Bob, Your Neo. tigrina is a distinct species, and it gets to keep that name no matter what discussions go on with all the varieties of Neo. ampullacea. The plant that many of us grow labelled as Neo. punctatissima (that's the yellow leaved one with reddish bands) Uncle Derek wants to name Neo. 'Punctate' as a "cultivar" of Neo. ampullacea. I don't know what the collection history of Neo. 'Punctate' from the wild might be. But if it has been wild collected and by virtue of its floral characters it is deemed to share species characters of Neo. ampullacea, then it should be given variety status. It's a subtle difference, but cultivar status implies that a plant suddenly appeared "in cultivation". I doubt that is the case with this particular plant. Some proof would be offered if two different clones are crossed, and the resulting progeny breed true. The primary name confusion with Neo. punctatissima lies with the fact that there is a species described in the Smith and Downs monograph which is practically (probably) unknown in cultivation. The plant that many of us grow labelled as Neo. punctatissima by default has an invalid name. Uncle Derek has offered a remedy by suggesting the name 'Punctate'. It seems an acceptable alternative while the details are hashed out as to whether it is a "variety" or "cultivar" of Neo. ampullacea. Neo. punctatissima var. rubra is another can of worms. Since it, too, is likely a "variety" of Neo. ampullacea. A rubra variety of ampullacea has already been described, so you need a name which differentiates it from all previously described varieties. Uncle Derek's suggestion of 'Punctate Red' seems a reasonable solution for the time being. The cultivar registry is a bit vague, though. If I'm reading it correctly, then it might also be acceptable to label it Neo. ampullacea var. purpurea. Hope this helps somebody, 'cause I'm still sort of confused! Paul

Although our house will end up costing several times what we paid for it when we're through restoring and renovating, it is a dream come true. I always wanted an historical home but never thought I would own one. The house is in my hometown, and it is a beautiful, fantastic old house. PO was a DIY fool and did a fair amount of damage to the house. We are undoing what he did. Probably won't be able to afford to undo what he did to the outside: replaced the original tile roof with metal, covered the house in aluminum siding, and replaced the 1889 windows with putrid vinyl windows. The house would probably have been eligible for National Register status without the "improvements" of siding and elcheapo windows---according to the SC Dept. of Archives and History. There's a good chance we'll have to replace the cruddy windows one day and probably do something with the siding---just to protect the house---but that is in the future. For now, replacing the porch floor, having new stucco applied to the brick columns, and restoring the interior are the priorities. We have already had the house completely rewired. All new ductwork has been added along with two HVAC systems (one for upstairs and one for downstairs). New plumbing is in the works. It will take years to get all the floors refinished (most were painted and some had carpet over that), but the ones we have had refinished are just absolutely gorgeous. We are repairing as much plaster as possible. So far, I've had only one plaster wall knocked out and replaced with sheetrock. Hopefully, that will be the only one that is too far gone to repair. Most of the woodwork is intact. I'm about to have a few pieces copied. My grandmother is 96, and we're having her bedroom and bath finished now. About 2/3 of the upstairs is on the verge of being finished. It's expensive. We're selling some property to get the funds to do a lot of the work, but living there is just living in history. We believe that we have saved the house for many more years. The house seems like a living entity. It's a beautiful neo-classical Victorian with four huge columns on the front, a wraparound porch, a gorgeous front staircase, a back staircase, six fireplaces, original parlor light (gas/electric design), and original front door with leaded glass sidelights. Even though I'm pouring my time and money into the house, it is all worth it to me. I just hope I can get everything done that the house needs. Please, please, research before you destroy great things about your old house. And if you know how---really know how---to DIY, that's great. But don't ruin the house like the PO tried to do to our house. Of course, he thinks we're "messing up" all the great things he did---like adding trailer wallboard over the plaster and ripping out claw foot tubs to add fiberglas. I'm going to stop now; I'm returning to a place I don't want to revisit! On with the restoration!

There was a GW member (I forget who) that bought a new condo or single house. I recall that it was a new development situation and that the house set close to the sidewalk and close to neighbors homes. It was brick. I recall the interior being gorgeous! The trim was thicker and more built up then any new home built to look old. It was at least as thick and pronounced as my 100yr old Victorian/ 4 Square hybrid. Last night I was taking notice to a home featured in the most current issue of Traditional Home. It was new built to look old. The outside looked old but I still thought that the interior trim was too small. In reality it was probably really thick trim if in an average sized house but it seemed but it didn't stand out to me in any way, shape, or form in this particular home.

The following list of fragrant orchids was submitted to the GardenWeb Fragrant Plants Forum by Jim Shy in August 2004. Fragrant Orchid List A list of all fragrant orchid species and hybrids would be gigantic, and would always be growing as new hybrids are registered practically every week. In response to some requests, this list has been created as a definitely-not-complete list of orchids that are: 1. Fragrant in a pleasing sense (bulbophyllum fans, youll have to look elsewhere!) 2. Not impossible to find at nurseries, orchid shows, and on the web 3. Are generally considered to be easy to grow in the home, average greenhouse, or outdoors for those living in Zones 9-10 Ive given brief notes about fragrance (faint, strong, day or night), where I can, but for more info, youll have to consult some orchid books or ask on the Orchid Forum Here goes! Species and hybrid orchids: Aerangis: most species are miniature and evening fragrant, biloba, citrata, modesta, mystacidii, somalensis are considered easy, most do better mounted. Aeranthes: a few species are fragrant. Aerides: most are very fragrant, tall, lanky growth and roots. Ancistrochilum rothschildianum: mini, deciduous in winter. Angraecum: most are night fragrant, some are large and highly scented. Brassavola: most are very night-scented, including the well-known Brassavola nodosa, or "lady of the night" orchid. Brassia: Huge, spiderlike flowers. Brassidium: popular, scented brassia hybrids. Brassocattleyas: crosses between brassavola and cattleya, many are scented, some are intensely scented. Brassolaocattleyas: Crosses of three different genuses, many are scented. Bulbophyllum: ambrosia, laxiflorum and odoratissimum are a few small, well-scented species in a group of often foul-smelling orchids. Catasetum: large, deciduous orchids that bear male or female flowers. Several species are fragrant, including callosum, pileatum and tenebrosum, many well-known hybrids with other genuses are likewise fragrant. Cattleya: The classic orchid, the most fragrant species are said to be bicolor, dowiana, iricolor, labiata, maxima, mossiae, schilleriana, and warscewiczii Literally thousands of hybrids, many are scented, some intensely so look for ones with scented species in their background, or ask for the most fragrant ones. Clowesia: plants lose leaves in the winter, most species and hybrids are scented. Cochleanthes amazonica, aromatica, discolor: small, must be kept warm and moist. Coelogyne: many species are scented, some grow quite large. Popular species include cristata, cummingii, dayana, mooreana, ochracea, pandurata. Cychnoches: large, deciduous orchids, spectacular blooms. Scented species include chlorochilum, warscewiczianum . Cymbidium: The fragrance of certain asian species chinensis, ensifolium and kanran have been written about for thousands of years. Some mini fragrant hybrids have been developed, which may be easier for beginners. Dendrobium: Another very popular genus, many have tall canes and lose their leaves in winter. Many species and hybrids are scented: popular species include kingianum, loddigesii, monoliforme, nobile, parishii, speciosum Popular scented hybrids include many "nobile-type" hybrids. Dendrochilum: many are scented, with chains of tiny flowers, including cobbianum, glumacaeum, magnum. Encyclia: most are scented, including alata, cordigera, dickinsoniana, fragrans, mooreana, patens, phoenicia (chocolate), radiata, tampensis, A growing number of fragrant hybrids, popular around Mothers Day. Epidendrum: includes popular "reed-stem" orchids; fragrant species include ciliare, citrosmum, conopseum, cristatum, falcatum, floribundum, nocturnum, parkinsonianum, stamfordianum. Some fragrant hybrids. Gongora: most are small and highly scented, flowers often short-lived. Haraella odorata: hands down the most popular fragrant miniature orchid on the Orchid Forum. Holcoglossum: amesianum, yunnanensis are small vanda relatives. Jumellea: angraecum relatives, popular species include arachnantha, comorensis, confusus. Laelia: close relatives of cattleyas, most fragrant species include anceps, grandis, jongheana, purpurata. Laeocattleyas: again, tons of hybrids, many of which are fragrant. Some are also minis, easy for houseplants or under lights. Leptotes bicolor: small, cute, popular mini. Lycaste: some very fragrant species, including aromatica and cruenta (both cinnamon-scented), leuchantha, and skinneri. Maxillarias: generally small, many are fragrant, including camaridii, cucullata, elatior, picta, tenuifolia (coconut-scented), variabilis. Some need cooler temps in summer. Miltonia: mainly cool growing orchids, fragrant species include spectabilis, warscewiczii and a few scented hybrids, particularly with other genuses. Neofinetia falcata: mini species, many different cultivars in Japan, highly fragrant. Oncidium: Flowers like swarms of butterflies. Popular scented species incude cheirophorum, incurvatum, maculatum, ornithorynchum, and some famous hybrids, see below for some. Osmoglossum pulchellum: the "lily of the valley" orchid, needs cool temps. Paphiopedilum: very popular "slipper orchids," most dont need high light, scented species include delenatii and malipoense and a few hybrids. Phaius: Small group of terrestrial orchids, grandifolia, pulcher and tankervilleae all scented. Small number of hybrids, popular outdoors in tropics. Phalaenopsis: Probably the worlds most popular orchid right now. Needs lower light, long bloom period, fragrant species include bellina, celebensis, shilleriana, stuartiana, violacea. More fragrant hybrids coming onto the market in recent years. Phragmipedium: Related to the slipper orchids, grow wet, fragrant species include schlimii. Rhynchlaelia: digbyana and glauca; both highly fragrant, often used in cattleya-type hybrids. Rhynchostylis: most are fragrant, including coelestis, gigantea and retusa Often crossed with vandas and other similar orchids to produce scented hybrids Schoenorchis fragrans: tiny vanda-type. Sedirea japonica: very fragrant mini, long cultivated in Japan. Stanhopea: mostly large plants with pendant flowers, blooms only last a few days but are intensely scented. Species include inodora (vanilla), oculata, panamensis, and wardii. Trichopilia: fragrans, suavis, tortilis are all fragrant. Tuberolabium kotoense: another popular scented mini Vanda: big, long aerial roots, harder to grow in the North, smaller scented species include cristata, denisonia, suavis, and tessellata. Thousands of hybrids, some with other genuses, including some scented ones. Zygopetalum: most species are highly scented; usually found as complex hybrids, many of which also smell fantastic. And now, a small sampling some of the more popular "named" scented orchid hybrids: Brassavola Little Stars lots of small, night-scented white flowers. Brassolaelia Yellow Bird popular, some clones are evening fragrant. Brassolaeliocattleya. Waianae Leopard `Ching Hua` very spotted, magenta blooms. Cychnoches Wine Delight: deciduous, big red flowers. Cymbidium Golden Elf Sundust mini (for a cymbidium), blooms multiple times a year (citrus). Darwinara Charm mini vanda Gerberara Snow Ballet complex cattleya type, long blooming season. Iwanagaara Appleblossom Cattleya type, multiple blooms Laeliocatleya. Irene Finney a classic spring-blooming lavender-colored orchid. Neostylis Lou Sneary very popular mini Oncidium Fragrance Fantasy, Sharry Baby "Sweet Fragrance" (Chocolate/vanilla), Sweet Sugar,Twinkle Potinara Free Spirit small cattleya hybrid, yellow flowers. Potinara Halona Chocolate 'Red Beauty' bright red flowers. Zygopetalum Artur Elle fall bloomer, intensely fragrant.