if everything goes well hopefully will get to the Orchid Fest, if not, I would like to go some other time since it's only a few hours away. Beautiful orchid, says it even blooms later in the summer/fall - wish list especially since it likes windows :) No a/c in the room it would be growing but the room is bright, open and airy, many large east windows so it cools down by afternoon, well, except for this small south one. The heat doesn't get stuck in the window area badly at all and runs about the same as the rest of the room, 75-low 80's during summer. I cover the inside with the thin plastic in the winter so the cold has never bothered the plants there before. I grew av's there quite awhile ago, the only drawback was there really was too much light for them so they are now in the east area. It's been more of a nursery area for sick plants lately lol due to all the wet. If we do actually get some real heat this year I usually move anything out of the sun for the day if needed but that has only happened a few times in the past. Truly a mild wet summer so far. There is always good humidity in the house for all of the other plants. I've got one true south window available which is warm and super bright but need to keep the higher light orchids that are outside now there during the winter. It'd be great to find small orchids that could use just a little less light, thanks :)

Hey there Miss Basilbird. I'm sorry I missed this thread last year if only because I missed saying 'Hey' to Laurazone5. Her posts are always interesting and full of usable information and she is a very nice person. That is not to say the rest of you are not nice people, too. Most of the people on this forum are good folks. LOL! I was able to acquire 10 frogs shortly before I broke my back and I distributed them in three separate parts of the yard. I haven't seen any of them but I know they are around because I heard them all summer long this year. I made the people who collected the leaves put some of them in strategic parts of the yard in case the froggies needed bedrooms so my neglect shouldn't be a disaster. DH hasn't noticed the leaves yet. I have had greenhouses of various types over the years and the interesting thing is that while I have had them damaged by the wind they have never been damaged by snow loads. The reason is that so long as the cover is reasonably tight the warmer air on the inside melts a thin layer of snow so the load is floating on a thin layer of snowmelt (water) and that allows the snow to follow the pull of gravity. It slides off before it can break through. I admit being a nervous wreck the first time my glass and aluminum greenhouse was subjected to a blizzard in Wisconsin but my fears were proved groundless. That is not to say that it is not possible, it just isn't very likely unless you built the greenhouse under the edge of the roof where there is a dropoff. The last time I tried to pull up Greg's website it did not have anything on it about his various designs although it did talk about his growing business. I was glad to see his success but now I can't send anyone to his site about the floating light bulb deicer. I am glad I bought one of his CDs when they were available. I made a deicer similar in concept to his and would be happy to tell anyone how it was made just so everyone knows it is a variation on a theme. I don't want to pass on a patented design if Greg managed to register it. I have my doubts that he was able to since I am sure I have seen similar contraptions used over the years. Mine certainly isn't as pretty as Greg's was but I didn't have the materials that he used at hand so I had to improvise my way around the construction much the way he did. In the end, I think the only similarity is we both used a light bulb as a heat source. I wish I could see the video you made. I'm going to see if I can find someone with an Apple. I still think your pond is great. I do think Laura is mistaken about the ledge being only a conductor rather than a collector of heat. So long as it is not totally engulfed by frozen ground it is a heat sink and will act as a collector of heat during any clear day and release heat at night. Even on cloudy days it is likely to be collecting heat from the ground below the frost line. The subject of heat sinks in construction is well documented. We became interested when we built our Earth Shelter house in Wisconsin. The river rock floor and the brick backwall in our greenhouse collected and retained heat that was released at night. It wasn't what you would call hot but it could be measured. I could never convince DH that we should put the cash into insulation for the greenhouse. It would have been much more effective. Sandy

GGG -- great idea! I've googled Loropetalum Little Pixie and don't get anything. I was looking for growth habit and other details. Can you fill me in? And does anyone know where to get some Little Pixies? I didn't see any at my Pike yesterday. Bev -- I got some snaps 3 years ago and thought they would just last through the fall, but when I thought I should rip them out, they were perking up and then they bloomed again early spring. The Pike guy said they were probably reseeds, but it was happening on the original plants. I have gotten some volunteers, too, so they do re-seed. I'll let you all know if they continue to live this year. They're in containers in a shelterd area, so maybe that's why they've hung on. I smelled something fabulous yesterday at the nursery and it turned out to be stock. I've never grown that before, but it's beautiful and the right size. Would that be a good choice for an overwintering annual here?

Cindy has some great ideas. I also like to start with bulbs. Some tulips can be planted so that you have some blooming early,mi and late spring. Maybe some of the repeat blooming fragrant iris. They bloom 2 or 3 times, spring, mid summer and fall. Not many nurseries carry them. I order mine on the net. I love the little dwarf iris...they bloom with the crocus and are adorable. There are also repeat blooming fragrant daylilies in all heights and colors. Again, these usually aren't found in most nurseries. I get mine on the net. The autumn sedum that Joe suggested is beautiful in the fall, and great sage green foliage in spring and summer. Sedum is so hardy...and I take clumps off mine and put it in spots that won't grow anything else! Peonies are a great idea. They need quite a bit os sun and tend to spread, but can be controlled. A couple roses would also be nice. What type of roses do you like? I wouldn't mess with a hybrid tea rose at this point...you will be busy with all the other new babies and the T's can be fussy at times. A nice, small David Austen old english rose bush would be nice. I love the new "Golden Zest"; yellow, old english. OMG it smells good! Also, a trellis with a climbing rose in a color that would compliment your house color. If you post on the "antique rose" or the "rose" forum you would get some great advice. I also have a fountain. I have perennial herbs around it. I keep them trimmed so they don't go to seed until late summer. I buy a couple products that keep the fountain free of algae and also soften the water. I have lost a pump due to mineral build up. Also, then the birdies can bathe and not be harmed. Maybe anchor the garden on one end with a small dwarf lilac bush? Keep in mind that nothing is permanent and plants grow differently in each garden. Plants can be moved. Keep us posted!