I grow numerous orchids, both epiphytic and terrestrial, as well as a large collection of sarracenias and a few nepenthes. The most successful orchid/cp combinations in my garden are bog gardens, and they are spectacular right now. I have Platanthera (aka. Habenaria) ciliaris in full bloom planted in combination with Sarracenias, VFT's, and Calopogon orchids. I'm still experimenting with Epipactus species, but they are not terribly vigorous here (lots of west coast plants tend to languish in our summer humidity.) Another successful bog companion, as noted in one of the posts above, is Spiranthes cernua. I'm also experimenting with Pogonia ophoglossoides (sp?), but it's taking a while to get established; it's pretty far south of its normal range here, so the heat may be a factor. I have tried cypripediums in bog environments before, but can't recommend that. I find that they need much better drainage to prevent fungal attack than do the CP's, and they're too expensive to risk. Bletillas are a possibility while in growth, but would need to be lifted and stored in a drier, cooler place during the winter - I've seen them sold as bog plants at a couple of local nurseries lately, but wouldn't count on their being perennial without decent winter drainage. As far as the epiphytic species go, I don't see why a combo of Nepenthes and Phals, for instance, wouldn't work, but I agree that it would just be easier to grow them separately. Weight becomes a consideration when you're dealing with plants which hang (I grow all of mine on mounts or suspended in pots or baskets), and you can always group them together for display purposes. Another issue is that epiphytic plants (which includes most of the orchids which are commonly available) need the excellent drainage afforded them by a container which will dry out to the core before being watered again; when you start combining plants in containers, you increase the volume of potting medium and likewise the time it takes for moisture in the center to evaporate. I like the idea of the bromeliad/nepenthes/orchid "tree"; I snagged the remains of a beautiful crepe myrtle from one of my neighbor's trash heap a couple of years ago with the notion of creating something like that, but so far it's just providing a climbing wall for squirrels behind my shed. The best laid plans...

Lets see... drosera rotundifolia should survive zone 5. I think about anything you'd grow in zone 5 outdoors would need winter dormancy. Ok, I'm assuming you know this already but just in case I'd like to point this out before you buy plants. If you do buy cps for your garden, they will have special soil requirements.

I'm also curious if anyone has bought plants offline with success, and which sites they used. I think you meant online?? There are many sites that are good. Ebay is not so good.

The problem is with the soil mix 360. I know you purchased the premixed soil because it has sphagnum peat moss but it also contains - depending to the company - ash bark, dolomite, fertilizer, and sometimes wetting agents. Ash bark, dolomite, fertilizer and any wetting agent is poison to carnivorous plants. The reason why they seem to be doing fine, then they suffer root rot and quickly die. "tommyr" advice on soil mix is the true and tried mixture for most CP. One thing, make sure the sphagnum peat moss and perlite are totally free of any wetting agents or fertilizer. Some vendors sell treated peat moss and perlite, so ask a seller that you want the peat moss and perlite chemical free! Mexican butterwort on the other hand requires a more different mixture that is 1 part peat moss, 1 part perlite, 1 part vermiculite, and 1 part pumice. Mexican butterwort requires more drainage in their media because they grow in shale soil and the pumice provide limited amount of minerals, which they are accustomed in their natural environment. They can tolerate some drying in their media before watering so they have to grow separately from the other plants. All CP are sun-loving plants so they need a lot of sunlight to fully form their traps and develop the stunning colors natural to them. Except for the Mexican butterworts, they do require filtered bright sunlight. One book you should purchase is "The Savage Garden" by Peter D'Amato. It is a very popular book for both amateurs and professional. It is a very helpful book and will help you how to grow your plants. Good luck and happy growing!