I suppose I will reconsider digging it up and putting it in flowerbeds? I have been digging it out of flower beds for 20 years now, since I initially made several beds without digging out all the bulbs, or changing out the soil down to about 6 inches. Each spring I spend from late Feb until late May, digging them while the foliage is still visible. I don't intend to make any more beds and then have that stuff coming up like grass each spring in beds. I would like to till up an area and plant some annuals, but I know that instead of having say 40 clumps of 100 bulbs I will then have 4,000 individual bulbs and bulblets mixed into the soil.

Hi Beth, I'm up the coast by LAX. My biggest problem year-round is mildew and I've been culling, er, 'losing through attrition' the ones that are the worst. Rust is annoying because it defoliates, but mildew, in my experience anyway, eventually kills roses. I fear many of yours will have a problem with it so I'd start thinking what to do about it now. Speaking for myself, side from the environmental concerns I have finally admitted that I am not disciplined enough to spray. Now I've gotten into OGRs, fwiw. Of the ones you have... Disneyland - bullet proof, great little rose Gemini - pretty blooms which make me keep it (for now) but really struggles with mildew Olympiad - very disease resistant in the ground, HOWEVER, others didn't like being in a pot where they struggled and died from mildew. Love - had it a long time ago, may mildew Voodoo - loved it a lot, twice. If you're jonesing for orange, you might try Perfect Moment, mildews a bit but doesn't mind too much. Marmalade Skies is not as dark as Voodoo and a flori, but 'bout bullet proof. I think there are some other new oranges. I'd sure ask here so you won't be disappointed if you want orange or lavender colors. Henry Fonda - not on your list, but the most glorious *non-fading* bright yellow with frilly petals, the DH's favorite. Traviata - mine is the little engine that can. Some folks don't care for it because it doesn't smell, but I like the blooms and admire greatly it's complete resistance to mildew & rust. It did get defoliated by anthracnose a couple of months ago but you wouldn't know it today. Very upright. Lastly, you need to look up Grandmother's Hat (hybrid perpetual, Jeri's favorite, divine smell) and Golden Celebration (yellow Austin, also great smell) using the search engine here and on the Antique forum. You absolutely can't do wrong with either, I think you'll love the pics but will swoon over the fragrances.

Thanks for your help...I had no idea whatsoever. I've never seen one before, and certainly never seen a male or anything else like it. But I just looked it up and it's not a nice bird to have around. I think it went away and I sure hope it doesn't come back. Here is a link that might be useful: Cowbird eggs in nestboxes -- Sialis.org

You can have engineered or solid wood in the kitchen without problem with adequate care. I had that and am definitively not the most tidy cook and never had problems. This said, you could also put tiles in the part in red (not wood like tile) and it could look good (it all depends of the tile and the general style of the house). I know it is not something people like here, but there was a Sara Richardson's show on DIY where she was doing her house and she did just that and it really look great. You can see that in the last 30 sec of this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ4X_4b_n_o