Sorry to hear turface did not work. I was just about to say coarse perlite is fine instead of turface, but then I googled and found this: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0323420918673.html. None if this is exact science anyway - you just need to see what works for your environment, watering habits and plants. You might need to water more often with perlite - or use slightly smaller particles if you do not want to water quite as often. Congrats on the new hoyas!

Your friend should consult an attorney to draw up a contract for this "Rent To Own" agreement. The agreements do favor the seller/landlord because if the buyer defaults, she doesn't get back anything paid in. However, this can work for people. My mother, who was a realtor, sold a SFH she owned this way.

Very well done job on the kitchen. Having something this nice will really change your life. Are you planning a back splash behind the cooktop? I like the inspiration kitchen ss shelves next to the hood, though I don't like their placement. I find in my own kitchen having a few items I use all the time immediately available on a shelf helpful and doesn't take up any of my counter space.

Nancy - Maybe I just got a bad plant of Lillian's Vapor Trail. It's been nothing but trouble for me. But I'm going to move it where it gets 9 hours of sun a day and see what it does next season. If it doesn't perform in those conditions, out it goes. Dick - It sounds like Lillian's Thin Ice did what it's child Vapor Trail did here. Storms tend to get my tall daylily scapes in the backyard but not the front. Sorry your Thin Ice scapes went down. I lost all but one of the scapes on Shelby, another one of my dip UF favorites, in these frequent thunderstorms. Debra