Thank you for taking the time to blog. Your blog inspired me to take out my camera and take photos of cardinals in the snow. I had been wanting to do this, but decided to just get to it with my telephoto lense which I had not used in ages. Your photos belong in a gallery. Very European like in many ways and yet they have your signature all over them. Perhaps you should do a book of your photos.

It is just too beautiful.

Hi Ellen, I heat with LP gas, not the most efficient, but it is what it is. Passive solar during the day helps after mid Feb., as there are many large tubs of plants, and open soil on the floor which begins to augment the gas around this time of year. I also have a little electric heater for use during January and early February, since the greenhouse is so high, and low, that it can freeze near the foundation, especially when temps drop at night to well below zero F. I keep most of my camellia's outside until temps become very cold, below 25ºF, in late Nov. I then relocate them into the greenhouse, where the tubs sit in the coldest areas until buds open up. I want to try some on our front port starting this year, as it is just a simple, if not ugly glassed- in porch on a 1920's house, so it might provide some inspiration to others in New England/New York who might want to try Camellias and who do not own a greenhouse.