MICONIA MAGNIFICA

A VERY RARE PLANT, AT LEAST IN THE CONTINENTAL USA, IS THE STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL MICONIA MAGNIFICA, WHICH CAN GROW TO TREE SIZE. IT HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING AN INVASIVE PEST IN TRULY TROPICAL AREAS, BUT WHERE IT CAN BE CONTAINED--SAY IN A GREENHOUSE AS AT SELBY GARDENS IN SARASOTA, IT IS A REMARKABLE AND TRULY AWESOME TROPICAL. THE LEAVES ARE AMONG THE MOST SPECTACULAR OF ANY PLANT ONE CAME NAME AND CAN GET VERY LARGE. I HAVE GROWN THIS PLANT IN A POT--VERY LARGE--AND IT HAS BLOOMED (BLOOMS DECIDEDLY UNSPECTACULAR). IT ALSO SET SEED, BUT I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD LIKELY BE UN VIABLE IN FLORIDA. THIS PROVED INCORRECT AS I HAVE MANAGED TO GET TWO SEEDLINGS, ONE OF WHICH HAS SURVIVED. THE PLANT IS VERY COLD TENDER AND IT ALSO REQUIRES A LOT OF WATER. PRETTY MUCH IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND, BUT WORTH THE SEARCH. AS ROBERT LEE RIFFLE HAS STATED IN HIS SUPERB BOOK ON TROPICAL PLANTS,( AMONG THE VERY BEST BOOKS AVAILABLE ON TROPICALS) "IT IS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE THAT MORE OF THESE BEAUTIES HAVE NOT BEEN EXPLOITED FOR GARDENERS IN FROST-FREE REGIONS."

LAURA

EVEN AFTER ONE KNOWS ALL THE TWISTS AND TURNS OF LAURA INCLUDING THE BIG SURPRISE MIDWAY THROUGH THE FILM, THIS IS STILL A MOVIE TO BE ENJOYED OVER AND OVER. IT HAS A FANTASTIC CAST, COMPREHENSIVE EVEN FOR FILMS OF THIS ERA AND PRETTY MUCH UNKNOWN IN CONTEMPORARY MOVIES. OTTO PREMINGER, WHO HAD A VERY INTERESTING IF UNEVEN FILM CAREER, WAS BROUGHT IN TO TAKE OVER THIS TROUBLED PRODUCTION AT THE LAST MINUTE. IT WAS HE WHO INSISTED UPON CASTING THE UNKNOWN CLIFTON WEBB IN A PIVOTAL ROLE. WEBB BECAME A STAR AS A RESULT. THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN GENE TIERNEY AND DANA ANDREWS --AT THEIR MOST BEAUTIFUL HERE--IS DAZZLING. IT'S PRETTY GOOD BETWEEN EXCELLENT VINCENT PRICE AND JUDITH

ANDERSON,TOO. WEBB DOMINATES AND STEALS EVERY SCENE HE IS IN AND THE REST OF THE LARGE CAST IS SUPER, EVEN THE SMALLEST PARTS. PREMINGER GOT SUPERLATIVE PERFORMANCES FROM ALL. THE MAIN MUSIC THEME BY DAVID RAKSIN HAS BECOME A CLASSIC STANDARD. A SIDE TRIVIA NOTE: PREMINGER HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING A MONSTER WITH ACTORS REDUCING MANY TO TEARS. YEARS AFTER THIS FILM, I MET HIM AT A PRESS LUNCHEON AND FOUND HIM WITTY AND CHARMING; BUT, OF COURSE, I WAS ONLY INTERVIEWING HIM, NOT WORKING FOR HIM.

IRESINE

PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GOOD GROUND COVERS AND A VERY NICE ONE IS THIS IRESINE FROM THE AMARANTHACEAE FAMILY. IT IS AN UNDER-USED SUN-LOVING TROPICAL FROM BRAZIL THAT MAKES VERY ATTRACTIVE BEDS AND BRIGHTENS UP GROUPS OF PLANTS IN LARGE POTS OF BASKETS. THE BLOOMS ARE NOT MEMORABLE, BUT IT IS EASY TO GROW AND CAN BE SHEARED AS NEEDED. CUTTINGS GENERALLY ROOT WELL, THOUGH NOT 100% BY ANY MEANS. THE PLANT, ONCE LESS AVAILABLE, NOW SEEMS TO BE EVERYWHERE IN THE GOOD WEATHER. THERE ARE VARIATIONS, TOO. I ESPECIALLY FAVOR THE GREEN AND YELLOW ONE. WORTH A TRY AND REALLY LOVELY WHEN WELL GROWN.

THE LADY VANISHES

LONG BEFORE ALFRED HITCHCOCK CAME TO AMERICA AND BECAME AN INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR, HE WORKED IN ENGLAND AT MORE MODEST LEVELS, BUT STILL MADE SOME VERY GOOD FILMS DURING THIS EARLY PART OF HIS CAREER. AMONG THE BEST AND INDEED AMONG THE BEST OF ALL HITCHCOCK FILMS IS THE LADY VANISHES BLESSED WITH AN ESPECIALLY WITTY AND INTRIGUING SCRIPT AND WONDERFUL PERFORMANCES. MICHAEL REDGRAVE, WHO MADE FEW FILMS AS A YOUNG MAN IS ESPECIALLY WINNING IN WHAT IS ARGUABLY ONE OF HIS BEST SCREEN ROLES AND MARGARET LOCKWOOD, A NOW FORGOTTEN BRITISH ACTRESS, BUT A MAJOR STAR IN HER TIME IS ALSO ENORMOUSLY APPEALING HERE. THERE IS ALSO THE LADY WHO VANISHES, DAME MAY WITTY, WHO BRIGHTENED UP EVERY FILM IN WHICH SHE APPEARED. THIS IS ALSO ARGUABLY ONE OF HER BEST ROLES, TOO; AND THOUGH IT IS COMPARATIVELY SMALL, SHE MAKES EVERY SECOND COUNT WHEN SHE IS ON THE SCREEN. THE MYSTERY HERE IS VERY ABSORBING AND HAS BEEN MUCH COPIED IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS; BUT THE REAL FUN OF THIS FILM IS THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR INTERACTION WITH ONE ANOTHER. A FILM THAT CAN BE APPRECIATED MULTIPLE TIMES-A MAJOR TEST FOR A GREAT MOVIE.

MANIHOT ESCULENTA VARIEGATA

MANIHOT IS A BEAUTIFUL MEMBER OF THE EUPHORBIACEAE FAMILY AND IS WIDELY GROWN IN WARM CLIMATES. IT IS THE SOURCE OF TAPIOCA AND IS SOMETIMES SIMPLY CALL THAT. THIS STRICTLY TROPICAL PLANT IS VERY BRITTLE IN THE WIND, BUT IT IS AMONG THE MOST EASY OF PLANTS TO PROPAGATE, WHICH MAKES THE HIGH PRICES TAGGED ON IT IN MANY NURSERIES SEEM PRETTY GREEDY. EVEN STICKING A PIECE IN THE GROUND DURING GOOD WEATHER USUALLY PRODUCES ALMOST INSTANT RESULTS. THE PLANT REALLY DOES HATE THE COLD AND WILL DEFOLIATE AND LOOK PRETTY RATTY IN WINTER WEATHER. IT WILL REMAIN SMALLER AND MORE IN CONTROL IN A BIG POT, IF YOU HAVE LIMITED SPACE. BUT IT WILL HELP,WHATEVER GROWTH METHOD, IF THE PLANT IS BOTH FED AND PRUNED REGULARLY.

MAX DUGAN RETURNS

THE WORK OF NEIL SIMON IS AN ACQUIRED TASTE FOR SOME. MANY LOVE SIMON'S PLAYS AND OTHERS HAVE MANY RESERVATIONS. I GUESS I FALL IN THE LATTER GROUP, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF HIS WORKS FOR WHICH I HAVE A SPECIAL AFFECTION AND MAX DUGAN RETURNS IS ONE OF THEM. IT IS ONE OF SIMON'S LESSER KNOWN WORKS, ALMOST ALL OF WHICH HAVE MADE IT TO FILM. SIMON WAS MARRIED FOR A TIME TO THE VERY GOOD ACTRESS, MARSHA MASON, AND HE WROTE A LOT OF MATERIAL JUST FOR HER OF WHICH THIS IS A SHINNING EXAMPLE. MASON PLAYS A BELEAGUERED SINGLE MOM /SCHOOL TEACHER, WHO IS TRYING--NOT OVERLY SUCCESSFULLY TO COPE WITH LIFE AND A TEENAGE SON. RE-ENTER HER FATHER, MAX DUGAN, WHOM SHE LONG THOUGHT DEAD; AND TO COMPLICATE MATTERS A LOT, DUGAN IS ON THE RUN WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF STOLEN CASH. HE IS ALSO DYING. THIS MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A PLOT RIPE FOR COMEDY AND ONE-LINERS, BUT SIMON MANAGES IT AND DOES IT WELL KEEPING MUCH OF HIS SOMETIME LETHAL, TREACLY SENTIMENTALITY AT BAY FOR MUCH OF THE PROCEEDINGS. JASON ROBARDS IS WONDERFUL IN THE LEAD AND MATTHEW BRODERICK--VERY EARLY IN HIS CAREER--IS THE CONFUSED, BUT VERY BRIGHT TEENAGER. ADD DONALD SUTHERLAND AS A SMART DETECTIVE WHO FALLS FOR MARSHA AND YOU HAVE A PREDICTABLE, BUT STILL VERY ENJOYABLE LIGHT COMEDY THAT ONLY THE HARDEST OF HEARTS WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST.

EUPHORBIA COTINIFOLIA

EUPHORBIA COTINIFOLIA IS A LOVELY LITTLE TREE OR SHRUB ( IF PRUNED A LOT) THAT SHOULD BE USED MORE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MORE POPULAR IN CALIFORNIA AND THE WEST THAN HERE IN FLORIDA. BUT, RECENTLY--APPARENTLY DUE TO SOME TISSUE-CULTURING--IT IS AROUND MUCH MORE IN THE SOUTH. THE PLANT LIKES SUN AND DOESN'T APPEAR TO WANT TO BE TOO WET, BUT IT ALSO CANNOT TAKE LONG DROUGHTS WITHOUT ATTENTION. iT IS TROPICAL AND WILL NOT TOLERATE FREEZING, THOUGH THERE ARE SOME REPORTS IT WILL COME BACK AT THE BASE FOLLOWING VERY COLD WEATHER. IT'S LEAVES RUSSLE NICELY IN THE BREEZE, BUT THE STEMS ARE BRITTLE AND EXUDE THE SAME KIND OF IRRITATING SAP AS THE CHRISTMAS POINSETTIA. MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE ISSUES WITH THIS, THOUGH, USUALLY, IT JUST MAKES A STICKY MESS WHEN CUT OR BROKEN. THE PHOTO HERE DOES NOT REALLY SHOW UP THE MUCH DARKER RED LEAVES THAT PLANTS IN GOOD LIGHT PRODUCE. IT WILL PROPAGATE FROM CUTTINGS, BUT REQUIRES SOME PATIENCE. A KEEPER THIS IS!