Do you miss your wetter home? I live in a desert, and I miss my dry home when I'm in a wet place.
I didn't know this flower, it's striking, but its leaves haven't the appeal =P

Not yet, there are so many species of plants that I have never seen or seen only through books.... It is simply fascinating. And I still got to observe the seasonal changes in vegetation(though I think summer might be rather boring)! But yes, after I get more accustomed to this landscape, then I think I would start longing for Korean nature.

I think this plant has potential as an early season bedding plant, if made more floriferous and erect through breeding.

How could someone breed different characteristics like that? Does it take much time? Or radiation? haha.

Well, as every individual human beings are different, each individual plants have different genes(and thus characteristics) from other individuals of same species(Of course, there are several species with small gene pool, having genetically homogeneous population, but thats exception). Some of them may possess desirable characteristics, and if so, hybridization and selection will do its job(This is one of the reasons why me must preserve the diversity of gene pool).

Or you can select desirable mutations that arise during cultivation, like our ancestors did with crops of nowadays(they were mere weeds before domestication, as you probably would know), though that will take long time. Artificially inducing mutation through means such as chemical mutagens or radiation can speed up the process, but it is hit or miss, usually producing useless mutations.

It's awesome how that works. What amazes me it that I've never found a significant variation among wild plants, they're always like clones to me, except for what I asume it's due the environment they are in (this recives more water, so it's bigger, this is under direct sun all day, so it's shorter, this is under this tree, so its leaves are bigger, etc.). But from what you say I assume you have to plant an entire field with the same species in the same environment. Yes, that would be easier than looking among wild plants =P