Oh my goodness, thank you for the lovely compliments, support and well wishes. That's so nice. I really appreciate each one. I am still scratching my head over the mantel arrangement and the large hall arrangement. What's the difference between a large hall arrangement and a large bouquet anyway? I think for the large bouquet I'm going to use a large white wash pitcher with Annabelle Hydrangea. No fillers, just clean and simple. And for the large hall arrangement, I'm thinking of making a topiary using an ice bucket for the base filled with floral foam and top with moss. Then using a ball of floral foam covered with moss and roses for the top. I'll see if I can find a super straight stick for the trunk, if not I will use dowel. But I'm not sure this will be large enough. Well, I will just have to try it and see! The frog vase isn't a vase at all. It's a tobacco jar that was passed down to me from my Grandmother. It is much older than I and is one of my favorite family pieces. I don't think he is a character from "Wind in The Willows". Cindy- I bet your bouquets were wonderful. What a nice way to brighten your work space! Becr- I sorry here hear about your rose. I will also cross my finger for you. The varieties of rose I used are; Elle Margaret Merril New Dawn Morden Blush Belinda's Dream Knockout Graham Thomas The Fairy Alba Mediland GGG- Thanks for the great tips! I will try and keep that in mind. prairiegirlz5, Keeping notes is an excellent idea. Thank you :0D Once again, a huge thank you to each and everyone of you. Carrie

Bettylu, I think that you achieved a very pretty hosta bed. You have a variety of plant heights, shapes and a repitition of other plant material and colours which all add interest. I also like the use of stones. I've made my share of hosta blunders in the past and am still dealing with my first hosta bed in which I arranged the hostas according to bloom colours. This resulted in most of the hostas being the same size and colour ...a bed that frankly is blah. After studying my hosta arrangements and those of others, I have come to the following conclusions as to what I like: In regard to contrast I like the look of solid yellow hostas against solid blue hostas, but when it comes to solid yellow hostas and solid green hostas, I find it easier on the eye to transition from solid yellows to solid greens by means of an intermediary variegated green/yellow hosta, especially if the solid yellow and solid green have the same form. I think Steve Mass' 'Sun Power' arrangement is lovely beacaue of the varying shapes, textures and colours of the ferns, spruce and hosta. Like coll 123 I have been trying to transition from one hosta to another by picking up a c0lour from the first hosta into the second hosta or by means of drifts of companion plants. I'm experimenting with shade tolerance of other perennials besides hostas. I've found sedums and festuca more shade tolerant than I anticipated. In my sun borders, I try to use repetition of plant material by either shape or colour. I experimented with planting in threes, one tall vertical plant , a medium sized plant and a small plant. I found that most spring flowering plants are low to the ground, medium plants are summer flowering and tall plnts have fall blooms, at least in my garden. I don't like too many vertical plants too close together, because it looks too busy to me. Because most hosta collectors have limited space, it is often difficult to repeat the same hosta, so I think this can be achieved by using the tall big hostas as vertical accents and by using smaller hostas in groups of three or more. In my newest hosta bed I planted my biggest (by mature size) hostas first and filled in with smaller hostas and other perennials, which can be easily moved around if i don't find the effect pleasing. With garden art, I try not to use more than one piece in any one location. I like the use of rocks to draw attention to any one hosta. Once again, I find threes pleasing to the eye- a hosta towering over a rock and then a smaller hosta nestled into the rock, for example. As with anything beauty is in the eye of the beholder AND rules, when it comes to gardening, I break all the time. Sometimes I like the effect and at other times I don't. Thanks for asking your question, Bettylu as it's helped me clarify the rules I TRY to follow.

Wow, this thread has really grown with some fantastic goodies since I was last here! Prill, Allison, Pinch and Firsthouse, you can start packing up your Flow Blue, wooden boxes and tablecloths, and Jessica Martin painting because UPS will be arriving shortly to pick them up for me. Thanks! Speaking of thanks, here's a big one to all of you who had some kind words for my coffee lady! Like most other choices in my kitchen, this one was a matter of love at first sight and so your "I like her too!" affirmations are making me feel like Sally Fields. lol. That said, I'm hoping this thread continues with others of you posting more of your own loves as well.

squirrel, I've had the arrangement in this pic for, I think, 3 days now without moving anything, so I think I'm good! Disregard the tables and the bookcase and the curtains and the lack of a rug and the lamps and the artwork for now. I had to get the seating arrangement squared away before I can begin to think about all that other stuff. When I find a new upholstered chair, it will replace the wooden one in this pic, and the wooden one will go in the opposite corner of where it is in this pic. You know, I didn't measured the room during this whole process. :) The furniture is lightweight enough that I was able to push it all around very easily to play with arrangements. I did measure it many months ago, and I want to say it's about 12 x 13, 12 being the double window to column dimension. I did try the loveseat facing the double windows, but it looked really bad from the dining room, and it looked too cramped with the sofa table behind it. The living and dining rooms feel very much like one room, and it just doesn't work to divide them like that. Thank you for the encouragement! I'm sure I will be posting soon regarding tables and lamps!