Spigelia marilandica	One of the great benefits of finishing the writing and having a book finally published, aside from having a bit of my life back for a change, is the ensuing travel opportunities that the dogwood book has created. It has always amazed me how the fashioning of one’s opinions between two hard covers renders the writer an expert on the subject. Those who know me best might suppose that my opinions are stronger than my command of the subject! But be that as it may, the book has provided many opportunities for travel to great cities and gardens, and chances to meet and talk with some great gardeners. An early July trip to the Philadelphia area brought a chance to visit the incomparable Mt Cuba Center in Greenville DE . The former estate of Mr. and Mrs. Lammott du Pont Copeland, this fabulous tract of land has been developed into the nation’s finest collection and display of native piedmont flora. The Center has had the good fortune to be run by two of the nation’s finest plantsmen, first director Dr. Richard Lighty, and current head Rick Lewandowski, a plantsman’s plantsman. Mt Cuba has continued to collect, document ,	Sarricinia double form
Cyrilla racemiflora	introduce and display outstanding native plants.  Some of the outstanding introductions include Aster laevis ‘Bluebird’, which I first grew in my Maine garden,  the yellow-stemmed and creamy variegated Cornus stolonifera ‘Silver and Gold’,  star of the late summer border Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ and Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’ among others. Majestic Liriodendron tulipifera specimens abound in the woods. A chance encounter with a specimen of Persia palustris (or was it P. borbonia?) provided an impromptu plant quiz – I missed it! The displays of native wildflowers at Mt. Cuba are legendary. Through the North American Plant Collections Consortium, they hold the national collections of both Hexastylis (formerly Asarum) and Trillium. Their spring open days are a must.      One of the absolute standout gardens in the US, that I was fortunate enough to visit twice this summer, is Chanticleer, in my mind, one of the most creative and aesthetically energetic	Teacup Garden
Cotinus Golden Spirit	public gardens anywhere. Under the brilliance of expert gardener and plantsman Bill Thomas, Chanticleer’s staff continues to wow visitors with outstanding plant combinations and stunning design. From expertly crafted gardens, to exquisite hand-made (staff made, that is!) garden furniture, iron work and garden sculpture, they seem to just do it all. Among the tropical containers, endless Tillandsias and Cape bulbs, I found  Stictocardia beraviensis, a striking tropical vine with electric red and orange blossoms, and a beautifully espaliered Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’ (How could I miss the dogwood!) and a couple of excellent specimens of Cotinus coggygria Golden Spirit, the yellow leafed smoke bush. This is a garden not to be missed.	Stictocardia beraviensis