If you use the pollen from a virused bulb you run the risk of spreading the virus to a healthy plant. But, you can use a virused plant for seedpods. If you put pollen from a healthy plant onto a virused plant the experts say the seeds will be fine. I have some seedlings from about 3 years ago: A virused Tangellino x a healthy Blossom Peacock. These seedlings have had their leaves for the better part of 3 years now and no sign of virus. I made this cross before I knew that Tangellino was virused and to this day, my one and only (aside from offsets) Blossom Peacock is still healthy even though I didn't know enough to take precautions. In those days I only dabbed pollen on once and may very well have used my finger so maybe that's why it didn't spread. I also have a couple of crosses from a virused Estrella x a large noid white (which I swiped the pollen from a nursery so I have no idea to the health of that bulb) and virused Estrella x a healthy Fairy Tale. All seedlings look fine. I'm sure you can mate two virused plants and they seeds will be fine also. The bottom line is you're better off not trying to hybridize with virused plants, but sometimes if you have a rare plant you might want to try. If anyone out there has grown virused seedlings from seeds that have one virused parent then please let us know. Donna P.S. One more thing to keep in mind.. when you are dabbing pollen on a virused bulb, if you use a Q-tip as I do.. only stick the Q-tip in the bag of pollen ONCE and then dab your plant and then THROW the Q-tip away. If you dab again use a clean Q-tip each time..DO NOT dip that Q-tip back in bag of pollen or you run the risk of contaminating the rest of the pollen. And Eric, make sure you take the time to do as Kristi suggests and do a search on this forum for information on this virus. You'll find a lot of interesting reading and see that some of us can get really hot under the collar over this important subject. You need to educate yourself since you are putting a lot of time, effort, and money into your new hobby. Everyone should be aware!!

Maybe the door would be good in red? But I always think that. Still.... Or how about a teal or soldier blue door? It's a cute, cute house. Maybe that horizontal rod going across the storm door is removable. I've had storms like that. If you could take the cross piece off, it would let the nice wood door show better. And the light that awmo3 posted would look great on your house. A variegated red-twig dogwood would be good, maybe on the left hand corner. They have nice bright red stems in the winter. (Oh-oh....there I go again with the red.) I'm in zone 4. My dogwoods are the nicest color I can have in the winter. Otherwise it's pretty blah in the middle of winter. You might also consider some Annabelle hydrangeas. They are so pretty in the summer and have a nice old-fashioned look. If you want to, you can leave the big pom-pom flowers on all winter and cut them back in the early spring. The blooms turn rusty brown color and it gives you something out there in the winter. And also one or two small evergreen shrubs would be nice out there so you have some dark green color during the winter. Then plant some daylillies and some asiatic lillies for summer color. If you expand those planting beds out a ways so they are deeper, and make them a curvy shape, that will add to the look too. If you leave the stained porch as it is, you could get some golden or medium brown cedar mulch for the garden and that will tie the porch color into the landscaping.

I agree that a pretty linen white would look wonderful in the space. It would complement the warm wood tones of the trim and cabinets. A lighter color on the backsplash, at least until you're ready to replace it, would help as well. Perhaps the lightest color in the granite. Replacing the builder grade overhead lights in hallways is always an instant update. I would avoid ceiling fans with lights. Use uplights, floor and table lamps, and recessed lights for lighting. If you want to keep the ceiling fan, something sleek and close to the ceiling is always nice. White will blend into the ceiling and disappear a bit. I would consider a console on the wall in the living room where the air grate is for the t.v. You could wall mount the t.v. on an articulating arm to move it for easier viewing. That leaves room for a great piece of art over the fireplace. A sofa in front of the window and two comfortable chairs with their back to the kitchen area would open up the room. Since there's not a lot of room to stack drapes, you could do one panel on the outside of each window to avoid crowding the fireplace. Are you planning to replace the fridge and dishwasher with stainless to match the stove and microwave? The table size the current homeowners have seems good for the area-it allows nice size aisles to move through the space. Roman shades in the dining space in a pretty print fabric would add color to the dining space. I would definitely change out the chandelier for something more modern as well. It should hang 32-36" above the table. It sounds as though you already have your own style with a "minimalist/natural" style and there's no reason you can't use it in this house. Don't let the style of the cabinets hold you back. If that's your style, embrace it! It's not like you're looking to go full out Victorian in a 1990's house! Congratulations on your new home!

went to a color consultant today at our local preferred benjamin moore. basically came away saying beige. she liked the last one we arrived at as well with the new garage door and gray, said it works because it blends with the roof color well. she also mentioned that removing some of the front landscaping and the front tree might help the house from "disappearing" with all that gray. partner isn't onboard with the gray though.