I have about 6 or 7 flats started and mostly doing well. I have 28 tomato plants just put into separate pots (3 varieties: Black Krim, Iidi and Padova). Also, there are 3 flats of coleus, one flat with cuttings from last year's favourites and the other 2 with new seedlings. I'm trying for ones with a lot of yellow in the leaves but not having much luck. But I do have one rather small and weak one with almost completely black leaves. Probably the colour is why it's not growing very fast (not enough chlorophyl),but it seems healthy. I also have lots of baby primulas of 3 kinds. Two sets are in the cold frame as they are from last year, and the others are auriculas from this year. I got the seeds from France and had quite poor germination so I'm watching the plants I did get really closely. For unusuals, I have seedlings of things I collected in parks and nurseries locally. They didn't care if I collected seeds, so I went wild! Now I have red yuccas, pineapple lilies, phormiums, pearly whites (a local wildflower) and eryngium agavafolium.I also have 3 different kinds of penstemons, but while growing, they're very slow and tiny. Let's hope at least some of them survive!

Hi Vickie, Your right, lilies comprise a large genera of possibilities, that's what makes them so interesting. I like to use lilies to go in between other plants, as an added exclamation point in the garden....this helps hide the ripening foliage and reduces the need to stake. As a beginner, you may find the asiatic or LA bulbs the easiest. Usually they are cheaper in price, multiply quickly and the least fussy...although most bulbs are pretty easy....you may even be able to do some trading with others in your area. Lots of times the 'big box stores' sell bulbs pretty cheap, only problem there is you never really know what your getting. Here is some pics of different types. Flora Here is a link that might be useful: Some lily pics

I want small plants. Well, small for a passiflora, lol. The citrina is one I've been reading about lately, and it seems to be doing well indoors exclusively for a lot of people from what I've found on the web. They are also very small for a passiflora. I have decided to get a citrina and a Sherry. I've heard similar remarks about Sherry that you have stated, pshawn. I don't think I'd have enough room for some of the giant growers. They'd take over my other houseplants and strangle them, lol! The reason, by the way, that I want to grow them indoors exclusively is because I live in the high desert. The humidity here is often in the single digits (no, I'm not kidding) and we do get strong winds occasionally. I don't think a passiflora would make it here outside for long! Few plants can except cacti and other xerioscape plants. Now my big question is, where in the heck do I get Sherry? I've looked high and low, and no one seems to be able to keep them in stock. I've checked Grassy Knoll, Kartuz, Willow Creek, Almost Eden, Georgia Vines, ebay, Stokes, Amazon and Logees (even though their reputation scares me) and they either don't have them or are out of stock. Is it impossible to find one, or am I just looking in the wrong places?

WOW those rocks are beautiful. Is the stone going to be broken up into peices to cover perimeters counters or is the stone going to go primarily on one large surface? Keep in mind that the first stone has large areas of a golden brown and other areas of silver gray. Are these colors going to conflict if broken into small coutner areas? This may be exactly what you are going for. What other colors are you using in your space? Stainless steel or some other appliance color? What about backsplash? Something soothing, busy, exotic, plain...? What is your kitchen style? Urban, Contemporary, Provincial, Spanish Old world, Deco, Romantic, Estate, Southwestern, Moroccan, Asian, Whimiscal? Does the kitchen open to other rooms? What colors are those rooms? How about your accents? Lighting, hardware? Floors? If you are starting from scartch and the counter is your starting point I would say all of them are fantastic and anyone would look beautiful. ~boxer