One is orchids. While I have always believed they were extremely high maintenance to grow, some research has afforded me the knowledge that several species of orchid are grown easily indoors on coffee tables everywhere, bloom during the year and look nice between times.
I am now, though I swore preciously that I never would, considering some orchid plants. Right now it would be a bad idea in my tiny one room apt, but in the future I assume I will have more room to spread out and orchids are on the list. I also learned that other more finicky species of orchid grow in greenhouses, and thus have been researching good designs for table top or small tiered indoor greenhouses. I went so far as to design a tabletop greenhouse made out of mostly PVC pipes and thick plastic, lighter weight than glass, easy to work with and joint together, and sewable to put in plastic zippers for closures and vents. The tabletop part will become storage cabinets for various plant things, like an indoor garden shed and made from 2x4's, and the top of the PVC pipe holding the A frame up can also be useful for hanging baskets.
Since a greenhouse seemed like such a cool doable idea, I began doing more research on plants I had previously found unattractive, but now find fascinating- Pitcher plants. Between all the different species and various regions they are found in the research is both daunting and exciting.
From the notoriously hard to grow Sun Pitcher of the high Andes to the flashy red Nepenthes Ventricosa of the lowland rain forests, to the Marsh Pitchers of the boggy parts of the USA, all are unique and fascinating. With the exception of the Sun Pitcher, these plants for the most part would enjoy the warm humid atmosphere of a casual greenhouse with lots of light. So to would the many
varieties of Venus flytrap-I have been interested in these plants before, but the fact that they require hibernation has always turned me off. 
It seems all carnivorous plants need hibernation with the exception of a few breeds of each. Getting over this to the fact that there will room in the back of a fridge for them someday, they are so intriguing I can't help but bookmark site after site of info on them. I have found also a wealth of information about sundews, of which the Cape Sundew sounds the most friendly to grow. In my garden I am still fighting the accursed mealy bugs. Now with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol, Ivory dish soap and water twice a day. I plan on repeating this procedure until the bastards are gone.
We also went to Lowe's to find Boyfriend a plant, and in the process I saw a plant I have never seen before. It had crinkly folded leaves, dark green, waxy and plastic feeling (it wasn't a fake plant like everyone else suggested though). I left without it, went home and researched the crap out of it, because it didn't have a name label. The plant I came up with- without having the plant in front of me for reference- was a variety of lipstick plant.
After a few days I couldn't take it any more, and I went back for it.
Je Presente:
I Googled the nursery name barely visible on the label and went through their stock a bit and POOF- It's a Rope Hoya, not a lipstick plant. The more I read about it, the less I know for fact.
Fact: I have unknowingly purchased for myself another wonderful succulent. But that's where the facts stop and the opinions begin.
Some people's grow like weeds, some people's never grow; some keep theirs outside all year round, others say they are strictly indoor plants. Some water theirs all the time, others mist them, others say don't water often because they are a succulent and they'll drown. Some people's bloom three times a year, others have never bloomed, or haven't bloomed in seven years. Some live for 60 years, others die in a month. There are east, west, and south facing windows, peppered with advice on how to grow the perfect rope Hoya, from bright sunlight to "never ever bright sunlight you'll scorch the leaves". I have never in my life researched a plant with more confusing and controversial rearing techniques in my life. I'm hoping I can keep mine alive long enough to find out what my specific plant likes- it seems each one is unique in its requirements. Should be interesting.
