Watergal, good for you. Which ones did you get - of those that are named? Post pix if they're blooming. I have the opposite problem. DH and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. This year, though, he got me an orchid. Called up Orchids Ltd. Jerry Fischer answered. DH said, "Doomsday is upon us." Jerry laughed, man-to-man about the V Day thing. DH asked if there were anything I'd been eyeing. Jerry said he'd call him back. Next day, he called back and suggested Onc Twinkle 'Red.' No doubt, he looked at the record of what I'd bought there - musta taken him that whole day. :) Jerry asked about a card. Oh, yes, says DH, saying to write on the card "Another vegetable for the salad." Silence on the other end of the line. He lost Jerry right there. :) Ever since I exhibited some orchids in the Agriculture Bldg. at the State Fair, DH has called them vegetables. Before that, he asked if we could eat them. No. So, what good are they? The Twinkle is a lovely, full plant with 7 spikes..... and I wouldn't buy that large a plant today.... and I already have one that didn't come from O. Ltd..... and I hope it lives forever and ever because he gave it to me. So, Watergal, if your DH gotten you an orchid, it might not have been one you'd buy for yourself. Double-edged sword. Whitecat8

i seriously doubt it. I can't even get them to separate my member page from someone with a similar username, after months of asking in a variety of ways!

Dawn, if you get any spicebush swallowtails, I may just have to drive down and cop a few off of you! I would SO love to have them. I have lindera benzoin for them. My sasafrass died, of course. I've heard they are so difficult to transplant, and obviously I think it was from TOO much water, even tho they like wet feet. I am going to have to find some seed and sow "in situ". I have BST cats on Fennel, Rue, and Zizia. I am beginning to wonder the same thing, Courtney - will I have enough? I may have to make a trip to Precure (they don't spray their herbs). Today, I found RA caps wrapped up in their little leaf nests (so cute!) on my False Nettle. This have proven to be a very strange plant for me. I planted just one last year (usually I will do this with something unfamiliar just to see how difficult it will prove to be). It flowered and then we had lots of discussion on the BF forum as to whether it was dioecious (having both male and female flowers on the same plant) or monoecious (male separate from female plants). On the net everything I read reflected it was monoecious. But, some said they believe it was actually dioecious. So, I really didn't know. The plant did not come back this year, so I went and purchased 4 more plants from Marilyn at Wild Things. Just last month - JUNE, mind you - I had all kind of seedlings poking up thru the soil next to where I planted the FN originally. So, obviously, the plant is dioecious with both male and female flowers on the same plant. I will probably have plenty of seeds to share if anyone wants some, but I'll tell you, the plant loves water, and some shade. The plants I bought from Marilyn just WERE NOT happy until I planted them in my sunken tub in the shady back yard. Now, they're doing great. The seedlings are getting more sun, but they came up there and are apparently able to adapt as seedlings. Best way to sow these seeds is "in situ" also, rather than winter sowing, but I guess you could do that, too. Dawn, do you ever see Zebra Swallowtails there? I know they're indigenous to Eastern Oklahoma, and Northern Texas, so you're kind of caught in between locales. I found a little Virginia Tiger Moth caterpillar on my passion vine today also, and am raising it as well. They are pretty moths. The pipevine swallowtail cats are getting HUGE and ready to pupate very soon (I hope - they eat a ton of food). They are so beautiful, though. I have not seen any cats of Eastern Tigers yet. I think they use the neighbor just to the SE of me, who has a cottonwood tree. I've been told to keep my trees at a manageable height so I can find the cats and eggs. If you have a huge liriodendron, though, that would be impossible. My little cherry trees are growing gangbusters, too, now. I sure wish I'd get a Red Spotted Purple or Viceroy on them. I probably won't know which I have cause the cats both look like bird poop! LOL! So, right now in the kitchen cabinets, I am growing Black Swallowtails, Pipevine Swallowtails, Gulf Fritillary (eggs), Question Marks, and a Virginia Tiger Moth. I had to clean up more containers today for the additional caterpillars I'll get for the Gulf Frits and the Red Admirals. Geez! It is getting busy around here. Courtney, you lucky girl, and I am SOOOO envious. It sounds like you have a zebra longwing. Not usually present this far up in Oklahoma, but the Myriad Botanical Gardens has some, and they get loose from there. If you had a passion vine, you'd probably get eggs! Precure has some if you're interested. They are way too beautiful! Susan

Thank you all for responding, you all provided helpful info. There are going to be other places in the house the hose and attachments could go, so I'll have to work on DH a bit. Knowing how much space is needed will help me a great deal! But based on what youÂve told me, I could probably design the hutch to conceal the vac access if I canÂt sway by DH. Eal51  we could put our hose and other stuff in the basement, but we should have room on the ground floor. I know IÂll vac more often if I donÂt have to drag everything up the stairs. IÂve been doing that for years with our current canister vac; not too enjoyable. Oruboris  I had never thought about a wet/dry system; that might be something to consider! More outlets and shorter hoses is a great idea, too. Arbordomus  Thank you for providing the height of the space needed and the great description of your space. The 36" height on the mounting of the inlets/outlets is a good idea, too. I donÂt think we have marked those on our preliminary plan yet. Chefnewbie  IÂm totally with you about not wanting to carry the hose from floor to floor. WeÂll only have the first floor and a basement. finally - I really like your suggestion for having an outlet in the laundry room! That is an excellent idea! And the 4 double trash cans pullouts with drawers above is also a great idea! I have worked on the layout for the laundry room yet; I'll have to see if that would work. I believe the vac stuff and the outlet can be done in the laundry roomÂjust have to convince DH that it is the best place. Again, thank-you all!!