Luckily I live in the subtropics of South Florida now, so I get to garden all year long.  The winter days are too short to garden after work though, it is dark.  I miss gardening after work.  It is a great way to decompress before heading into the house to prepare dinner, go through the mail and  do all the many household chores.  Sometimes it is easier to be at work than to be at home in the house.  Thank you for stopping by my blog and see you again soon and at the other social media sites.  

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Election Results: Re landscaping an established garden

There comes a time in every garden when you have to have an election, and vote in new plants and remove incumbents that have worn out their welcome.  Some plants in the garden have outgrown their usefulness and have to go.  New plants get voted in to enliven and invigorate the garden.

Shrubs I started from cuttings from other areas of the garden were planted in my side yard by the street, voted in due to their beautiful foliage and ability to fill in  blank spaces between two Tabubia street trees.  Within several years, their original promises were indeed fulfilled and they looked marvelous.  However the maintenance to keep them properly pruned became overwhelming.  They were up for reelection  and they were voted out of office.  The short video below is how they were forced out.



Certain plants looked great in three gallon pots at the nursery and got voted in.  I have a lovely fishtail palm that I used as a screen to block the view of the street and home across the street.  Over time as other plants grew up and matured, the sprinkler became partially blocked and the fishtail was not getting enough water.  The tips of the leaves always were browning and affected the aesthetics of the palm.  Over the years it became too tall and was inching its way up to the power lines.  It was voted out of office via chainsaw.  Video below demonstrates the process.



Beautiful new plants were needed to fill in all the empty spaces of the plants removed.  Voted in were bromeliads.  I planted a single bromeliad in a pot and  itmultiplied and needed to be divided anyway.  They would unify the area and add a  bit of formality to the jungle.  Another plant got voted in, a wonderful phildondron native to Brazil.  This plant is wonderful and I also use it for hydroponics class in nursing homes.  This is how it was done.






Whatever you feel about the election and who wins and who loses, mother nature takes care of us all and we need to all get along in the garden of Eden.  Thank you for visiting my blog and see you again soon.

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Monday, October 22, 2012

Morikami Japanese Garden in South Florida


Could there really be a Japanese garden in South Florida that actually looks like you are in Japan?  Is it possible?  Mr Morikami thought so, and the successful farmer decided he loved his new country so much he donated land for a state park upon his death.  
The Morikami Gardens and Museum are a legacy of his wishes for Americans to learn and appreciate Japanese culture.  Located in Delray Beach, Florida where his farmland used to be, the museum and gardens are like a mini vacation to Japan.
Japan had lots of native undeveloped pineland s back in the day, as did Delray Beach. 


There are meditation gardens, lakes, streams, bridges, and bonsai.  Here is a video with a mini tour of the gardens.  The botanical garden was designed by Mr. Kurisu, who also designed the wonderful Portland Oregon.  He is also a part time resident of Delray Beach.

The bonsai collection at Morikami is amazing.  They have a wonderful collection that is maintained by both staff and devoted volunteers.  This is an article I wrote a while ago about tropical bonsai of Florida.   Bonsai of Florida

I know this is just a taste of the wonderful Japanese garden and bonsai.  The best way to see the garden is to visit.  When you come to visit South Florida, this is a great attraction to visit while you are here.  Thank you for visiting my blog and enjoy the following links.  I will follow, subscribe, and add you back.

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Friday, October 5, 2012

Rare and exotic fruit in the garden


Of the many advantages of living in South Florida, growing rare and exotic tropical fruits ranks up in the top ten.  I love being able to go outside in the morning and pick fruit for my morning oatmeal fresh from the trees.  There is usually something ripe all year round.

In the winter we have citrus, and by mid spring the mangoes are ripe.  As soon as I harvest the last mango, the star fruit are bearing.  The figs ripen as well at this time of year. You must harvest them quickly before the birds eat them.    Papayas ripen throughout the year as well.
My newest harvest is from the dragon fruit.  I am looking forward to many more fruits from this cactus.  The first flower was pollinated and the fruit ripened and rotted before I could harvest it.  Now I will have to wait for more flowers and more fruit.  

My garden is all planted out now and there is no more room.  The next step is to decide what I want to remove.  I need to decide what fruits I can replant.  They need full sun.  Time will tell what future plants I will purchase.  
Thank you for visiting my blog.  

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Sunday, September 16, 2012

Soap making from the garden



Several years ago at our Broward County Herb society meeting, we had a guest speaker who was a soap maker.  We learned that our largest organ of our body was our skin.  According to the speakers, what we wash ourselves with can have health benefits or health hazards.
Latest research confirms there are several toxic ingredients in our soaps and shampoos, according to Dr. Marcola.  Some people are more allergic to the ingredients than others.  He recommends avoiding all of them and buying organic products.


Last week I discovered a twitter peep who was a soap maker.  Her name is Jenny Anthony. I tweeted t o her that I loved natural soaps.   She was kind enough to offer to send me a bar to try.  A package arrived and I was delighted to find three beautifully wrapped soaps that perfumed the room with a potpourri of fragrances.
One was called Summer‘s Night.  The ingredients are olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, turmeric powder and fragrance.  I have to find out what the fragrance is; it is so aromatic and pleasant. 
A Calendula petals soap has shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, and silk.
The third hand crafted soap was a Sweet Almond.  Jenny explained, “The oils are olive, sweet almond, coconut, organic palm and cocoa butter. It has pure chamomile tea added and is colored with comfrey powder. All my recipes are my own, which is true of most soapers.”




On Jenny’s Facebook page, I learned she is passionate about soap making and gardening.  I admire people who follow their passions.   She aspires to grow most of her herbs organically to utilize in her soaps.  I love her slogan, “Created from the ground up.”  Her business is called Jenny B’s Handcrafted Soap.  Jenny follows her passions and says, There is something magical to me to take a substance as caustic as lye and chemically combine it to oils and butters from the earth. That is where my passion for gardens (and gardeners) connects.  I want to appeal to people of like mind and go wherever it leads.”

For more information please contact Jenny at Rosecreeksoaper@gmail.com and at
Jenny's Facebook Soap page


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Thursday, September 13, 2012

Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina


The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina has been on my bucket list for quite some time.  When friends extended an invitation to visit them in the mountains of North Carolina, I had no idea they were close to Asheville and had no intention of visiting the Biltmore during my mini vacation.

When I casually mentioned some day I would love to visit there, they said it was only a forty five minute drive away and we could easily fit it into our schedule.  We bought tickets online and went the next day.
The water garden was spectacular, with many pools of water lilies, cannas, papyrus and more.
The Biltmore was everything I had seen on the internet, TV, magazines and much more.  Being passionate about gardening, history, art, architecture and old homes I was overwhelmed at the super size of everything.  We spent a half a day visiting and could have stayed at least two days to see it all.
There  are great opportunities to photograph butterflies and other insects at the informal English countryside garden area.
The Biltmore was everything I had seen on the internet, TV, magazines and much more.  Being passionate about gardening, history, art, architecture and old homes I was overwhelmed at the super size of everything.  We spent a half a day visiting and could have stayed at least two days to see it all.

The botanical garden has some wonderful mature specimens dating back over one hundred years when Fredrick Law Olmsted designed the garden.  There are vast vistas that Olmsted is famous for.  Each garden is a delight, and there are many to see, including a rose garden, greenhouses, flower gardens, and more.

There is a winery, farm and more to visit. Enjoy this brief video!


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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Trip to North Carolina



Although I do live in a paradise, sometimes it is nice to get way.  When I like to go on a vacation, I like it to be very different than where I live.  An old friend suggested I visit their cabin in the cool North Carolina mountains last month.  Magic to my ears!  We would go hiking through the mountains, walk on rocks to cross gurgling streams, and view waterfalls.

The forest floor was teaming with life. Mosses,  mushrooms, wild flowers, small ferns and tiny plants carpeted the ground.


There were wildflowers everywhere.  I saw native rhododendrons.  There were wonderful ferns and lichens.  The trees were tall and thin in the forests reaching up to the sun.  I loved seeing all the maples and oaks.
The soothing peaceful sounds of the forest was very therapeutic.  It was so nice walking through the woods and hearing the water in the streams.  Birds were plentiful, and their sweet chirps added to the forest melody.
Going away for a few days sometimes is not enough of a vacation.  This particular trip was very soothing and relaxing.  It was the antithesis of everything South Florida, which was a welcome change.  Thank you for stopping by my blog and see you soon.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Why I hate hurricanes


Why I hate hurricanes


My Mahogany tree ripped to shreds and defoliated after Wilma.

Anytime there is a hurricane brewing in the ocean the weather forecasters predict doom and demise.  The television reporters show terrible damage of previous storms, days before the storm is anywhere near Florida.  Reporters stand with a wet slicker near a swaying palm tree (they always sway) and dramatically scream into the microphone while someone off camera throws a bucket of water in their face.  By the time the storm is near, the local grocery stores are stripped bare of bread, water, peanut butter and every sort of canned food available.  You are popping Xanax like jellybeans.
Meanwhile all the patio chairs, tables, end tables, garden whimsy, has been moved to the living room.  The house looks like an outdoor furniture store.  All the valuable orchids, rare potted plants are also in the living room, so it looks like a nursery.

My Tabebuia tree killed by the viscous hurricane Wilma. 

View from my Florida room of the back garden.
The hurricane shutters are up so the inside of the house is dark, even in the daytime.  You sit and wait, sit and wait.  Hopefully the power will remain on for a while.  Thomas Edison invented electricity over one hundred years ago and the wood pole and wire system he invented has not changed.  A new 25 year old community called Weston has electric underground and never loses power.  Here in Fort Lauderdale the lights flicker on and off all day long and with the slightest gust of wind, the lights go out.  We were without power 16 days with Wilma.  Grocery stores closed.  No gas at the pumps.  There were nightly curfews.  No traffic lights.  If a policeman saw you driving, he would stop you and ask where you were going.
My backyard after the hurricane, with piles six feet high of plant debris. 
These photos remained in an envelope for 7 years since Wilma, I could not bear to look at the devastated garden.  It was like losing a close friend.  Everything was destroyed.  The huge eighty year old mahogany tree was mangled beyond recognition.  The branches fell on my roof and the neighbors as well.  Branches fell to the ground like a can of pickup sticks.  It took a crew of five men all day to chain saw through the mess and carry all the branches away.  All the delicate tropical plants were sun burned to death without the tree canopy, smashed to death, or dried out since we had no rain and the sprinkler system could not run without electricity. Trees in the front yard were fallen down every which way.


A large percentage of the neighborhood tree canopy was destroyed. 
 A neighbor’s Ficus fell down into the roadway, blocking traffic in both directions.  The road remained closed for days.
Tree blocked the entire street for days.  No cars were able to pass. 

Mad, sad, grumpy gardener. 
My parents are evacuated from their condominium every storm as well and they stay with me.  
No comment.  They read my blog.  Just kidding Mom and Dad!

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Mystery of the disappearing orchid flower

I invited the president of the Wilton Manors garden club to come  over to see my garden after he was nice enough to host the members of the club to his house.  Problem was, I blurted it out spur of the moment, not thinking of the overgrown shrubs, foot high weeds, and dead potted annuals that succumbed to the summer sweltering heat.



Since I work full time as a horticulture therapist during the day in the field (pun intended) and do administrative duties in the evening and social networking, it gave me little time to prepare.  Early in the morning before work, and early evening after work, I weeded, raked up leaves and purchased some summer annuals to spruce up the yard.  Here is the orchid before it vanished. 


My pride and joy was a wonderful Vanda orchid that was blooming a second time this year.  Low and behold when I looked at the orchid, the flower had vanished.  I was shocked and very disappointed.  It looked as if the stem was cut off at the base of the plant.  What could have happened to it?  Several scenarios ran through my head.  The president was coming over the next day and this was the best flower of the orchid collection. 
Over the weekend I was shooting a video near the orchid the day before my visitor was scheduled to arrive.  My cameraman spotted the flower nestled among the branches of a shrub under the hanging orchid on the tree.  I decided to re cut the stem and take some wonderful photos.  Just make the best of a tough situation.  My guess is that when we were removing large palm fronds from the garden, they brushed into the hanging orchid and it severed the stem.  Mystery solved.

The tour went well and the president got to take home a care package of cuttings from my garden for his garden.  Have a wonderful week and thank you for coming by!  See you again soon. 

Enjoy my garden page on Facebook, please "like" it.  Loads of photos there of the garden and horticulture therapy in the albums.  You may subscribe to my Miami Garden Reporter articles for free, just hit the subscribe button in the link.


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Sunday, July 22, 2012

How to film your own YouTube videos


My YouTube garden/food/lifestyle channel is a fun project I started in December 2011.  Since I work all week long, weekends are devoted to filming. So far I have done all the shoots in my garden and house. I have about 35 segments filmed and ready for viewing on my channel.  Click on colored sentences to see some videos.

A great deal of planning goes into each segment.  The topics need to be researched for accuracy.  The script has to be short and to the point. I like the videos to be entertaining and fast paced.  Supplies need to be on hand and ready for the shoot.  The lighting has to be perfect.  When using a chain saw, pruning, and cooking, you do not have the opportunity for numerous takes.  Barking dogs, airplanes, people talking in the neighborhood, high winds, loud automobiles all interfere with the sound quality. How to grow and slice a Carambola, or starfruit

It is important to smile, be relaxed, speak clearly, and with confidence.  Try not to flub the lines. Stay focused and on topic.  Keep the videos short and do not ramble on.  Make sure to frame the shot so the audience can see you clearly and follow what you are doing on camera.
How to re pot an orchid.

Find a reliable camera person.  Retakes may be from a cameraman's foot being in the shot, a finger in front of the view, a sneeze, a sniffle, or an audible prompt from a cameraman.  A cameraman's shadow can ruin a shot.  There are many variables that can cause retakes.



Sometimes a mistake can add to the spontaneity. Once, when I was chopping onions, they flew off the cutting board and onto the floor.  I kept it in the scene.  Sometimes an unexpected critter in the garden could change the scene.  Do you keep on going or do a retake?  It is your call. How to prune a hedge



You also can monetize your site with google ads.  Follow the prompts and read the rules.  They can cut off your ads at any time and disable your account without giving you a warning or a reason.  You can appeal but they still do not give reasons.

For my kitchen cooking segments, to see the stove the cameraman had to stand outside the kitchen door on a step stool and shoot from there. Chicken, spinach, mushrooms and wine recipe

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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Best summer flowers for South Florida


My favorite perennials for the summer give lots of color are easy to grow, and last for years.  Pentas come in a wide variety of colors.  Remember the red, white and soft pinks are the largest growers reaching up to four feet.  The purple color is the shortest, reaching up to one foot.  When planting the pentas keep this in mind and plant the larger ones in the back and the shorter ones in the front.  Pentas also attract butterflies.  They also do well in partial shade.
Part II is coming up!  Have a wonderful week and see you soon.  Please follow my posts on the FB garden page Robert's Tropical Paradise Garden. Please subscribe to my Garden/food YouTube channel, and enjoy my articles at Miami Garden Reporter for Examiner.com


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Sunday, July 1, 2012

How to make the ultimate mango smoothie


I have been inundated with requests on how to make the ultimate mango milkshake. For sweetness use the ripest ones available.  First you need to remove the skin and large seed from the fruit.  Then you slice up the mango as the following YouTube video suggests. 

Add at least one large mango or two small mangoes for each glass of milkshake.  Pour the sliced mangoes into the blender.  Add about a half cup of milk (your choice of milk) per serving.  Add 4  ice cubes per serving.  Add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon (more or less depending upon your taste), 1/4 teaspoon of real vanella bean extract.  Add a scoop of protein powder.  Add a dash of nutmeg.  Blend for about thirty seconds.
You may also make a fruit smoothie without the milk.  Just substitute a half cup of fruit juice of your choice. (orange, cranberry, grape work nicely .)  Enjoy!  This nutritious drink is packed with vitamin A, C, K, and fiber.  You also may add a banana, strawberries, blueberries to cut the flavor of the mango if you so desire.
Next time you have a craving for ice cream, cake, or a high carb snack like potato chips, make a shake instead.  It will satisfy your sweet tooth craving.  The shake is very filling as well. Thank you for stopping by my blog and  see you again soon!


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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

How to make your garden therapeutic with white flowers



I used to yawn at white flowers in the garden.  Boring!  Bring on the color!  I changed my mind when I once saw a formal garden with only white flowering trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals.  The garden was understated and elegant.  Various shades of green sparkled with a dab  of white here, a splash of white there. 

There is therapeutic value in white flowers as well.  For the vision impaired, the white flowers “pop” at dusk.  The white flowers are similar to road reflectors on major highways.  The flowers act as a guide in the garden. They lead you in the right direction and can act as spotlights at nightfall.   Think of white flowers as a highlighter marker for a book. 




Too much white flowers during the day may hurt people with sensitive eyes.  People with blue eyes or macular degeneration need sunglasses for protection. White flowers work best with curves on a walkway as guideposts, or as a contrast to dark green leaves or as a low plant near a border.

This blog is written by a registered Horticulture Therapist with the American Horticulture Therapy Association.  To learn more visit here.


This YouTube video offers a brief explanation of how horticulture therapy heals. Please subscribe to my Garden/Food/Horticulture Therapy channel. Robert Bornstein on YouTube
Thank you for stopping by.  New next post will be about how to make a delicious mango smoothie!

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Monday, June 4, 2012

Mango harvest time in South Florida

This is a wonderful time of year indeed, mango harvest!  I grew up in New Jersey and did not hear about mangoes until I moved to Florida.  Now I know why some call it the apple of the tropics.  The trees are ubiquitous here, especially in the older neighborhoods.  The trees tower over the homes.  Here is an article and slide show of the beautiful trees and fruit. Mangoes in South Florida


Today I picked some from my tree, a Cogshell variety that is simply one of the best tasting mangoes around.  I picked the tree to grow in my garden since it branches low and you can prune it to stay shorter than most mango trees. 

Every year, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens has an amazing Mango weekend, with executive chefs preparing a gourmet brunch that always sells out. There are a multitude of vendors selling mango trees, fruit, jellies and chutneys. Here is an article and slide show. Mango Festival at Fairchild Gardens 

When picking mangoes, one has to be very careful of the power lines.  Every year someone dies from the mango picker touching an electrical wire.  Here is a slide show and article.  Mango trees and power lines are a deadly combination

Although the mango season is from May until October, each variety bears at different times.  There are early season, mid season and late season varieties. They bear for about six weeks.  At the height, you are inundated with them.  My sink is now loaded.  Time for a mango smoothie!

Here are my favorite place to buy a mango tree:
Pepe's Plants Great resource for edibles such as herbs, rare and exotic fruit trees, veggies.  Added benefit - Has a booth at Hollywood's Green Yellow Farmers Market
Swap Shop - has lots of tropical fruit trees for sale.
Living Color Garden Center - Wonderful place to visit due to the huge selection and wonderful display gardens.
Spikes Grove Grand daddy of old time citrus stands, now also has a great selection of tropical fruit trees.
Flamingo Road Nursery Has a beautiful garden center, butterfly garden and farmers market also.

Support your local independent plant growers and buy local.  Have a wonderful day.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Back from vacation, time to work in the garden

Vacations heal the mind body and spirit, as does horticulture therapy. I have been on  holiday and realize it is long overdue to fill you all in.
The garden has always been a tropical jungle.  Now it is a truly an untamed paradise.  I have lots to prune, weed, and organize.  Winter annuals have perished in their pots and need to be replaced with heat tolerant colorful summer flowers.  Large branches from trees and shrubs need to be pruned.  Over grown volunteer plants need to be removed from where ever they have germinated.  Fallen leaves need to be raked up.  As the days get longer and the heat gets stronger, gardening will be limited to early in the day or late in the day.

Here are the fruit trees all competing for space.  From left to right, Carambola, Orange and Mango. There are also more fruit trees behind these.  There is a fig, sugar apple and papaya as well.
It is nice to be back home.  No matter where I am and how great of a time I am having, I always miss being in my garden.  Please follow me on https://twitter.com/robbornstein
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