Dear Anna and all, Gosh...I'm afraid to post anything anymore. I was so excited about getting my last bulbs of the season, and in such great shape...and with my 2 bulbs that were "surprises" as per the website...I had no idea that someone's feelings would be hurt. Anna, I'll be happy to share some Germa babies when they get roots! Sales happen all the time and usually I'm the one that shops on Tuesday and the big sale is announced on Wednesday. In their emails, I think (I'm not sure) that RC was letting people know that the end of the shipping season is fast approaching. I can't defend their timing of the addition of the surprise bulb(s) for an order of a certain size. For once I got lucky...and again, I'll send you Germa babies if it's possible to send them to Canada. Sigh..... Kristi

Greetings Everyone! I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who replied to my post... seriously, I can't express just how thrilled I am to have recieved such a positive and encouraging response from such a welcoming and friendly bunch! And what great, practical advice, too! You guys are really something. Thanks a million. Taking into consideration what was mentioned, I spent a couple hours out in the garden today just looking at it and turning ideas around in my head. I've come up with a loose gameplan that puts prepping the soil at the very top of my to-do list, and my husband is happy to do all the hard work for me... I just have to tell him what to do (I like that!). Before letting myself get too engrossed in choosing what flowers to use, I thought it would be practical to also roughly outline where I want my beds to be, etc. We are backed by a big forest that we frequently take walks in and it occured to me during today's excursion that all of the big pine branches littering the ground would serve perfectly as temporary flower bed markers... free, and sturdy enough to stay put during the winter. How nice is that?! Tomorrow, hubby and I will haul some to the garden and test them out. We also brainstormed ideas of what we'd like to be able to do in our garden space. Along with all the flowers, it will be nice to have a bit of functional usage so that we can better enjoy our garden and warm spring and summer evenings out in it. We thought a small patio area would be useful; a place to put a table and chairs, as well as a barbecue, and so that will be factored into the planning of the garden layout, too. We found the best place to lay a small vegetable/herb garden, and will make sure to mark that as well. So, once we mark the positions of the beds, patio and garden, as well as account for walking paths, I can get into the actual planning of the beds... what flowers to use where, what colors, textures and heights would be appropriate for the space and the amount of sun exposure, etc. I can do all of the 'fun stuff' (ogling flower pictures and dreaming of color.. yay!) here in the house, as I'll make sure to make a detailed sketch of the garden arrangement once we've laid the main design out. I don't think I'll actually begin the seed sowing until around February, or so. The winter starts out quite rough here and I think I'll have too much going on with the new baby, but from what of WS I've read it sounds like I'll be able to sow when I feel like it and when I'm able, rather than having to meet a strict deadline, etc. I'm happy for the flexibility. So, soil will be prepared asap, and I'll also pop my spring-blooming bulbs into the ground once it's been roughed up by my husband. Then the beds and other such features will be mapped out and marked. After that, the only thing that I'm really needing to focus on is saving containers and choosing seeds... atleast until the actual sowing begins! Speaking of containers, I think I've got just the ticket... Here in Finland, raw meat is sold in these sturdy plastic containers - as opposed to the styrafoam trays - that I've found extremely reusable in a lot of ways. I've been exasperated over these containers, though, because they just kept accumulating and piling everywhere and I wasn't able to use them up fast enough. I thought it such a shame to waste such good containers, but because they were clogging all the space in the kitchen I've just been throwing them out. Apparently, that's what everyone here does. You keep a few for leftovers and such, and the rest find themselves in the trash... that's a lot of plastic, though! Every kind of meat is sold this way, so we wind up getting atleast 3 or 4 each week... Well, I'm not throwing them away anymore! WS has solved my dilemma with these plastic containers and my guilty conscience is now eased. They will be perfect and from simply buying groceries each week I'll be able to stockpile a huge load of them, not to mention the fact that I can start having the In-Laws save their meat containers for me, too! Here is a photo of what I had just sitting in my cupboard: One quick question... Any ideas about what to cover my containers with? I don't think regular plastic wrap will be sturdy enough and the majority of the containers are too big to be put in baggies. I'm sure some of you have got suggestions about what to cover these topless containers with. I'd appreciate any ideas! O, people, you all have got me so excited that I am just jumping up and down... My husband thinks I'm out of my mind, but he's on board with this thing, too! I know having the baby will make this much more of a challenge, but I'm so thankful my husband will here at home through March (working on translating a book from Finnish to English). He's vowed to help me with everything as much as he can - both the baby and WS, lol! - and I do all my work from home regularly (I'm a jewelry maker), so I don't have to worry about trying to fit all of this into the perameters of a 9-5 job. Whew! I stumbled upon WS at just the right time. :) I was really quite worried about doing this garden when I didn't know anything about WS. The Home & Garden stores here here are super expensive - most everything is much more expensive than in the US - and so I was thinking I'd have to build the garden just a little bit each season... maybe after YEARS I'd have something close to what I was hoping for, right? Ha, well now it seems I'll achieve my goal a lot faster, much less costly, and in a way that seems like so much more fun! I feel quite confident right now about taking this on, (heck, I just spent almost two hours reading the whole FAQ, as well as trudi's website!!!), and I'm sure if I have any problems, questions or concerns, that I can get just the answers and advice I need, as well as moral support, from this great forum. Thanks again everyone for advising me and I'll keep updating my progress, as well as reading the posts in the forum and trying to participate as much as I'm able. stage_rat - That 'Maltese Cross' plant you suggested looks fantastic! I wasn't familiar with it and when I googled an image of it my breath just caught in my chest. That color is exquisite! I simply must get some, and from what I read it's a native of Russia and Siberia, so I think it will do more than fine in this much 'milder' region. Thanks for introducing me to a new plant that I just gotta have! And, thanks to everyone else who suggested particular plants to try. I'm considering everyone's advice, and I just love trying new things!

Significant color change.... my thoughts are with Guardian Angel, Minnesota Nice (or ventricosa Aureomaculata), or Hanky Panky. I still don't even know if I like it or not. Leaning towards not. Otherwise, the list of Hostas that change alot all season is endless.....think about it. Dave nailed it. EO mentioned Paradigm. I have mine in full morning sun until noon. Then it's in shade. It takes pretty much all summer for the yellow to turn a brilliant color, but the entire plant never burns. You can plant a June in different situations, light-wise and have several different "looks" I would say most Hosta change over the season, but the significant change you desire is usually short lived. ( War Paint, Sea Fire, etc.) Rox

my3dogs, your rug is drop-dead gorgeous, both in the daytime and with the lights on. I can't imagine anything clashing with all those colors, and seasonal decorations don't have to follow a hard-and-fast rule. I don't care for red and my Christmas decorations are for the most part gold and silver, with emphasis on the gold, mixed with live greens. Jennifer, I wonder if you would consider a rug that has not only cool tones, which may seem bland and sterile in conjunction with the colors you've described in your home, but rather a rug something like the one my3dogs shows, with perhaps less emphasis on the warm tones, although they should definitely be included. A room with all cool tones can seem static and lack personality. If you look at successful rooms they almost always have cool and warm colors, which creates much more of a layered and interesting look. A good way to achieve that is to start with a beautiful rug that has many color variations. You can then choose decor based on the colors in the rug.