Hey Marquest. Didn't see you reposted. What size Amary bulb was it? Mini Amary bulbs are less than an inch. . When they sent the freebie Amary bulbs, they looked dried out..I thought, what the heck, then tossed with the Epi. I'm curious how yours turns out. Please post pics when it's larger. Great, after seeing your plants, and since you use both VF and ST, I'll do the same..now if only we got sun..lol. Or maybe it doesn't matter..since VF isn't a fertilizer it shouldn't matter. I'm grateful you told me. Last wk I ST'd Hoyas. I was planning on using VF thinking it was a fertilizer. Big dilemma. Do I use a third product, a fertilizer, too? My plants and pets eat better than I do. lol. I eat 1.5 meals per day..the puter takes so much time..lol..When working on plants, forget the .5. It's worse in spring when working on the outside garden AND indoor plants. Some days I don't eat anything..maybe a bowl of cereal and a popsicle. lol. Since your story is working, I agree, stick with it..like they say, don't fix something that isn't broken. Marquest, I usually don't keep lists..like you, if I see something I like, and it's affordable, I get it. But last summer I found four succulent nurseries that sell gorgeous plants. I spent a good amount of time reading and studying each succulent, choosing those I liked. Same with a nursery in Thailand..I adore red Aglaonemas. He has the most beautiful Ag's ever, at very reasonable prices. They're very healthy. Found this guy in 2009, took a chance ordering overseas..They're doing fantastic. So, I went through his site, 'took over an hour,' lol, and jotted those I liked. Give your Begonias time. Especially your beautiful Escargot. Do you ST Begonias? Dottie and cousins, most Roseo Picta Calatheas are difficult. Don't think I have any RP types left. They died. I tried Cynthia and Cora a few years ago, but gave up..I have Cals but stay away from RP. My fav Cals/Sro/Ctants are Peacock, Tri-Color, C. Rufibarba and, darn, can't think of the name..it's leaves look like snakes. lol. Have you ever tried STromanths or ctenanthes, sp? They have beautiful colors, and hardier than Cals. Last year I bought the most beautiful Prayer Plant/Maranta ever. It was in a 4" pot, and needed water every couple days..Well, during Christmas, the area was blocked, and I forgot about it..It's now a goner. Its stems were over a foot long. Colors outstanding..doubt I'll ever find this type again. Marquest, btw, your Cal looks fine to me. Or is that a summer pic? What size is the pot and do you let soil dry a little between waterings in winter? They love humid air, but not wet feet. Toni

I have a baby butterfly bush which will be planted on the other side of the house in the Fall, so the bees and such won't be in my way. lol. We have two huge pink crepe myrtle that are taller than the house. We have way too many wild sunflowers here. I'm sick of them. lol. Cosmos are definitely on my list! The other plants mentioned I've never heard of except Verbena. When I worked in a greenhouse years ago I remember planting many of their seeds. I'll look them up. Here's a picture of the Crepe Myrtle from last year, they're getting ready to bloom again.

My favorite fragrant house plant is a small shrub, Murraya paniculata, which has a great orange blossum fragrance and it is apt to bloom several times a year. If you have a window that gets sunlight, it is what I recomend. It would do best if you did put it out for the summer (in a semi-shaded spot) but that is true of most house plants. Do you have any idea why the jasmine did not thrive? Perhaps too much sun or too little time for it to make the adjustment to outdoor conditions? Understanding what went wrong would help alot with your next plant. Wishing you great success --- Jerry

The following list of fragrant orchids was submitted to the GardenWeb Fragrant Plants Forum by Jim Shy in August 2004. Fragrant Orchid List A list of all fragrant orchid species and hybrids would be gigantic, and would always be growing as new hybrids are registered practically every week. In response to some requests, this list has been created as a definitely-not-complete list of orchids that are: 1. Fragrant in a pleasing sense (bulbophyllum fans, youll have to look elsewhere!) 2. Not impossible to find at nurseries, orchid shows, and on the web 3. Are generally considered to be easy to grow in the home, average greenhouse, or outdoors for those living in Zones 9-10 Ive given brief notes about fragrance (faint, strong, day or night), where I can, but for more info, youll have to consult some orchid books or ask on the Orchid Forum Here goes! Species and hybrid orchids: Aerangis: most species are miniature and evening fragrant, biloba, citrata, modesta, mystacidii, somalensis are considered easy, most do better mounted. Aeranthes: a few species are fragrant. Aerides: most are very fragrant, tall, lanky growth and roots. Ancistrochilum rothschildianum: mini, deciduous in winter. Angraecum: most are night fragrant, some are large and highly scented. Brassavola: most are very night-scented, including the well-known Brassavola nodosa, or "lady of the night" orchid. Brassia: Huge, spiderlike flowers. Brassidium: popular, scented brassia hybrids. Brassocattleyas: crosses between brassavola and cattleya, many are scented, some are intensely scented. Brassolaocattleyas: Crosses of three different genuses, many are scented. Bulbophyllum: ambrosia, laxiflorum and odoratissimum are a few small, well-scented species in a group of often foul-smelling orchids. Catasetum: large, deciduous orchids that bear male or female flowers. Several species are fragrant, including callosum, pileatum and tenebrosum, many well-known hybrids with other genuses are likewise fragrant. Cattleya: The classic orchid, the most fragrant species are said to be bicolor, dowiana, iricolor, labiata, maxima, mossiae, schilleriana, and warscewiczii Literally thousands of hybrids, many are scented, some intensely so look for ones with scented species in their background, or ask for the most fragrant ones. Clowesia: plants lose leaves in the winter, most species and hybrids are scented. Cochleanthes amazonica, aromatica, discolor: small, must be kept warm and moist. Coelogyne: many species are scented, some grow quite large. Popular species include cristata, cummingii, dayana, mooreana, ochracea, pandurata. Cychnoches: large, deciduous orchids, spectacular blooms. Scented species include chlorochilum, warscewiczianum . Cymbidium: The fragrance of certain asian species chinensis, ensifolium and kanran have been written about for thousands of years. Some mini fragrant hybrids have been developed, which may be easier for beginners. Dendrobium: Another very popular genus, many have tall canes and lose their leaves in winter. Many species and hybrids are scented: popular species include kingianum, loddigesii, monoliforme, nobile, parishii, speciosum Popular scented hybrids include many "nobile-type" hybrids. Dendrochilum: many are scented, with chains of tiny flowers, including cobbianum, glumacaeum, magnum. Encyclia: most are scented, including alata, cordigera, dickinsoniana, fragrans, mooreana, patens, phoenicia (chocolate), radiata, tampensis, A growing number of fragrant hybrids, popular around Mothers Day. Epidendrum: includes popular "reed-stem" orchids; fragrant species include ciliare, citrosmum, conopseum, cristatum, falcatum, floribundum, nocturnum, parkinsonianum, stamfordianum. Some fragrant hybrids. Gongora: most are small and highly scented, flowers often short-lived. Haraella odorata: hands down the most popular fragrant miniature orchid on the Orchid Forum. Holcoglossum: amesianum, yunnanensis are small vanda relatives. Jumellea: angraecum relatives, popular species include arachnantha, comorensis, confusus. Laelia: close relatives of cattleyas, most fragrant species include anceps, grandis, jongheana, purpurata. Laeocattleyas: again, tons of hybrids, many of which are fragrant. Some are also minis, easy for houseplants or under lights. Leptotes bicolor: small, cute, popular mini. Lycaste: some very fragrant species, including aromatica and cruenta (both cinnamon-scented), leuchantha, and skinneri. Maxillarias: generally small, many are fragrant, including camaridii, cucullata, elatior, picta, tenuifolia (coconut-scented), variabilis. Some need cooler temps in summer. Miltonia: mainly cool growing orchids, fragrant species include spectabilis, warscewiczii and a few scented hybrids, particularly with other genuses. Neofinetia falcata: mini species, many different cultivars in Japan, highly fragrant. Oncidium: Flowers like swarms of butterflies. Popular scented species incude cheirophorum, incurvatum, maculatum, ornithorynchum, and some famous hybrids, see below for some. Osmoglossum pulchellum: the "lily of the valley" orchid, needs cool temps. Paphiopedilum: very popular "slipper orchids," most dont need high light, scented species include delenatii and malipoense and a few hybrids. Phaius: Small group of terrestrial orchids, grandifolia, pulcher and tankervilleae all scented. Small number of hybrids, popular outdoors in tropics. Phalaenopsis: Probably the worlds most popular orchid right now. Needs lower light, long bloom period, fragrant species include bellina, celebensis, shilleriana, stuartiana, violacea. More fragrant hybrids coming onto the market in recent years. Phragmipedium: Related to the slipper orchids, grow wet, fragrant species include schlimii. Rhynchlaelia: digbyana and glauca; both highly fragrant, often used in cattleya-type hybrids. Rhynchostylis: most are fragrant, including coelestis, gigantea and retusa Often crossed with vandas and other similar orchids to produce scented hybrids Schoenorchis fragrans: tiny vanda-type. Sedirea japonica: very fragrant mini, long cultivated in Japan. Stanhopea: mostly large plants with pendant flowers, blooms only last a few days but are intensely scented. Species include inodora (vanilla), oculata, panamensis, and wardii. Trichopilia: fragrans, suavis, tortilis are all fragrant. Tuberolabium kotoense: another popular scented mini Vanda: big, long aerial roots, harder to grow in the North, smaller scented species include cristata, denisonia, suavis, and tessellata. Thousands of hybrids, some with other genuses, including some scented ones. Zygopetalum: most species are highly scented; usually found as complex hybrids, many of which also smell fantastic. And now, a small sampling some of the more popular "named" scented orchid hybrids: Brassavola Little Stars lots of small, night-scented white flowers. Brassolaelia Yellow Bird popular, some clones are evening fragrant. Brassolaeliocattleya. Waianae Leopard `Ching Hua` very spotted, magenta blooms. Cychnoches Wine Delight: deciduous, big red flowers. Cymbidium Golden Elf Sundust mini (for a cymbidium), blooms multiple times a year (citrus). Darwinara Charm mini vanda Gerberara Snow Ballet complex cattleya type, long blooming season. Iwanagaara Appleblossom Cattleya type, multiple blooms Laeliocatleya. Irene Finney a classic spring-blooming lavender-colored orchid. Neostylis Lou Sneary very popular mini Oncidium Fragrance Fantasy, Sharry Baby "Sweet Fragrance" (Chocolate/vanilla), Sweet Sugar,Twinkle Potinara Free Spirit small cattleya hybrid, yellow flowers. Potinara Halona Chocolate 'Red Beauty' bright red flowers. Zygopetalum Artur Elle fall bloomer, intensely fragrant.