I can relate to a lot that are already named, but my BIGGEST and most expensive disappointment was my "Endless Summer" hydrangea. I planted it in spring of "04, it diddled around with a few drooping but beautiful blooms - even if you almost had to lie on the ground to see them. I followed the extensive directions to a T. This spring - deader than a doornail. Now, after being told how hardy it was last year, they are saying it needs a foot of mulch - imagine a foot of mulch and nothing was even mentioned about winter protection. They only said it was hardy in our zone. So much for a bunch a daylilies or hostas I could have had. jan

First it was triangles. I could make a quilt as long as it didn't require anything cut on the diagonal! Then I tried it and discovered it wasn't hard at all, especially once I learned the quick method. I overcame my fear of triangles by seeing the beautiful quilts ON THIS FORUM. So a big thank you to all of you! Then it was paper piecing and I couldn't get my brain around that for the longest time. But then one day the light came on and now I love doing paper piecing. That little victory encouraged me to try hand applique. Still struggling with that but getting better. My biggest challenge continues to be thinking I have more time than I really have. I have too many projects going at once and too many more waiting to get started. I'm always a bit frustrated with what I haven't gotten done yet! I don't know why but free motion quilting never scared me. The first time I saw it I thought "Ooooh, I need to do that!". Of course it turned out not to be as easy as I thought it would be - and I'll never master the small, detailed work you see at quilt shows - but I can do it well enough to be happy with the results. Kate

Here are a few design issues I see frequently: Failing to see the big picture: Mixing older warm tones with the newer (but now passing possibly) cool tones. Example - someone puts a cool tone floor in a warm kitchen - or a cool kitchen in a warm toned home - they have made a big investment and now it does not look right. Another example, glass mosaic backsplash - pretty in a 12 x 12 sheet, but overwhelming when installed and often the wrong colors for the kitchen. Taking out or ruining a traditional timeless element and replacing with a trendy element - Exp: painting a traditional brick fireplace jailhouse gray. People who think - possibly due to poor info given on places like HGTV - that they can remodel their kitchen before they put their home on the market and get their money back and more. Clutter. Often see people considering a remodel to make a kitchen bigger when it is plenty big, just the space is poorly utilized. Failing to see the details. For example, the inspiration photo of a white kitchen that has a pretty hood, a couple of glass doors, pretty millwork - and the person paints their ordinary old cabinets white and wonders why it doesn't look like the white kitchen inspiration pic. Changing things up to realize what they think their kitchen "should" look like rather then exploring what really makes them smile.

Usually mine seem to look very similar to their pod parent plant, but I had one that had narrow, pointed plain petals, light yellow. I don't know the pollen parent, but the pod parent was Annabelle's Blush, and I probably paired it with another ruffled bagel one. I did not take pictures, but I was surprised to see one like that.