Question
Hi.  I live in Eastern North Carolina and I am proud to say that I have "self-taught" myself quite a bit about plants over the past couple of years.  I LOVE PLANTS!!  Fortunately, I have 4 1/2 acres on which to plant just about anything.  My question:  the other day I was driving down the road a few miles from home and noticed the most beautiful shrub in bloom in someone's yard.  Well, on that ONE road there were four different homes fortunate enough to own this plant!  Now I WANT one!!  I have looked in EVERY tree and plant guide that I own and can't find it.  Can you help?  It was probably 4-5 foot tall, a rounded shrub, full of dark green leaves, and among the leaves were dozens and dozen of dark orangey-red trumpet-  like flowers.  I KNOW I have seen this plant before but for the life of me don't know when or where. I certainly don't think it is all that rare of a plant.  I just can't find it in any book. We traveled another 10 miles home after getting off of that road and did not see one other plant like that anywhere.  I haven't seen one anywhere else since, either. I'm about go knock on their door and ask them what it is!!! Can you help?

Answer
Marie,
I must confess that it is hard to identify a plant from the description, but I would venture a guess. It sounds like Abelia, but I am not certian of the cultivar.
I would suggest that you go to your local nursery and look at all the plants they have to offer.
Good luck.
Ed Gulliksen