I thought I read a back post by H. that if you have proper cfl's (45 watt and up) that they should be on a 12 hour run? Flourescents need the longer run??? Moby this is a complete list of what you will need: - CFL's- 42 watt actual or higher- see Howard's specs (link for a good online source below) - Clamp lamps with the big silver 10-12" dish (see pic below). I prefer the ceramic sockets. Mine are made by "Commercial Electric" and have an 8' cord - Timer - Power strip or surge protector- make sure the cord is long enough. Don't use a regular extension cord. get the kind that has a built in breaker - Something to attach the clamp lamps to- depending on where you want to put them. I like the ceiling or the wall so I get plumber brackets from HD. They are about 35¢ each (see pic below) - screws and plastic sleeves to screw in the plumber's brackets - Tape or twist ties - for the cords - I partially and loosely cover my power cord with a plastic bag if it's close to my grow area. Water and electric don't mix. I cut the bag in 1/2 and tape the plastic to the part that might get water on it. You don't want to put the power strip or cords inside a plastic bag. Looks more complicated than it is. It's very easy to set up. Clara Here is a link that might be useful: cfl source

Sherry, I'm not sure what my pleased rate really will be until maybe next year or later...! Though I must miserly-ly admit that I have my eye on one that's bloomed once and looked a bit toasty the rest of the year while ALL the others have attempted to bloom more and are lovely and green. (*cough* Mortimer Sackler *cough*) Masha, but you can see all those roses, so that is an excuse because it -must- tempt you to add them to your garden! The ones that I really really want are not at Descanso or Huntington (which are kinda-sorta near me). I saw a very sad almost-dead stick of Archduke Charles. It was almost comical because the one I wanted at the top of my list, they denied me seeing in action! "and one must support the nurseries, etc. etc......." Ingrid, hehe. :) I know what you're saying about finding more suitable varieties, though. I feel like I don't really know yet which ones will be winners. This summer (except for this past week) has been unseasonably NOT HOT, so... my roses are doing really well, mostly, but I feel like it's not really a good test. Next summer I bet will have a whole month or two of 100+ temps. rosefolly- I'd love to see more pictures of "whole gardens" with roses of members. :) Renee- you can almost always find a spot for an iris, though, right? and maybe one of them will rot. ;) OK THEN... I appreciate all the thoughtful advice, you guys. I'll get my Bermuda's Kathleen and I'll keep my up and growing pot ghetto with a feeling of slightly less guilt. ;) I actually think my pots look kinda cute. I have alyssum growing around the base of the pots like crazy. They love the little bit of extra water that seeps out of the rose pots.

I'm not on any of the photo sharing sites unfortunately, and I'm probably the only person on this forum (please don't stone me) who hates hostas. However, in bought a property swamped with what my husband calls "those cabbagey things" and since it's a huge, difficult site I have kept most of them, only removing the ones from the front. Our entire property is on sort of a double slope; right to left and back to front with 2 apple trees and one butternut. The lowest part of the back is where we have a patio, so under the apple and down each side of the steps are all hostas. I stained the fence black which made all the difference. In front of that I have dogwood and limelight hydrangea and hostas and red nancy lamium all of which pop against the black. Around the othrr sides of the patio I have more hydrangea, spirea, hostas, japanese anemone , violets, purple leaf sandcherry, burgundy ajuga, asilbe, purple rhodos, bleeding hearts and of course lots of hostas. I suggest you stain your fence, add some great flowering shrubs and some contrasting groundcover.

I think you all are spot on. Even with the high loops, we're still getting some backwash. It's all about pressure...the high loop is designed to accomodate the pressure caused by gravity pulling on the fluid in the hose. However, once the fluid from the other DW draining comes into play, it's not only the weight of the water, but the force of it being pumped out as well- and that's just too much for a high loop to handle. We also don't like the disposal hooked up to the smaller side of the double sink- we let the installer talk us out of having it on the larger bowl and have regretted it ever since. Sounds like we need to find a good and flexible plumber to redo this mess. We had one plumber take a look at it while he was over to quote us for a different job and all he did was go on and on about how it wasn't to code because there was no airgap installed (untrue!) and how no DW would drain properly without an air gap- untrue! When I asked about a Johnson T and he didn't know what I was talking about I knew we needed someone better that at least knew as much as or preferably MORE than I do about plumbing. Also, one more thing: I just want to thank everyone here in Kitchens again for being so amazingly helpful and taking the time to respond. Even though we did our kitchen in 2006-2007 and I was a regular poster through the beginning of 2009, I love that I can get such help after being gone a year, and knowing that I would get the same quality of help even if this was the first time I was ever posting here. I recently posted some plans in baths and building a home (we're planning a large addition) and got almost no responses....that really drove home how amazing this kitchen forum really is. Thank you!