Count me as another one who can ditto Jazmynsmom. I never thought about the issue of another gardener working in my garden, but I guess I can sum up my reaction in two words: Get out!! Well, maybe I'd add "please." Over the years I've lost interest in doing much with annuals, except I still plant a small bed of various kinds of sunflowers with zinnias in front. People seem to love to see them, and they provide a lot of closeup photo ops for me. Plus I planted a pot with lavender zinnias in the middle of one flower bed, and I'll have impatiens on the porch. I told my cousin (a Master Gardener) the other day that I failed to inherit the garden design gene, which she has in spades. She said, "Yes, but you plant so many things that I've never had in my gardens." I don't know what she was referring to specifically, but I used to grow most of my flowers (and all our vegetables) from seed, and got fairly adventurous with it. These days, looking at my flower gardens, it seems clear that I prefer tall plants to short ones. It's also clear that I've planted some in the wrong spot for their size. I love the "spires"Âlike lupines, foxglove, and delphiniium. I'm a latecomer to iris, but find them enchanting. I'm still in the process of becoming a decent rose gardener, but I'm pleased with the amount I've learned, particularly on these forums. Random . . . eclectic . . . cottage . . . I'm all those things. I'm also a gardener with a cautious eye on the future. I'm 65, with fibromyalgia and a noticeable diminishing of energy and stamina every spring. I've watched the best flower gardener I know give up her pride and joy when she became too old to keep it up. Before that day comes for me, I want to garden to the max. Which explains why I bought so many plants this year. Susan

The orchid you bought is a cross between a Phalaenopsis (Phal) and a Doritis addreviated (Dtps). The grey worklike things neat the base is more than likely the roots. Doritis was removed from the Phal group of orchids and both are in the Vandaceous family. So they commonly have the aerial roots you see at the top the the pot. Care will be the same as Phalaenopsis type orhids. Having Doritis in the background may cause them to bloom a few times a year, Most pure Phal's bloom only once a year.

Great question, Orchidobsessed. Chryss, your shot of the Den Rainbow Dancer looks like an expensive portrait by a professional photographer. Calvin, whenever I see a spike, it's an involuntary inhalation, followed by a big "Oh" and a grateful smile. Here are more pix. I don't know the technical names for plant parts, but you can see where the spikes, buds, etc. come from. Aerangis fastuosa Coryanthes fieldingii Cycnoches Midnight Magic Dendrobium aberrans 1 - little dark spot is the spike. Dendrobium aberrans 2, spike from leafless pseudobulb  cuuuuute Dendrobium moniliforme Encyclia bracteata - 2 spikes w/ one bud each Gastrochilus japonicus - 2 spikes Lepanthes manabina - buds at the end of spikes on leaves Neofinetia falcata ÂShutennou ÂRed Emperor Ornithocephalus bicornis Paphiopedilum spicerianum  looks like a new leaf at first Phalaenopsis Snow Twinkle  can look like a new root at first Polystachya piersii blooming, so you can see where the spike comes from Polystachya piersii spike, side view Trigonidium egertonianum This is fun! Whitecat8

Well this is certainly easier than the thread that popped up a few weeks back asking us to choose ONE plant! :) I'm trying to cut back as well, but only so I can get more of the things I actually want. My problem is, I don't feel good selling anything until it's blooming because a) I can get more moolah for it (orchids bring me one notch higher towards not being under the poverty line) and b) I think people enjoy seeing what kind of flowers are on a plant before buying. Then things bloom and I don't have the heart to sell them. Time to get serious about this. Soo..if a fire broke out in my house and I only had time to grab ten of my plants, I'd probably snag: 1) Aerangis distincta (about to bloom for the 1st time but also dying at the same time...kills me a little inside every time I look at it) 2) Aerangis splendida 3) Aeranthes grandiflorus 4) Angranthes Grandilena (aer. grandiflora x ang. magdalanae) 5) Dendrobium Peng Seng 6) Dendrobium Tobaense 7) Dialaelia 'Snow Flake' 8) Dendrobium dawn maree 9) Polyrhizza lindenii (just cause that little bugger finally put out ONE root and there's no way in hell I'm gonna let this little glimmer of success slip away) Aerangis kirkii Luckily I don't have anything too valuable or irreplacible in my collection