I just wanted to add two photos of some of the vertical plantings at Flora Grubb Gardens, illustrating what can be done with space that is not normally put to use for growing plants. One could see these as living art. Inside they have the following planted (I believe that is Aeonium tabuliforme on the lower left): Outdoors there are succulents:

Here is CLOWNS IN WASHINGTON as it grows here. The name makes me laugh whenever I pass by it! I sent Bret a name which he will hopefully use next year. It will be a perfect companion daylily for CIW!! I like several of his names for cultivars, such as DESPERATE HOUSECATS. Don't grow that one but do grow ONE CAT TOO MANY.

I've learned something new today about the Christmas Cactus. I will keep that in mind. Oh, you asked about the Lilac Vapor paint. It is (gasp!) a Dutch Boy paint. I know this is not a brand that is touted too much on other forums, but I've had very good luck with it. It's not too expensive; it goes on so smoothly, and in my experience, it wears like iron. I have never had a problem with washing it, either. What more could you want from a paint? I have it mixed at Menard's (a northern chain similar to Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.) in their "Dimensions" base in a satin finish. I may have used egg shell on the AF Base. The label says the base is "Designer White, DB 676-03 The colorant is OZ 48, E PH Blue 9, and V Magenta 12. I can take a photo of the label if you like. It also says DC024 Lilac Vapor (Old). The formula must have changed slightly since 2004. I had the old 2004 chip when I ordered new paint in 2008. I looked at one of the new "Lilac Vapor" chips and saw the numbers were different, so he used my old chip to mix the paint. I love it. I used Benjamin Moore's "Cotton Balls" for the white trim in that room. It's not a bad paint; but it didn't go on, wear, or wash any better than the Dutch Boy.

>A Spell for Chameleon That one hooked me on to Piers as well, I was in my late teens. I can't imagine any young reader having trouble with it -but then I was reading 'adult books' long before I got my adult library card. (Thank goodness for my older sis!) My parents never censored what I read. They figured if I didn't understand stuff, I'd skip it or ask about it. And if I did understand it, I was old enough to read it. (Read Valley of the Dolls, and was horribly embarrased, at age 12, for my dad to notice and to say that when I'm finished give it to him, as he'd been wanting to read it.) I think a parent has to know her child to decide whats appropriate or inappropriate, but I probably choose the more lenient side, making sure that I give her a chance to talk about the book later with me. But that's just me. I suspect (no, I know) that my feelings would drastically change if I was actually a parent! I lent my boyfriend (later DH) the Xanth books. He hated them, thought them horribly childish and silly (this from a rather childlike and silly person but I digress). So I started re reading them. Oh my - yeah, I see what he means. But I loved them back then. Another horrid sequel: Children of God, after The Sparrow. While I had quibbles with the first book and thought the author made some poor decisions, I liked it enough. I could not finish the other. jan I am not big into mysteries, but if she wrote them, and they are more suspense than 'whodunit' type, I might just have to try them.