Hi Toni, Go for one that's Fragrant ! not smelly. :) Well, that 'hospital', is a less sunny rest, in a humid spot they'd like. It's a couple of cement blocks over the soil in pleasant, needle tree shade. You're right. It is probably time to fertilize. :] Thanks for the support, I've been dithering and fretting. I decided to wait to take cuttings, till there was a little top growth. They're sprouting now. Scents to look for -rose [several] -citrus [ lime, lemon crispum, Robert's lemon rose...] -pine [pine, Dean's Delite is one]. The rose or pine, will have cut leaves. The chocolate is big and gangly, and fuzzy. :> It would probably work, -only the strawberry one, didn't. The scent isn't that chocolaty [chocopine?]. Might plant one in the ground for the summer. [Thanks other thread!] Quite a few plants are supposed to smell like chocolate. Well-Sweep-Herb-Farm is in NJ. They have a list by botanical names. They even carry P. 'mabel grey' [finicky], heavenly scent! and effective. On the supplier thing, most of the great greenhouses, are Mom and Pop places, facing rising costs, like heat, labor, and pressures to modernize, which unfortunately have to be passed on. Some are lucky enough to have had more than one generation. When there is a transition, figuring how to change to new ways can be painful. you've probably seen this yourself, a few times. I was lucky enough to have bought from, and received advice from, some of that older generation, new one too, they're really nice. So Logee's is special to me. They started over a hundred years ago. Besides being local [~2 hrs] The greenhouse is a wonderful place to visit, I'll post a thread link below. I feel I owe them a debt of gratitude for existing because it educated me on tropicals, especially fragrant ones. I was right there in florida, surrounded by the predictable, and didn't know how to find out about any interesting plants. The library had...There It Was: 'The Essence of Paradise'.........since then it's been No More Boring Plants! They do have a whole sunken solar green house with geraniums [pelargoniums] some with cool flowers. Yeah, the pots are small, and i can't get many, but you see why I want to buy there. However, with this dreadful addiction, :) i am always interested in other places too. Their's are usually a superior cultivar, especially with scenteds. They bred them, after all. Pelly page: http://www.logees.com/products.asp?dept=75 You can cut and paste this to the address row up top. Mealies Grrr ! Saw your purple passion problem. Stick a pot of 'true rose' scented geranium [ pelargoneum graveolens] next to it. And/or a lemon crispum, or lime, you'll love me forever, lol! A few pots of different cool scents, can surround the problem. Give miss mealy fuzz, just a puff, of 10 %white vinegar and water spray [an inch or two in the bottom of the bottle]. Throw a leaf in the pot. HA ! Take that ! you mealies! Don't forget the wall, window frame, and curtains- you can use straight alcohol spray. Or your own formula, made much stronger than plants like. Hate those insecticides too. I couldn't find superthrive around here. Finally went with the Dyna-gro. The plants jumped up! Those micronutrients really make a difference. Except for Mabel, scenteds aren't fussy. Use hardly any fertilizer, thin it out, 4-6x a season [skip winter]. They are from clivia country, but sunnier. Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures from Logee's [a visit] by GWEBers

Actually I'm kind of feeling bad. The whole toilet bowl idea may be someone elses pride. Even if a whimsical joke. And Im wondering if I could say what I'm typing to that persons face personally. And not feel the hurt I might cause. But I did get a good laugh : ) To add constructively to the thread one pet peeve of mine? Neighbors or homeowners in a community hiring Landscapers to do renovations requiring the disposal of old shrubs and perennials. Seeing them chainsawd and chipped, buried by heavy machinery. I mean that is horrible. I never looked at it that way until I started the process of donating a Japanese Garden to a local community business. Here I am wondering why the rootstock cant be shared by community members who are financially unable to afford such plants. Here I am wondering how Im going to pull this off with no money of mine to spare. So I must resort to finding recycled plants. For the first time in my life. Ive always spent other people money. Now I have to come up with ideas so as not to loose face and make the Japanese Garden a reality. I wont accept a penny more from the place Im building it. The whole idea is about community service. Giving something that is a passion for free. I have a passion so its easy. The rest is patience. I hate evil plant killers :) Let youre fellow citizens have a chance to adopt a plant before you send it to a tragic death.... People!!! Especially at the hand of Monster Landscape Contractors who arent even willing to keep the plant for themselves to use on another project.Sometimes the completion date requires dispossal of ornamentals not in the design rather than re salvaging. Maybe the local town Gardening Committee will use those ornamentals. Making the town plan of beautification financially feasible. Ive never heard of such a thing but sounds like a good idea. So many homes are stripped of old growth ornamentals that have overgrown the original space. To be lost forever. I sometimes to the embarrassment of myself will stop at such a job and ask for all the root stock still alive.. Many trades men will look at me askance. Like Im crazy and should know better than to ask such a question. Giving that tough guy attitude. Like get the hell off of my job you jackass. I can see it in their eyes. And in truth I hate that feeling. Its hard for me to swallow. I must look like an amatuer doing such things. So in reality I'm doing this rarely. Driving my dump truck to the sites who are kinder. I might get something. Knowing one particular customer of mine who is low on money would appreciate these plants. Giving that customer back for the opportunity they provided earlier. To work on their property when they had money to spend. Maybe sounds old fashioned but I like my customers to be happy. I want them to have dreams fulfilled just as I want mine. Business sometimes corrupts that process of brotherhood. No one could put the value of driving onto a customers property with a huge Rhody salvaged from being destroyed. Its a priceless moment. And what did it cost me. Maybe 20 dollars in gas. A few hours labor. But what I get in return is priceless. Compassion from the person Im thinking about. We see eachother as equalls. Something money can not buy. And when you get used to this way of thinking you never expect anything in return. The whole idea was just do it. Its the right thing to do. For no real reason but it just feels right. I dont need books to know this. Its the same act as when a baby hands over the food for you to take a bite. Isnt it awesome to see a young child offer food that was almost going into the mouth hesitate. Then look at you and put the food in youre mouth intead! Its human nature to share. Sometimes I think how cruel it must be to see ornamentals a neighbor could never afford but truly desire and watch that tree discarded like trash. The owner of such ornamentals never asking fellow neighbors if they would like to have it. I guess most people believe in not sharing and rather see material things in the garbage before theyd ever concede to the principle of giving without hesitation. That was good. I feel better! Japanese Gardening has made me think differently. To give and help the community you are a member of is the goal. Finding every opportunity to make a community come together with little things. Not on the rare occasion. But on a daily bases. Its easy. I like what Im saying and will try harder to do so. This is what makes me feel like a boulder resisting the rivers current. Finding wieght in my doings. Even if the community is too complex to understand I feel rooted to living out one aspect of being a member. Feeling like you belong. Not just driving to the local store for groceries and back home. But stopping along that daily circle to do one small thing. No matter how little. Like someone you see going to the mailbox every morning while leaving for work. Saying to that person.. "Hey Ill have Peony roots by the end of the day. Only a few. Ill leave you some tomorrow morning." At least its a start. And after a few years you can see that act of giving grow into a smile on each others face every time you cross that persons path leaving for work in the morning. Nobody said this means becoming nosey or involved with strangers. Its just one simple way to say hello. Next time we see each other we can smile and wave hello instead of me driving by like a sardine in a car. Gardening is probably the easiest way for a community to come together. Every home has something to offer. Dont throw ornamentals away.

gellchom - Thanks for the reply. The indoor party was borne of so many years of late summer parties that have been much too hot for the comfort of guests who are a bit older. I love to cook and will probably do some of my best appetizer recipes with additions by professional catering. I guess I am most interested in what would have been served back in 1958 as a place to start. If I don't get much in that regard, I will proceed with my own recipes. Unfortunately, I am a control freak about food and usually give the caterer recipes I want done, but don't have time to do myself. I always enlist help with serving, re-filling bowls, freshening drinks, etc when I host parties. I want the party to have a casual elegance. I like the catering/service people to be a bit "invisible". Even my annual 4th of July party is so much easier with a couple of extra hands. I think it is money well spent as it takes alot of the stress away and enables me to mingle and enjoy the party so to say. I am definitely utilizing help in that regard. I am looking for some unusual or time-reflective recipes that were served in 1958. My parents had a modest wedding by today's standards. Their receiption has been described as something like a beef and beer to me. LOL While they had a modest wedding, they had attendants, etc. The receptions back in the day seem to have been less elaborate than those of in the past couple of generations. The lollipop lamb chops are a great idea as they really can be handled as an appetizer. Besides my dad loves lamb. I love your ideas. I am going to look into some music options. I am a bit limited space-wise for a quartet, so a single flute player would be lovely in the background. I had planned using fresh flowers for decorating and for my parents. I did a 25th and 40th anniversary party for them, dry runs for the 50th! Sangria is a great idea. I have many summer and winter sangria recipes, so I will dig those out. I am thinking a champagne toast before I serve cake. I am a bit stuck as to the signature drink. Don't want something martini-like as a majority of my parents friends take medicines for cholesterol and the like, so I am not sure how well hard alcohol mixes with different meds. I also worry about guests driving. With lite fare, appetizers and desserts, I don't think strong drinks would be a good idea. I was thinking maybe weak whiskey sours? The invite including a request for a memory or anecdote is another great idea. I planned on copying my parents' wedding album photos for display on the buffet and throughout the rooms in my home where the party will take place. Perhaps I can go through all my photos and incorporate them into the album and insert the contributions of the guests. I gave DH a surprise 40th b-day dinner party years ago, and the pics I had copied and enlarged for display were a huge hit. They were displayed in a subtle fashion - on the buffet, in the enclosed porch where the bar was set up, you get the idea. DH b-day party was an intimate dinner party with 10 couples and about 15 family members. DH hates attention so the surprise dinner party was just perfect and was hosted at the home of our closest friends. The party atmosphere was understated and lovely. It was more about great food (we all belong to a gourmet club so we served my husband's favorite meal). I didn't want to go over the top with peripheral decorating as my friends' home is beautifully decorated. I spent a majority of my budget on great food. I guess that is the "feel" I am going for with this party as well. A special album for keepsake would be wonderful. I will have to enlist the services of my SIL who is a big scrap-booker. She, I'm sure will have some ideas! I will also need to chose a unusual invitation. Once again, thanks for getting my brain functioning. I know it is a year away, but I like to have things planned to the T. A total list maker am I! Thank you again.

Lindy, on my computer, those colors all look very green. Can you pull up a pale grey-blue instead of grey-green? Also, tan colors would work. I would not go burgundy on an MCM house. Check out the Eichler Network for good Eichler colors, door styles, lighting styles, etc. Here is a link that might be useful: Eichler Network.