lots & lots of good suggestions still coming ... thanks so much ... i will definitely save this whole thread to reread again next january ... i like the idea of late blooming tulips bulbs in my planters, any suggestions? believe it or not, i have never planted tulips!!!! elvis, yes, i know that w.s. is not something new ... just resurrected and given a new & positive spin ... my mom always grew things in the upper pennisula in late winter in a cold frame, as did her ancestors before her in bohemia... it is kinda funny when i think about it ... i have sunk nursery pots into the ground in november for years, put in perennial seeds with a little dried grass clippings on top ... & never thought about them again until spring when i removed the grass & saw all the (a little on the yellow side)sprouts that were at least 1" high already, growing under probably 2 to 3 inches of dead grass! .... i didn't even make the mental connection until the last few weeks that i was already doing a type of w.s. DUH! this year i am going to go back to doing some of that, as well as the rectangular juice bottles (my favorite; they line up so nicely & are stronger than milk bottles) thanks so much everyone! ... phyl. a former youpper

Yes that is an Etlingera, actually a pink form of E. elatior. Someone else may have a cultivar name for it (or not since there are tons of cultivars of that species). Nicolaia and Phaeomeria are old names for Etlingera, so anytime you see those names you should automatically think Etlingera. To make a long story short I will just say that there are good reasons why we use Etlingera instead of the other two names, but the reasons are long and complicated and the kind of thing taxonomists (like myself) find interesting but are pretty boring to the rest of the world. -Kyle

Those are gorgeous Bihai. During the summer there are a few florists around here who sell tropicals by the stem and I buy them all of the time. I love them because they last so long and really add to my tropical look during the summer.

Wilsha, I love your beautiful card with the little chickadee sitting on a snowy branch and surrounded by red berries. I really appreciate your words of encouragement! gardengirl37232, thank you for the beautiful card depicting the magic of Christmas with animals of all sorts, predators and prey, at peace with one another. I'll enjoy growing the oregano for my new herb garden. xiangirl, thank you for the sweet card with Santa holding an armful of greenery and wishing "Merry Christmas!" Thank you as well for including packets of two of your favorites -- Gaillardia 'Lemon Queen' and Allium nigrum. Both of those will be welcome additions to my garden! canyonwind, I love the brightly colored card with the festive snowman. I appreciate the good wishes as well. Thank you for the seeds too -- Nigella sativa and one that I must have lost the label from. It will be a fun surprise when it grows! tessie83856, thank you for the beautiful card with the snowy exterior of a home, showing the wreath on the front door, Christmas tree, and sled. An old-fashioned Christmas for sure! I'm delighted with the seeds you shared as well -- California poppies and Salvia 'Coral Nymph.' Diknownana, what a precious card with the little girl carrying a basket of goodies, likely to a friend, and accompanied by her dog and cat. I appreciate the gift of seeds as well -- Gaillardia 'Tokajer,' Celosia 'Forest Fire,' Dianthus 'Cheddar Pinks,' and Agastache 'Apache Sunset.' All of those are perfect for my garden! lorabell, your card is just beautiful! It's red with metallic gold framing a grapevine wreath entwined with poinsettias and holly and the single word "Joy." I'll enjoy all of the seeds you included -- Chrysanthemum 'Cockade,' Poached Eggs 'Spanish Omlette mixed, and Gypsophila ' Elegant Rose.' Thank you! nottougly, I love the pretty card with red and green ornaments and a bit of sparkle. I had some ornaments similar to those with the indentions until my boys pushed on the center of a couple to see what would happen. There are two left, and I'll leave one to each someday. Thank you for the seeds of Marigold 'Moonsong Orange.' I love marigolds, and they do really well in our hot, dry summers when so many flowers give up. redthreaddiy, what a sweet card with the little boy trudging through the snow carrying a wreath with a big red bow and followed by his puppy! You really gave my herb garden a big boost with seeds for lemon balm, thyme, dill, parsley 'Green Pearl,' fenugreek, Christmas basil, fennel, and catnip, which one of my cats discovered this morning and tried to abscond with the baggie! She thanks you, as do I ....I'll have to grow the catnip in a protected spot for sure!