Hi aachenelf; Just how cold does it get for you to consider that your area's experienced a hard freeze? We should be getting some below 0C temps here in the next couple of weeks and I plan to move my one pot of nemesia to a sheltered spot for the evening and set out for the day again. It would be nice to know it's not so vital for a mild freeze (-1 or -2 c here). Moving pots in and out can get tiring also. As for the type of nemesia I have, it must not be a hybrid since we had a full month of +30 - 35 C temps here, and I made sure to keep the little 10" pot watered, it was in full sun on my concrete steps and never showed any signs of wilt or harm from the heat, whereas some of my other plants would look a bit droopy (with moist/wet soil) until the shade hit them at night and then they'd revive. Have you ever been able to harvest seeds from them and have them come back true? Thanks for your time, ~ k ~

If you like Phals, you're in luck - there are bunches of fragrant species, primaries, and hybrids. As far as I know - anything with amboinensis, violacea, or bellina in it is likely to be fragrant, plus most (all?) of these are compact or stay smallish for a long time and are summer bloomers. Other Phal species are fragrant, but I don't know how large they get, if space is a consideration. Most all the online vendors have a category for fragrant orchids, including Phals. 1. My Phal Tsu Chiang Balm (An Tai Jade x Stone Dance) stays compact and has branching spikes. Colors are true: 2. Perhaps difficult to find now, but Phal I-Hsin Salmon 'Joy No. 3' (Princess Midas x Kuntrarti Rarashati) also is compact, often sends up 2 spikes twice a year and has a lovely fragrance. Loooove this orchid. Colors are true: 3. Phal equestris 'orange.' Miniature? Mine from Big Leaf hasn't bloomed yet, but spiked on a plant w/ two, 3" mature leaves & a small new leaf: 4. Phal Princess Kaiulani 'Chin Yo' (amboinenses x violacea) - hasn't bloomed yet. Again, blooms on small, young plants & stays compact. Photo from UK Orchid Forum. Just about all the photos I've seen have this riotous coloring: All reportedly compact & fragrant: Aussies Delight 'Zuma Beach' AM/AOS Cordova 'Maria Teresa' AM/AOS Orchid World'Joe' AM/AOS Sogo Firework 'Orchidheights' Summer Venus 'Orchid Konnection' HCC/CCM/AOS Not sure about size: Brother Sweet Sugar 'Montclair' Bulbos. I always ask the vendor if anyone on the planet would find the aroma offensive. If you're interested, I've got a copy of Brooke's list of 31 sweetly-scented Bulbos. Dens. Loads have terrific aromas. Coelogynes. Many are fragrant. Cymbidiums. There are fragrant large, compact, and miniature warmth-tolerant Cyms. SBOE on the Cymbidium Golden Elf 'Sundust,' HCC/AOS: This fragrant golden-yellow alba miniature is so floriferous it first bloomed while still in the flask. I've got to stop Googling around - no more space for any new orchids. Neostylis, a popular intergeneric of Neo and Rhynchostylis. If you Google "Neostylis orchids," you'll get options. It's my understanding all are fragrant. These threads about fragrant orchids in general: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/orchids/msg0215001819646.html http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/orchids/msg1012360725261.html Numerous options here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/ossc/discuss/72157626922076580/ Well, this was a delightful search. Have fun, and let us know your final choice! WhiteCat8 Here is a link that might be useful: Fragrant Phals & a few others

Jeanne, you said, "My Phal bellina hybrid flowers lasted plenty long, and as the plant matured, there were more spikes and more flowers which only served to lengthen the blooming period. Not sure what effect the tetraspis parent would have on Tetra Bell. How old was that plant, and was the flowering consistently short over several growing seasons? In any case, I think bellina or a bellina hybrid would be worth the space in any orchid collection." I agree, at least one of these is mandatory. Jeanne, dunno how old the plant was last summer, but it had 6 mature leaves, the largest 8"x4," and 2 keikis. The original spike had branched twice. Checking back, the complete blooming - 5 flowers - lasted 3 months. It was probably cut short by taking the plant to the State Fair exhibit, where it was hot. Several other Phals bloomed for 5+ months - it's all relative. :) C, this is not a small plant. It's one of those "dinner plate" shapes, with the leaves growing in a fan. Right now, it's 12"x14." Sooner or later, this one will be replaced w/ a bellina hybrid or species that stays small, as long as it smells like plumeria. WC8

Diane, Same thing happened with my Easy Does It. It was one of my better roses until the back to back polar vortex winters. It just hasn't recovered even with last year's mild winter. Will put out lots of new canes in the spring, but then massive die back and lots of blackspot issues that never were a problem before. Before the cold damage, it was a large, full bush of around 5 X 4 with nice foliage and constant blooms. Now it only has a few canes that don't turn black and die off during the season and tops out at around 3 ft. Still a good bloomer, but not a healthy, pretty bush. I'm considering shovel pruning it this year if it doesn't get back to what it once was.