Hi Xuân, Where in VN do you live? North Central or South? Is that a rose bush I see on the right? Roses and orchids make me think that you are in Ãà -Lạt, are you? Basket hanging may not be very popular in VN and can be hard to water them. I agree with building a window box. Since VN is native to orchids, I'm thinking that you can get some more easily. Place several orchid pots in the window box instead of hanging them. Don't forget to elevate the pots a little so the roots can breath. You can also plant whatever flowers/plants you'd like directly in the window box. In case you're not familiar with a window box. It is an open box made from wood or cast iron. Maybe you or someone can build one for you. You'd want it to be approximately the same length of the window, as wide as you'd like it to be but not so wide that it would block the front porch area. You can have it deep enough to hide the pots. Mount the box in front and below the window. You may want to browse on the internet for some photos and ideas for window box. Another alternative, if you don't want a window box, you may want to place by the window area of the front porch a bench, or a porch swing, or 2 outdoor chairs, a small round table, etc. to fill up that area. Chose a color that pop out since the rest of your home is light in color. You may also want to place a small flower pot on the outdoor table to tie in with your garden. If that is climbing Jasmine in the center, they will grow quite quickly. You may want to extend the trellis for the vine to climb a bit higher but keep it below where the arch starts by trimming the vine. To balance the empty columns on both sides of the Jasmine vine, you may want to hang 2 outdoor lights or simply just hang 2 orchids (like the ones that you have in front of the window): 1 on each side. Again, keep it below where the arch starts. By the way, you have a beautiful home and you've done well with your garden. Happy gardening! Nga

Susan, for me the red cane is out of focus. Is the shoot coming from the bottom of the graft or below the graft? If so it might be a sucker of Fortuniana rootstock.

I had never had thrips before, and got them on a heliconia "Alan Carle" in the greenhouse. They are tiny bugs, and they are FAST. They can HOP. They tend to stay on the undersides of the leaves, hiding, and you may not immediately notice them. They are frequent pests on orchids, sap suckers, they have sharp mouth parts and will cause noticeable damage on stems and leaves...the flowers of orchids attacked just wilt and shrivel up.

I thought my house was funky, but yours is even quirkier. I would not fight the funk- I would go with it. Instead of trying to make it look traditional, which won't work with that roofline, how about going modern/Frank Gehryesque? (Not that I know what that is.) Here are some outside of the box ideas: 1. Change the front siding to match the sides and attic (?) area. 2. Change the garage door- maybe to a modern barn door look with two doors. 3. Replace the attic windows with a series of identical clerestory windows from side to side, about eight of them. Big wide trim around them. 4. On the second floor, continue the window pattern that's over the garage all the way over (probably mean adding three or four more). Wide trim around all. 5. Metal or galvanized tin roof. 6. New door: single light french. 7. Depends on what rooms are on the first floor, but I'd put another two single light french doors, sliders, to the right of the front door. 8. Pergola from end to end of the house to define the first floor, with a solid (galvanized tin?)roof over the entry door or maybe all the way across. With a patio outside in front of the single-light slider. 9. Paint: charcoal gray with black trim, or dark purply-brown with plum trim. Or warm tan with white trim. Or...? Landscaping: tall spiky things. Good luck. I have had a heck of a time working around the bizarre add-ons on my house. Each part of the house still has different siding. So I am in the same boat- except that I have only one story to contend with, which makes it a little less daunting. In any case, it will not be cheap.