Thanks for the replies, everyone! After to reading the replies here I've decided to take a risk and house a couple of plants at the window sill. I've picked up a Snake Plant and Pothos, and I'll see how they do. I realized that while I have to use a lamp in the day time while I'm in the room, I can still read newsprint if I'm right next to the window. And the days are getting longer and warmer, plus the angle of the sun is shifting more favorably for my window. I should be getting brighter light, and more of it. So here's crossing my fingers! I've thought about the possibility that I might have to move my plants to a room with better light during the Winter months. But I'll see how they do for now. I've also picked up some faster draining soil, and I think I might repot everything soon... I have a follow-up question: I know that plants with are grown from seeds indoors have to be gradually adjusted to living in brighter light before they can be moved completely outdoors. Should I be treating these store-bought house plants the same way? The opposite way, I mean. Because I realize they might be used to living with a little more light than I will be providing them, do I need to worry about acclimating them? Or am I being too fussy, LOL. On a side note, I've got a few spider plant babies growing upstairs. I've never grown those before, very excited to see if they take root. I feel like the room is brighter already, just having those babies there. (Why have I not gotten into growing house plants sooner?) Thank you all, again, and happy gardening! ~ Melody

It must be the dry heat here but irises and day lilies don't have the explosive growth some of you describe and therefore they make perfect companion plants for me. The iris flowers are a wonderful bonus (I have reblooming ones) at unexpected times of the year but it's really their growth habit, and that of the day lilies, that makes them a valuable accent plant in the garden. My day lilies only bloom in spring and early summer, which is just as well, since I have the common yellow and gold ones. Cutting out the spent bloom spikes on the day lilies seems like the most onerous chore, right along with cleaning out the dead fronds at the bottoms of the plants. For me the best companion plants have turned out to be pelargoniuns, which bloom for most of the year in white and fuchsia, and make a great companion for the roses I grow. Very little maintenance and lots of blooms. And, last but not least, the animals and snails leave them alone. Ingrid

I do belive you are right on the money gardenerme! I looked it up and it is a variegated Society Garlic, Tulbaghia violacea 'Silver Lace'. I had never seen one before. Too bad it doesn't grow here. Thank you. CMK

Subliminal - From your page, I assume you live in the LA area (that bit about breaking into the industry). I checked the California Rare Fruit Growers site (I'm looking for good fruits to grow myself) and they say your Wax Jambu is damaged at 31 degrees, and killed at 26. They also list several suppliers, most in Florida or the San Diego area. If you're on the coast up here, it will surely survive the winter but may not get enough sun and warmth to fruit. If you're in the hills or the valley, and blessed with an accomodating microclimate, it would probably grow very well, although you may need to put it against a warm wall for the winter.