1). their smallness,

2). their ability to tolerate moderate amounts of shade, and

3). how interesting they looked to me before I bought them. (I can't ALWAYS be bound by light and size requirements!)

Some friends remarked that it was a virtual "Hobbiton". I wish I had photos of how absolutely packed it got with just about every herb or perennial plant City People's (a local plant retailer) carried that had the word 'dwarf' or 'elfin' in the description. They were spilling out over the balcony, out of egg cups from Pier 1, terra cotta pots of all shapes and sizes, hanging baskets and pots, and bonsai trays. You could probably say it became a low-grade obsession for me while in school. It was an out from the intensity of first and second years. It is still a refreshing escape from the stresses of daily life to smell dirt and get muddy, although life has gotten much calmer the last couple of years.

Someday I hope to have a greenhouse at least 16' by 24'. See the link for "greenhouse in my future" to see the details of what I am scheming.