Does anyone share a home with a non-plant person? My Significant Other is very perturbed about the orchids having to come into the guest bathroom shower during the rare 40 degree nights we have in South Florida. It's very difficult to explain your methods to a person who isn't interested or doesn't really understand the dynamics...
Anyone deal with this sorta thing? Advice?

Switch out the Significant Other?

Seriously now - if there is hope that the other person can be "trained" to be happy with what is important to you, I would have a couple of pointers.
Is there a group of plants the SO seems to like? Then I would make sure to always grow some of those. Does the SO like Orchids with tiny blooms? Next time you come home with a bunch of new plants make sure it includes some of those.
Move nice plants in bloom into a location where the SO can enjoy them easier, especially after details have been pointed out. Same goes for interesting looking succulents etc.
Is the SO a handy person, can be asked for advise on how to set up a growing area? I would ask for help/ involve the SO.
It might take a while, but it sure will be worth it in the long run.

( Luckily my husband involved himself, as he is always very supportive of what I am doing, but I certainly move things around, so we both can enjoy what I grow a bit easier)

Ursula, that is exactly the guidance I needed. Exactly!

There are some plants he gets excited about--I have bought a few really superb specimens with him in mind, and I will implement your advice and have him help me decide where to plant them ( he is handy but is a designer/artist at heart) and how to display them in the landscape. That is a brilliant suggestion--to showcase his talents and get him involved! Thank you!

Cheers!
Kate

My wife doesn't know an orchid from a petunia and she could care less. The good news is she doesn't give me any grief about all of my plants nor my Master Gardener duties. It is kind of live and let live around here.

Jim

Same here, Jim. My dh is an engineer - clueless about plants but very handy and loves a project. So I can dream up any project, even involving plant infrastructure and he can make it happen.

His eyes lit up at the mention of building an OC over our pool.

He only gets annoyed when plants come indoors...like they are creeping in on his territory or something. Maybe I should ask him to build me a greenhouse?

Not a bad idea, Kate. it would be a nice alternative!
"Heh, do you have a good idea to house our more delicate plants during cool spells, so they don't encroach our space?"

Kate, I have a feeling that IF you word it just right, Hubby will think the greenhouse was his own idea! You really DO NEED A GREENHOUSE. Just remember, when you are planning the construction, build one twice as large as you think you'll need!

Kate, I think a greenhouse is really not needed for our area and you'd find just a shade structure like a small pergola more attractive and a lot less maintenance.

For cold nights just have frost cloth to cover your structure and you'll be all set. There is enough heat retained in the ground that an enclosure of any kind will be at least 10 deg warmer than outside plus protected from wind.

To expand upon the greenhouse idea, for more than 90% of the year here you would be struggling to keep it cool enough for your plants not to cook. I'd rather work the cold weather protection end of that equation.

Jim has a fabulous huge greenhouse built around his pool with big windows that he opens in warm weather. I wonder how much he runs his big fans as well @hawkarica ? Jim is a little cooler than I am in winter and I am cooler than you, Kate.

My DH doesn't understand my love of orchids and ornamental plants but is impressed by Amorphophallus, both the leaves and flowers. He likes plants that produce something edible, so is happy with the vegetable garden and apple trees.

Yesterday he looked in the sitting room and made a comment about "jungle" but when he took a closer look at some potted grafted trees, he was able to identify them, one by the smell of the leaves (sugar apple) and, what really impressed me, he was able to name the variety (Julie, my absolute favorite) of the mango tree which does not have a tag on it! If I can get them to bear fruit, I think he will be a convert to my greenhouse campaign, which has been unsuccessful so far.

He doesn't say anything, just sighs. He wouldn't dare complain, because I could point out his collection of disgusting smelly old cars that he restores. When they are finished, he puts them in the barn. I guess that if they are in the barn long enough, he can restore them again.

Oh, I forget how nice and toasty y'all are in the fall and winter months. My greenhouses are a "necessity"! But even IF I could keep my tropical plants out year-round, I would probably still need a greenhouse for something, perhaps germinating seeds and growing those "baby" orchids.

Ken,
No comment.

Beautiful to look at, Lore..........wouldn't want to live in it though.

There are lots of benefits when you have a greenhouse besides keeping the orchids toasty in the winter months. First of all, it puts me in charge of watering. No more black rot caused by daily thunder storms. I can also easily protect them from high winds. I have three 24 inch exhaust fans that keep the temps under control in the summer. If I open the windows on the far end and turn on those fans I have a nice breeze coming through that doesn't allow heat build up. The fans are on a timer which I have set up so they come on about 10:00 AM and shut off about 6:00 PM. I use them from mid May through mid October and then shut them off for the winter months. In winter, I keep the windows open to take advantage of the breeze off of the lake. Since I walk right out the back door of the house into the OC, it feels like it is inside and that makes it easy to use. The Aluminet blanket that covers the roof also works to control temperature extremes as does the big swimming pool. All in all, not much of a problem no matter the season.

Jim