OK that's a freaking incredible wall and it's not all that impermanent... I wonder too how much stone chipping went on. And that's a great blog, Amili, with photos of some other good stuff too. There is an ellipse sculpture a few images "previous" to the Andy ones that I would like to grow a clematis on - I am currently trying to put up a trellis which I have so far designed only to the point of two 9-foot posts, about 10 feet apart (got one installed yesterday). Which brings me to Ink's allusion to the fact that landscape design is inherently impermanent. In my case, it's also perpetually unfinished. For now I have strings running through eyelets up the sides of the posts, in case I don't get it finished by next growing season - I hope eventually to put on some cross bars and who knows what else. En route to completion or en route to erosion... a metaphor for the human experience; always being tied to the past and the future but really one just hopes to be functional or beautiful or at least relevant in the moment. Karin

WC, I 'did' have two of them. I got the Den as a gift from a friend years and years ago and I was told it liked cool weather. Well, to a Floridian then living in Miami, cool weather is in the 55-65F range, which I managed to do in the wintertime. But an entire summer of 95F+ was not conducive to growing this species. It croaked one fine August noon and went to the Great Greenhouse in the Sky. I may try it again now that I am in the northern part of the state. I don't have any problems with Neofinetias, which like similar temps to D. moniliforme, and I can produce low temps now. When it goes down below 30F on winter nights, I bring my Neos into the garage (not such a huge temp contrast as into the house) and they grow and bloom fine. I guess the Den would do well also. Now, I bought the Masdie years ago because it was a natural warm grower in the wild. And it grew and bloomed for about three years and then just went downhill almost overnight. It was proably my fault because I let the potting medium get stale. In my defense, it is a little plant and got lost easily in my GH. Best of luck with you new 'chids, WC.

I have had great luck with AndyÂs, and been pleased with their service. I also have been delighted with Cal-Orchids and feel the value is top notch. I cannot say enough how great the service and integrity is from Cal-Orchids. I phoned in my last order and spoke with the owner. After talking at length with them about an order I was considering and debating the purchase of a Eurychone rothschildianum given my growing conditions etc, he actually noted that at times these plants have struggled there & offered me an alternative vendor that he felt had more vigorous plants if I was set on purchasing one! I bought it from him anyway just because I was so impressed with his forthright nature. All of the plants in that order were top notch in every way and that includes the little Eurychone which is doing quite nicely as well in its new home. I am going back for some Coelogyne when I can fund the venture, though my spouse thinks we have "enough" orchids. I think a few more will fit till I can build a green house. Heh Heh. The Angraecum magdalenae I recently purchased from EooM is exceptional and thriving in spite of a rather big shock upon arrival in Northern Wi, there are 6 blooms with the first open yesterday, the fragrance is intoxicating. It is summering outdoors on my front deck with my other higher light plants and when I go out first thing in the morning to check on them that single flower has saturated the immediate area with a fragrance that I can best characterize as a mix of gardenia and cloves! I am sorry to report that it was a special sale on divisions from their mother plant I just happened across while browsing and when I checked back they were gone. The plant I received has 5 robust growths with the flowers arising from the main growth. I think it was tremendously undervalued. It is my first Ang to be in bloom and I am ecstatic. EooM has Prosthechea radiata that I also purchased at the same time, and they still had some left when last I checked. Look under species. It was my understanding that a portion of Encyclia including fragrans, radiata and others were reclassified into Genus Prothechea based on DNA data. I have seen several vendors recently with both Prosthechea and Encyclia plants listed within a group that probably belong in Prosthechea. I am not an expert in plant systematics though and could easily be misled. I did answer a question I was going to post about the reference to Botanica  I could not find a site matching until I went fact finding on Prosthechea, and it was a first hit in Google. Funny. Is this the place? http://www.botanicaltd.com It is on my list to peruse at a later date. Richard from Wisconsin

Island Breeze- I got it from a nursery in Canton on Ford Road. I think it's called Lucas. In any case it is on the north side a maile or so west of Prospect. They had a number of them left but they may have stored them elsewhere. They were marked at 59.95 but she gave me 15% off. I couldn't talk them down any further becasue they are able to overwinter them. Mine is in great shape, I moved it inside the other day. It has about three feet of trunk and a great canopy. It had flowered and or seeded at some point because there dried out inflouresence (spelling?) and there are some new pouches forming. My hope is to see it flower next summer.