maybe i can help clear up some confusion here ive worked in the nusresry industry for 10 years now and i am a buyer for one of these types of chain stores, orchard supply hardware. truthfully, home depot, lowes, walmart, taget, all of these we all buy from similar if not the same sources as each other. now independent nurseries and garden centers, buy from the same growers as we buy from with one major difference, some do actually grom their own material to sell at a slightly higher profit. most chain garden centers are focused on one thing and that is turning the product so sitting on it and waiting for it to grow doesnt make good business sense especially when their space is entirely taken up for merchandise. alot of independent nurseries get their plants already grown and ready to go to the consumer, just like i buy them, the quality is the same because they come from the same grower, the same crop. the biggest difference in what the plant quality looks like is when the consumer goes to shop for the product. alot of times you go into a chain store and the plants are wilting the soil in the pot is dry and theres no clerk to be found or none that are knowledgeable. the key is to shop around, find that one place that caters to your needs and has the product selection and the quality you like, remember the plants when they come off the delivery truck are virtually the same its the finished product that counts look for a place that hass a friendly and knowledgeable sales staff and that keeps a clean and neat place to shop, one clue is to look at the way the employees are working, are they putting plants away or hanging out with other employees when much of the plants in the nursery are obviously dying from a lack of water? these are the places you should stter clear of. the places that do the right thing in these circumstances and that focus on making an enjoyable shopping experience for the consumer are the ones you should goto. price is definately a concern. most chain stores now do price matching so ask. so to answer the question. yeah go ahead and give home depot a shot if the satisfy your needs. go for it.

Luvs, the Wal-Marts around my area have had the fall bowls, placemats, etc. in a separate area from the regular placemats and such. Usually it's more up toward the front of the store, or like in a seasonal area. The fall items are getting really picked over by now and I had to go to three Wal-Marts to get what I did. Punk, aren't pugs just the coolest dogs? I always say a house without a pug is no home at all. Lucy is such a little joy to us. Now that our kids are getting older, Lucy is the one who watches TV with us and goes out on our boat and things with us. Yachter, thanks for you sweet comments. If you ever run across that house on Rate My Space again, I'd love to see it. Someone had posted the picture of the house in my header over on the decorating forum as being a house they had passed by and loved. I think the original poster said it's in Montclair, NJ. Karen, look into my eyes: You DO want to go to Wal-Mart...you DO want to go to Wal-Mart. LOL! Kath, yes, I just got the plates at $ Tree about a week ago. I hope you're able to find some. Thanks, Kathleen!

I couldn't resist this piece since it is to all political parties it doesn't seem to be partial to any one: Wal-Mart vs. The Corrupt Morons 1. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart Every hour of every day. 2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute! 3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year. 4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target +Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined. 5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people, is the world's largest private employer, and most speak English. 6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the world. 7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only fifteen years. 8. During this same period, 31 big supermarket chains sought bankruptcy. 9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world. 10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had five years ago. 11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at Wal-Mart stores. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.) 12. 90% of all Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart. You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix the economy. This should be read and understood by all Americans Democrats, Republicans, Independents, EVERYONE!! To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature, It is now official that the majority of you are corrupt morons: a.. The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke. b.. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke. c.. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke. d.. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more. e.. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke. f.. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke. g.. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure. You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars. AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ??

I made a "bathroom" basket for friends of mine that were visiting from out of town. I wanted them to feel at home & not awkward about asking for anything they might have forgetten to pack. I always save the little soaps, shampoos, conditioners, etc. from our stays at hotels. I used these items in my basket along with some sample size products from the store, such as shaving cream, tooth paste, body powder, deodorant & a lint brush. Then I included some things like disposable razors, tooth brushes (left those in the rappers they came in so the guests wouldn't think they were someone elses or that they'd been used before) sample headache medicine, etc. In the guest bedroom they were staying in I made another simple basket that I put a map of our town in case they wanted to go exploring on their own, a couple of sheets of pretty stationary & envelopes, a pen and a few stamps. Don't know if you drink, allow drinking in your home, or if your guests drink; but if the answers are yes I have another suggestion. I also set up a tray on another table in the guest bedroom which I supplied with two (pre-chilled before their arrival) miniture bottles of champange, two champagne glasses (could be white wine glasses also) and a small box of Godiva chocolates. I found the champagne & chocolates at one of those import stores, so they weren't as expensive as if I had purchased them at the grocery or specialty store. Oh, something else I just thought of. I put a small box of tissues in the room, and I don't usually keep a small waste basket in the guest room, but deceided to put one in there so my guests wouldn't have to run all the way to the kitchen or bathroom to dispose of their trash. Hope some of this helps and I hope you have a wonderful visit with your friends!