Great question, Orchidobsessed. Chryss, your shot of the Den Rainbow Dancer looks like an expensive portrait by a professional photographer. Calvin, whenever I see a spike, it's an involuntary inhalation, followed by a big "Oh" and a grateful smile. Here are more pix. I don't know the technical names for plant parts, but you can see where the spikes, buds, etc. come from. Aerangis fastuosa Coryanthes fieldingii Cycnoches Midnight Magic Dendrobium aberrans 1 - little dark spot is the spike. Dendrobium aberrans 2, spike from leafless pseudobulb  cuuuuute Dendrobium moniliforme Encyclia bracteata - 2 spikes w/ one bud each Gastrochilus japonicus - 2 spikes Lepanthes manabina - buds at the end of spikes on leaves Neofinetia falcata ÂShutennou ÂRed Emperor Ornithocephalus bicornis Paphiopedilum spicerianum  looks like a new leaf at first Phalaenopsis Snow Twinkle  can look like a new root at first Polystachya piersii blooming, so you can see where the spike comes from Polystachya piersii spike, side view Trigonidium egertonianum This is fun! Whitecat8

Here is what i wrote way back in 2004. I am talking about "phals" that would get more of a seasonal difference in temp than those grown indoors all year in colder climates. Also, I do not muck around with re-bloomed spikes. If the plant has given you blooms for a couple of months, it deserves a rest and time to grow new leaves. As for roots outside a pot, not a worry, though some growers think that they do better in clear pots where the roots do not wander so much. "Posted by: ArthurM NSW AUST (My Page) on Sun, Aug 1, 04 at 17:59 There is a little problem in that most of the above relates to spring flowering Phalaenopsis. Add Doritis to the equation and i'm not sure what will happen. Perhaps this is why I've had so much trouble getting Doritaenopsis Tamara to rebloom though I found the start of flowering spike the other day and where it is sitting on the windowsill has been down to 12C. This autumn flowering trigger must relate to one of the species that appears in the ancestry of most modern hybrids...But there are some that initiate flowering in early spring such as the large white that I auctioned at our last OS meeting purely because it grew enormous leaves and outgrew its welcome. Flowered December so counting back 110 days spike would have started about late August (Spring Here). Phal amablis is in flower now so flowering was initiated when it was still warm. Doritis pulcherrima flowers summer as does Phal. violacea so expect different behaviour from primary hybrids."

Doing a google search on remontant hydrangeas, brought me to this thread. I own 'Wedding Gown' & 'Pistachio' or 'Glam Rock' as its known across the pond. Both hydrangeas do not get huge figure about 3' X 3'. 'Wedding Gown' I have noticed, in our zone 7 winters w/o protection dies almost to the ground and emerges with new growth in spring. The plant blooms on new wood. I have not encountered 'die to the ground' with 'Pistachio'. Both are well behaved in a Northern exposure and a Western exposure in the shadow of a magnolia.

aurorawa, you jinxed me! My meliflua has been happily growing away and putting on vine and leaves but since you mentioned it being fussy it's done .. nothing! It's sitting there with it's last pair of baby leaves it was growing and it's like it's just gone "Nope! I know you were talking about me.