I loved the flora in China. I was in Hangzhou in'79 going to school. Yes, think hot and humid, very hot and very hummid. Hanging hot fog with temps near 40 C. Everyone in Hanhgzhou said Nanjing was even hotter. I don't remember a lot of succulents. I do remember crepe myrtles, bamboo, lilies, lotus. The gardens were beautiful to my eyes but the plantings at that time were ragged. It was not long after the cultural revolution, and gardens were considered criminally bourgeois. I am sure that has changed. I had the most amazing experience in Souchou. I was at this garden because a friend had heard that a most amzing historic collection of bonzais was coming out of hiding and was to be displayed at this garden. I walked in and they had these worn tables set up , and on it were the MOST UNBELIEVABLE bonzais I have ever seen in my life. Some were 400 , 500 years old. Some did not even look like trees but see wood, or the weathered bark pealed off a tree with a few branches and leaves. The forms were most unusual. They were not so formalized as Japanese bonzai. the aesthetics was so much more experimental pushing the plant to extremes of weathering. They were not so hung up on the keeping of the plant tiny. It was more about form and texture, so the twisting and convolutions were extreme. The old men that had taken them and protected them through the cultural revolution were there to tell their stories. I never made it to Nanjing. I made it as far north as Wuxi and Souchou. IT was a different time when I was there. The Shanghai airport had one small terminal, No sky scrapers above ten floors that I could see. People were still wearing the Mao uniforms and the girls all had their peter pan collars. The summer that I was there the brave and adventuresome women started wearing dresses out in public. That was so shocking to my friend. A lot of the fauna was just like I see in the south, because it all came from china mostly.

Thanks, Oldned, that is what it is! The pics were taken close to a small lake in Nanjing, China by a colleague in January. I stand corrected - it is not in the Southern part but is in the Eastern part of China.

The Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis), also known as the Chinese Bulbul. I have some great pictures of them from Hong Kong - and they were also sitting over the water... Candy

Thank you all for the great responses! It's true, frou-frou has been around a long time in some magazines (I miss the old Victorian magazine) but lately it seems to be showing up more in "regular" magazines. I think Bellaflora is right, when it's time to hide out, it's much nicer to do it under the "biggest fluffiest ruffliest quilt" you can find...great description :) I do not have little ones, unless you count my kitties, but I think wine is an acceptable alternative to tea, especially in a crystal wine glass (LOL) Poshspace- Great time to remodel your bathroom, lots of wonderful ideas out there. The magazine is the current issue of BHG's Beautiful Baths. I'm not really a huge pink fan (more of a lavender fan with a little pink) but it's so nice to see cheerful, fun colors again! Cooperbailey- Fairies are fun and I love the idea of putting some fairy things in the garden. The nieces love it and with all their Tinkerbell stuff, they can dress up and play in the garden. We had a small garden this year, but plan a bigger one for next year. Oakleyok- I'm with you there. I wasn't really girlie when I was young either, so maybe we're making up for lost time :)