Well then, you have a 'natural' ability ot understand their needs and they seem to respond to you very well:-) You have had that plant that long? You know, when I buy a plant before hand and they say 2 years before bloom, it seems like a long time to wait. But, looking back one would probably wonder where that time went and how fast it can fly by! Thanks for the name. It sounds like a plant not to hard to please, right up my alley for now. I hope to own one real soon. I was going to ask you if you missed your other home in which I can remember being very nice. But, you seem excited about being in Florida too. I would be for sure.. The ceilings are high outdoors there year round, and the hunidity in abundance. I'll bet you couldn't wait to see how your plants react and to try plants you once dreamed of. Mike

They will be under a 15' tamarack in the morning (airy foliage) and light shade/full sun on and off all day. Most of my yard is like this. I have Maltese Cross a few feet away and it does well. Alternatively, I'm thinking of all one colour of Penstemons. I want a bright flower with a long bloom time. I was imagining something a similar height to the hosta leaves. I thought of heucheras too but maybe looking for something a bit bolder. I also considered Jacob's Ladder but it doesn't bloom very long for me. The reason I didn't used to like hostas is because I don't like the look of anything with yellow or lime green leaves. Makes me think chlorosis. Green/blue/white and any combination are the ones I like best.

I've tried all kinds of remedies for scale on my houseplants. Nothing worked until I learned that wasps love them and are attracted by the sticky sweet residue. So I put my plants outside in the summer and problem solved. You can pick them off, but you have to eliminate every last one or it will come back. I even had one plant guy tell me to watch the scale spot and when the babies make a run for it go after them with the alcohol mix. Really? I would have no life. Here's a link that should help answer most of your questions. Here is a link that might be useful: Scale info

http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5320.html