I don't have to worry about the light fading colors so much, though it is something to bear in mind. The windows here get only a few hours of afternoon sun, and this time of year till spring, it's that weak winter light, and is seldom strong enough for me to bother with. However, there are some hybrids and perhaps species that need light to develop some of their coloration. The color is just better from some exposure to light. Trial and error will show which ones need how much under specific exposures and would naturally vary widely in our different locals and situations. A 'Red Lion', for instance, will color up red in total darkness. You can see how red they are even before the bud-spathes are fully parted. I imagine the self-colored solids would "need" less light to color up well, but again, each one should be tested to satisfy each of us as to what works best. Other hybrids that are white or lightly colored with an overlay of colored veins, blushes or markings, seem to need light to develop properly. That's just my experience and seem to happen for others (particularly those in the Northeast) who not only have poor winter light but often flower their plants away form direct sun, brief as it is in winter for them. In discussing the "disappointing" colors (according to both our estimations) the lack of light in some bi-colors as I described above, the most frequent circumstance was the poor light. Your mileage may vary. Robert.

More beauties, today.BEYOND THE SEA IS a very pretty one, and I love CHORUS LINE.mine bloomed good the first 2 years I had it and it has not bloomed since, no blooms last year or the year before and none this year either.CHOCOLATE RUFFLES is soo pretty. I love that one and my favorite one is WONDER OF IT ALL.Thats one I really love.I have only had a couple that didnt open good,and several that needed a couple extra hours to open up, but every bloom opens for me.I LOVE IT. jean

when i grow things under lights.. the lights are positioned 2 to 3 inches above the plant.. and i have 4 bulbs .... the level of light needed for photosynthesis is much different than what you need to work in the office ... all that said... give it a go ... no one is really going to be able to answer the questions you have short of showing up at your office with a photometer and measuring the light levels .... good luck any breath of nature in the office will surely help ...ken

Wow Sammie, that's a great little site! Lots of good ideas there. It's so hard to decide what to do, so I just started digging... I'm 1/2 way done with my 2nd garden bed flanking the front walk. It's not in the budget right now to replace the walkway. I don't think I'd like a strictly period 50's garden, seems fairly stark. And I don't like junipers much. :) We do want to paint the house this year - isn't bright teal a 50's colour? ;) To respond to an earlier email, there is no patio or deck out the left side, just a strip of land between mine & my neighbour's house. Currently just lawn and some daffodils, and a big hole that my neighbour keeps promising to fill in (from where they put in a basement suite stairwell). We do have a great big deck out back, it's accessed through a window from inside the house! Kind of strange, but luckily it does have stairs going down to the back yard so we don't only have to climb thru the window. We use the deck a lot, and I have lots of plants in pots there (carnations, forget-me-nots, catnip, mint, sweetpeas). One day when I can afford it, or when the current deck falls apart, whatever comes first, I will lower the deck so we can just walk straight out. That would also make it closer down to the back yard, currently we don't go into the back yard too much except to go to the veggie garden. I also have fantasies of putting a small patio/deck on the roof! It only snows about once a year in Victoria, and it only lasts for a couple days at most. People still talk about "the blizzard of '96" where it we ended up with about a metre of snow - I believe the worst snowfall in this area since 1916? People in the interior of Canada (ie Winnipeg or Calgary) laughed at us :) The city was totally shut down for several days. Anyhoo, thanks so much guys for all your input! I have lots of good ideas now and it's been so fun reading all your replies. I like Sammie's idea of the large paving stones w/4' gaps, and Annie I would also love to get a kidney-shaped *something* in there, but a) don't need a pool and b) don't like floating flowerbeds... maybe I can paint shapes on my mailbox. ;) Thanks everyone! :) Amy