This is one of my favorite orchids, and *the* one I recommend to people who want to just "try out" one orchid (why do people always recommend Phalaenopsis?). I'm also in z9, but south Louisiana, so probably a tad hotter. I hose mine off every day that it doesn't rain, and several times a day lately, since it has been in the 103-104F area each afternoon, and mine is also on a wood mount. While it doesn't want to be soggy, this plant, on a mount with no medium, needs to be at least wetted often, and really soaked once/twice a week depending on your humidity. This is a really excellent orchid that has *some* flowers almost all the time, and blooms staggeringly lushly 3-4 times per year. Mine has about 20 inflorescences now, half with buds open, so it will be "in bloom" for another month or two. A very good buy that you will enjoy for a long time! Regards - Nancy

I always thought that festival would be great! I never made it over there, though. One summer we did go on a driving trip that took us through some awesome agricultural areas of CA, like the massive hops vines, artichokes fields, vineyards, etc. It makes me hungry, just thinking about it. A few years back, I happened on a really good book, very well written, called "A Garlic Testament: Seasons on a Small New Mexico Farm," by Stanley G. Crawford. It's a U. New Mexico Press book. I can recommend that for anybody who likes gardening, farming, ethnobotany or even just nature. There is more to garlic than one might think, LOL! Here is a link that might be useful: A Garlic Testament: Seasons on a Small New Mexico Farm (Amazon)

those are some really neat shrubs! They are just barely starting to become popular here. There's a house down the street that has an enourmous clump of the yellow flowered variety. Two years ago, you could find one every once in a while in a nursery here and there. Now, the big box stores carry them by the hundreds and they're starting to be used a lot. I had two, but because of space issues gave the second one away. Mine is still in bud though.

So, I'm narrowing it down. They're probably not Gota de Miel because they're not really plum shaped, and probably not Sara Goldstar because they're not that large. I can't find a picture of Marizol Magic, but since it says it's a determinate, I'm thinking that's probably not it, since these are grown for market, and for some reason, I don't equate determinates as being typically grown for commercial production, although I'm probably totally wrong. I couldn't find anything about Marizol Gold Cherry at all, although there seems to be a Marizol Gold tomato that's not a cherry. So, that leaves a regular bi-color cherry, Isis Candy, and Gajo de Melon, but all the descriptions seem larger than these. Hopefully my tomato guy will have a name for me next week, but if not, at least I'll have seeds of something I know I enjoy!