Quote - The Nature Academy course is just over halfway, and by now I no longer covet Vue. I enjoy modelling so much anyway, that doing things in Blender is more fun. We still have to do mountains, forests and deserts, and a few other things. The best thing is that I can now figure out how to do lots of things for myself. I wouldn't have attempted skin before doing the course, now I'll try anything.

I can believe it.  I'm still incredibly impressed by Vue and what it can do (much respect for Vue and those who master it), but I want to learn how to do most of the things you need to do nature scenes in Blender anyway.  Your reaction to what you've learned in the Nature Academy has really inspired me to think more about what I could do with the tool I'm already familiar with, already planning to render in, and already planning to learn more of. 

My biggest obstacle, I think, will be my total lack of talent concerning plants in general.  Your rose really impressed me.  I can imagine learning to make those daisies, because so much of that was intense particle work, but I can't imagine being able to make that rose.  Heck, I've been wanting to make a cherry blossom branch for a vase in a scene for ages, and haven't even started because I can't even get what it should be like right in my head.  I can't imagine being able to envision the proper shape of a rose. 

That all said, I have tons of plants I bought never use because I suck at setting up outdoor scenes with props.  So I have resources to cannibalize, and even look at for ideas.