Morning Linda, I'd have to see a good pic of yur taxi. I typed in Bucket Taxi, but it's difficult making out. I wasn't aware a bucket needed to be bought seperately. Where did you find a 5-gallon bucket? lol. Reason I asked about time. Don't know if it's our water pressure, but it takes a good amount of time (never timed, either, lol) filling up the humidifer side containers. Each side holds 2.5 gallons. Linda, do you top or bottom water plants mentioned above? Linda, I'm looking at your pics, now. I LOVE your Champagne Pink, 'looks' pure white!!!!!! It is AV? How long have you had this plant? I also love your Chimera. What a beauty! So compact. Linda, I have a problem distinguishing the differences between Columneas and Aeschynanthus, eg, Lipstick Plant. Other than buying a labeled speciment, how can you tell the two apart? Your Can Can Begonia is beautiful..nice colors. Is your Comtesse, Begonia growing as a Bonsai? Shallow pot? You'll have to explain how it's done. Linda, I have a Begonia that was labeled, 'Begonia Bonsai,' lol. I'm assuming, when mature, it's thick-trunked. Your B. Helen Teupel is gorgeous, too..WOW! Ever hear of B. luxurians? It can reach 6'. Leaves are super-pinate. I want one so bad. Linda, all your plants are gorgeous. Sherry, Violet Barn sells really nice plants. There's one I want called Happy Harold. Not so much for flowers, but foliage. I'd also like one Large AV. Elkay, Very beautiful collection. I see the flower stalk on your Strep. I've never grown Steps, for some reason I don't think I'd have luck growing one. Nice AV..What's its name? The pink variegation is so pretty. Never saw pink edges, only white/cream, or pink in the center, but never as an edging. All 3 of your Episcias are pretty, but my favorite is the third...dark purple foliage. Beautiful!! Saving my Episcia. Yes and no, lol. I bought the little guy as a cutting on Ebay. What I didn't know was the seller grew Episcias in her garden, picked and sold them as semi-unrooted plants, on Ebay. When it arrived, it was healthy, but oh, so small. I placed in a window, 'no tank.' A few days later it started looking bad. Oh, to top that off, upon arrival, I didn't notice the tallest stem was cracked. Think that's the reason one stem browned and died. I cut it back and placed pot in the fish bowl, off the side of a west window. Light isn't direct, so no chance of burning foliage. At the time, I thought the plant history, but suprisingly grew into a nice, colorful, Chocolate Episcia. It's now in another terrarium, open top, sitting atop another plant. I have to buy another terrarium/fish bowl. This Episcia does best growing alone, 'in a small container.' No room, in the house for a large terrarium. Before the accident, I bought two nice, glass containers at Walmart, under 15.00. Both are being used for high-humidity plants. So, as for the Episcia, some parts are doing well, others have browned. I bet there's another break. It's the only Episcia I have, and like to keep. Pinks are lovely, but no luck on this end. I bought a pink, Cleopatra a few years ago..didn't last long. I agree with Linda, pinks need more humidity than others. Elkay, good lucks w/your new babies. How will you keep them? Toni

Another good place for a phrag fix is piping rock orchids. I dunno if you know or not, but hes one of only two or three vendors licensed to sell Phrag kovachii and its hybrids. I've looked through his list and its got a lot of interesting stuff. Orchids limited as well has a great selection (thats who your Jason Fischer is named after ;) ) Good luck with your new babies!

Shrubs will establish best in the cool, wet weather of spring. Frost has no meaning for them unless, as the previous poster mentioned, they have not been hardened off or have been shipped from a more southern zone and the leaves are way ahead of where they would be if they had been growing in your zone. I still would put them out and protect them if you have frost. As for perennials, I (zone 5b) start dividing them in late April and through March as soon as I can see them. If they're up, they're ready for it.

IMHO.. shrubs NEVER need fertilizer .... too much nitrogen.. in the NPK ... or a soil that holds the wrong type of nitrogen.. will cause long leggy greenery .. while sacrificing flowers ... e.g we put high nitro fert ... like 30-3-3 on the grass.. to make it grow fast tall and very green .... if that describes the change in the shrubs you are not appreciating.. then that might be part of the problem ... leaving stock in pots.. for extended periods will also affect them ... but i understand that sometimes life gets in the way of what should be planted timely ... sound like you are kind of new to the garden ... one thing to learn ... or a few ... only annuals require you to be in a hurry ... since they live one year.. they need food and lots of care .. there is immediate gratification ... perennials less... less food .... same water .... somewhat deferred gratification.. it might take it a year or two to get situated in your garden ... and really put out the show ... shrubs.. trees... conifers ... these things can live 100 years ... THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION ... OTHER THAN THE PURCHASE ... some can take decades to begin to show off ... to their utmost potential ... especially after transplant ... i tend to agree with the nurseryman .... they were grown to their utmost perfection for sale .. and they are adjusting to your yard... be patient.... and keep them properly watered.. and back off the fert .. and they will reward you.. somewhere down the line ... i waited 7 years to get a flower off a flowering cherry ... and i complained like heck ... and it eventually came through .... good luck ken