She is going to start between 1 and 3 paperwhite bulbs with some stones in a canning jar. Tie a pretty ribbon around the neck and you have a really nice gift for only a few dollars—and the tall jar will keep the paperwhites from falling over. Remember 1 or 2 paperwhites is enough to perfume an entire room. Allow at least a week between starting the paperwhites and giving the gift. Incidentally, I happened to be in one of the chain stores the other night and I wandered into their plant section. They are selling 3 paperwhite bulbs with a little bit of gravel in a nice, but not great, glass container for $12.99. (We usually have some old canning jars in our closeout “yard sale” section for a .25 each).

Question: I have heard through the grape vine that your personal Christmas tree was featured in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Is this true? And if so, anyone who can trim a tree that well ought to have some hints and tips they can share.

Answer: You have a mighty good grape vine; it’s been about 20 years since that article appeared. I am not sure I even have a copy of the magazine any longer. And I had just about forgotten about the whole event.

I do a particular style of old-world tree—very much like a tree that would have been done soon after the turn of the century, but much more bountifully laden. I am not sure I have any unique tips, but I will share with you a few rules I try to follow:

a. I always use a fresh cut tree with Christmas tree preservative like Prolong. And I sometimes string the lights the same day I put the tree up. But I never hang ornaments until the tree “hangs down and opens up”.

b. If the tree has a “hole” where there are no branches, I pull the surrounding branches together with thin wire to fill in the offending space.

c. I put the lights on the inside of the tree and usually use 2 kinds intermingled; large colored lights and tiny white ones. Because the tree tends to be thinner at the top and the lights are more visible, I have to be extra cautious to use fewer lights at the top and more at the bottom of the tree.

d. I put only small ornaments at the top of the tree, but throughout the center and bottom I use a mixture of sizes from the largest to the smallest.

e. I always repeat lots of vertical, slender ornaments throughout the tree to give an integrated look to what is basically a hodge-podge of ornaments. Some years I use glass icicles; some years I use glass pine cones and some years I use a long tapered twist, but always something long and slender.

f. I never mix old tarnished antique ornaments with the new brightly colored ornaments. I reserve the old, faded true antiques for a separate tee. Mixed together the antiques are overwhelmed by those with a shiny bright finish.

g. So that the tree looks really bountifully decorated, I use lots of clip-on ornaments on the tops of the branches. I use glass candles and lots of glass birds. Repeating these above-branch ornaments also helps to unify the tree.

h. When it comes to Christmas trees, I don’t subscribe to the philosophy “that less is more”. More is more. I go back to the tree after it’s been decorated for a few days and fill in the open spots that always seem to appear.

Question: On past programs you talked about how to store mandevillas over the winter. Could you please tell me again how to do it? Also I have a purple leaf smokebush that's been in the ground for about 5 years. It's healthy except that it is wider than high, which is only about 4.5 ft. I bought it from you when it was about 3 ft. It does have root competition from some nearby plants. Is there any way to prune it so that I can get it to be more upright? I do fertilize it with plant tone.

Answer: On the Mandevilla, there are 3 methods:

1. Store the root, like a Dahlia tuber in peat moss in a cool place over the winter. Pot in early March and start indoors before planting outdoors in late May.

2. Put the pot in a cool dark place and withhold water until early March. Then cut back and move to a warm brightly lit place. Grow as a houseplant until putting outside in late May.

3. Keep growing as a houseplant all winter in a warm sunny place. Trim lightly to shape now and more severely in mid-April. Caution: use systemic granules (Di-Syston), as mandevilla is very subject to white fly.

Smoke trees can be cut back as much as you would like (even to the ground) in late January-early February. Trimming the sides should force upright growth.

Question: Alan, last week on your radio program, you mentioned the best Crocus for naturalizing. What is it and do you carry it? Also, I live in Chester MD. What is the best Magnolia for our area? I'm looking for one that gets big.

Answer: The best Crocus for naturalizing are the tomasinianus varieties. We still have some Whitewell purple in stock at 10/$4.85, 25/$9.85 and 100/$42.85. We also have some Barr’s Purple in stock at 5/$3.85, 10/$6.85 and 25/$15.85. They are two slightly different shades of purple. I suggest you mix them for naturalizing. If you want some, please order over the phone at 1-800-638-6334 and ask for Donna. These varieties are not listed on our web site at this time.

Question: I have a "Red Satisfaction" Geranium and it is the most hardy geranium I have ever had. I am so enamored with it that I want to save it for next year. What do I have to do to winter it over for next season? Should it be put in a dry cool basement? Please tell me what to do! Any and all information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Answer: I presume you have only one geranium. You can keep it actively growing in a pot all winter long in a cool, sunny window. It will rest and drop leaves during the early winter and then bloom in late winter and early spring. Be sure to keep the geranium on the dry side, especially while it is resting.

Alternatively you can keep the geranium in the basement (either dark or well lighted) during the rest period. If the basement is sufficiently sunny, it could stay down there until it moves outdoors. Otherwise, only until mid-February, after which it must move to a brightly lit place. If the geranium is to be in a dark place in early winter, do not cut it back, if necessary, until mid winter at the earliest. As an alternative you can wait until a couple of weeks before the outdoor move. If the geranium is to be in a sunny place in early winter, cut it back (if necessary) now or wait until late April-early May—a few weeks before the outdoors move. Presuming the geranium is not patented, the cuttings can be rooted to make more geraniums.

Question: The above Rhodo and Hydrangea were planted 3 yrs ago. They have flowered only once. I cut back the hydrangea to about 6-8" in winter and listening to Alan decided not to do so this year, green leave only no flowers. The Rhode looks week, lost a few low branched, I never cut it back and the winter snows break branches and it looks awful. Should I tie up the rhodo from the base to support snows? Feed it? Won't the uncut hydrangea now become crushed by winter snow and ice??? Help Alan help...it is very tough getting you on the phone during your talk show. But I love to listen and learn a lot. Thanks for any help rendered!!!

Rhododendrons do not do well in a place where the snow cascades down on them from above--like under a sloping roof. If your rhododendron is in such a place, it should be moved in the spring. Rhododendrons do best in morning sun and afternoon shade in well-drained soil without tree root competition. It sounds as if you should protect your rhododendron this year from the winter snows by building a slatted wooden structure over at. Tied up branches are even more subject to breakage. The slatted structure should protect the rhododendron this year; but I don't consider such a structure to be a viable long term solution.

Answer: Endless Summer is a patented plant and strictly speaking you should not be making cuttings-even one for your own use. However, that law is about as effective as the tags on your pillows that read "do not remove under penalty of law". Your hydrangea cutting will be exactly the same as the parent. I doubt your cutting will survive the winter out of doors. Keep it indoors and put it outside at the end of May.