Whitecat8- Been busy trying to get my dissertation written, so I havent been keeping up with the posts either. Thanks for the comments on the basement set-up. I plan on taking pics and posting while we build the permanent structure this winter/spring. I have a lot of practical ideas (some from ideas here, other from experience I cannot wait to share/implement). Its been busy this year: marriage, new house, landscapping the yard, graduation, new job, and trying to get the orchids taken care of. I think between it all they received a certain amount of neglect - which stimulated blooming. I cannot remember how many times they were fertilized this summer, I may not have even done it more than three times?? I do know one thing: I unnecessarily pampered most of them. Before I used to measure the fertilizer and check to make sure water didnt end up in the apex of the phals, etc. Now I just turn the water on and soak everything. Elvis, my cymbidium is spiking, I leave it outside until its almost frozen (I loose leaves every year - but so what). I actually went to fish the new divisions I made from the backyard and post to see if anyone wanted them - but they uhm...died. I still have one huge one (4 feet wide that will get divided with an axe in a few years). Right now, I have a few winter cattleyas, a dendrobium (since September!), 2 vandas, 5-6 phals, a Tolumnia, and Oncidium Sharry Baby flowering. Also jamed under the lights are some epi cuttings (kind gift from another Garden web memeber)growing dangerously quick and some amaryllis bulbs that will flower the week before and 4 weeks after Christmas no mater what because they are just a pain but I like them. I am so sold on the indoor lights though, I will never keep orchids near a window again. I never liked the idea of a "grow room" but now I just bring blooming orchids upstairs to enjoy - the only problem is everything is blooming! take care all - merry christmas and happy holidays.

Cathy, What type of seating have you used? Plastic is easy to keep clean and store but I want my theme to be kind of rustic/victorian looking and that means having more wicker or benches and such. Do you have water or some type of drinks people can purchase in case it is hot - I have been thinking about that. I will have to set aside the front and side rows of each bed for annuals, as Trish suggests, so they are easier to get to - to replant. I have already planted my flowers in rows so we shall see. My thought has been I would have the flowers already picked and people can choose from them - I am sort of protective of my flower beds - but maybe I will change - my beds are set up so they are concentrated flower masses and then grass areas around them. I have a covered patio with wisteria (which is covering good) but I have planted some trees on the west side to provide more shade and now I am putting in a bed of taller flowers on two sides of the patio. I have a rose arbor but it is a ways away (future growth area) and I have porches on my little gift shop on four sides. Willow trees with seats under them and now I am converting my kiwi (which isn't growing that great) to another rose arbor and it will have seats under it. My lavender is planted on either side of a meadow and I want to put a raised deck with one of those canvas patio coverings over that - but I am saving up to purchase the wood. (The deck has to be raised off the ground because it is a wet area during the winter and the wood would rot and sink unless I put it above ground) You say customers pick one of everything you have - how do you do your pricing then - charge by the stem or by the size of the bunch? Or different prices for more expensive flowers? Do you find customers take all the large flowers and you are left with only small ones or how has that been? Since I have a little gift shop - my idea has been to have pre-made flower arrangements in the shop - people can purchase those or buy loose flowers and arrrange those themselves. How do customers take away their bouquests - in a sleeve a bucket or vase? Eventually I want to have classes on flower arranging at pre-arranged times. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU! - for all your questions (which stimulates my mind on questions I didn't even know I had), suggestions, ideas and sharing - this is a great forum. My weed barrier cloth came last night and emitter tubing - so I am going out to put that down and plant more plugs - it is sunny today - I think spring has sprung. Linda

Ann - Did you have any flooding? I know some parts of Williamson County were very hard hit. We are lucky that our place is on high ground, since we are only two blocks away from a creek that flooded and five blocks from the Cumberland River. We only lost some items stores in our basement, so we were very lucky. You are right about some people being in serious financial difficulty now. I have two very good friends who lived in Bellevue condos, which were in a flood plain. One is being denied building permits to rebuild her gutted condo, and the other can't rebuild until the owners of the condo complex do work on the structural elements. Both are having to live with friends and relatives for awhile. I know I appreciated the help from my neighbors. Two young men spent a long time helping us bail the water. None of us had pumps, and no place nearby had any to sell. If they had not helped us, the water would like have risen four or five feet. Debra

Thanks, Julie! I should tell you my little story about Raspberry Goosebumps. My purchase was actually Song Writer, which didn't bloom that year...imagine my surprise the following year when RG bloomed instead! I emailed the seller with a picture and he identified it for me. I ended up finally getting Song Writer this year from another seller and I have to say at this point, Raspberry Goosebumps is the better performer. Of course, it has been here a couple of years longer...all that to say that sometimes mistakes can actually work in your favor... Lol, Fairysoapgirl...you are very consistent in your tastes! I wish I could narrow mine down. Rita, that is such a nice thing to say! That you would remember a picture...and then purchase the daylily...well, I know your daylilies are lovingly cared for, so it is one lucky daylily! And, us, too, as we'll get to see pictures from you of it! Julia, I think that has been one of the hardest things for me to get used to (I am an impatient person) but some of our daylilies truly take time to settle in....and they won't be rushed. Darla Anita is one of those, I think. However, for me, her color just doesn't grab me...adding to her other issues...I think she and her relation, Alexa Kathryn, are leaving here. Thank you, Chris, and thanks for your kind words. I appreciate them (and your friendship). I keep plugging away at Sins of Omission. I think I got a better one today. Purples are so darn tricky. My flash will tend to put a reddish tint to things, so I have to remember to shut it (at times). Oh wow, I do hope Sunrise Sunset Beautiful blooms for you as I think it is definitely in that color range you like...and the size of it. Very nice. You know, I think it was Tragar on one of his seedling threads that mentioned that sometimes seedlings can look worse their second year of bloom...truer words were never said...lol! However, I was truly impressed with this one I hope to name for my dad...every bloom was terrific. Fingers crossed for next year... Thank you, Kay. Hi Lalalandwi...I'm going to have to go to Polston's site and have a look, I think. Yes, Softly and Tenderly is Steve Todd's (who sometimes posts on here)...I got it from Annette Rice, though. I didn't realize that about You Bet Your Sweet Bippy. Nan sent it as a bonus, which just totally thrilled me. I had won a plant of hers at the Lilyhemmer auction last year...and then ordered another to travel with it...I must say, she sends incredible plants. Oh, and I have to give credit to Ed/xokie for duct/duck taping blasted scapes. He told me to do that a year or two ago on another forum when I had something like three scapes of Belle Cook all blast. It worked great and they all bloomed. Thanks re my dad...I don't know what to say except that as I told Chris, my fingers (and toes) are crossed that it continues to excel. It will be special to me no matter what. And, yeah, it will thrill me to think of family members growing it (down the road...if) and thinking of my dad. As to Walter Kennedy...I will look and see if I have clump pictures of it from Floyd Cove. I bought it with a friend and we split it...the blooms were really neat...I'm glad my friend pointed it out to me. Thank you (I really do know how to use paragraphs...I don't why I didn't replying to you!)... Thanks, Ellie...you know I love seeing your blooms. It is so fun to compare and see what one we have does for someone else. Thank you, Val....I know that well from sitting in on daylily presentations from hybridizers...sometimes it is actually funny, because people just can't help themselves when they see something that appeals to them....it's funny, because it can be a whole room of people spontaneously exclaiming! Thanks again, though, that made me feel great. Thank you, Julie. I gotta give the credit to these digital cameras. They are just amazing. One thing about Peppermint Pinwheel...if you decide to add it...it took some time to settle in here...I was ready to pitch it....I'm so glad I didn't because this year it has been unbelievable! Hehe, Vickie....I mean, when in doubt make your own definition, right? And besides, there's so many of us, we can take comfort in our numbers (the others don't know what they're missing). Awww, Rick...you are so nice! I have to tell you...I added more pictures today...and that Blackjack Cherry was added because of a picture you posted!! Thanks, everyone....I really appreciate your comments...and if you're feeling daylily deprived, I added more tonight...