Just looking at the photos of the foliage of 'Till Uhlenspiegel' I would predict that there would be little scent. That foliage was not inherited from R. eglantine or it would have more substance, have smaller leaflets, and have mat foliage. The Penzance hybrids are at least half eglantine while that Kordes hybrid is only one quarter eglantine at the most. I have several Penzance hybrids and after a rain I can smell the unmistakable apple fragrance downwind for a good 100 yards. The best display of eglantines I know of is at the Arnold Arboretum as part of the Bradley Rosaceous Collection. There are about 6 huge 'Green Mantle' shrubs about 6' - 7' tall growing together as a hedge. These plants came from Mike Lowe in NH and following up on the information on the plant tag introduced me to R. eglanteria, the Penzance hybrids, and Mike.

When my daughter was approximately 6 years old we were out in the yard making a map of my gardens and putting the names of each plant on the map, she looked at me mid way and asked "Mom when you die will I get your hostas!" I asked her if she wanted them, and she answered "yes". I assured her she would as long as she wanted them! She is now almost 11 and she knows alot of the names, hopefully when the time comes she will still want my hostas and I hope she gets as much pleasure from them as I have. I too moved into a house that had a much neglected yard after the wife passed away, and sat as an empty house for a couple of years. The yard was overgrown with black raspberries, violets, elderberry and crazy ground cover that I would never wish on anyone. I started in one area very slowly removing unwanted overgrowth and found one small hosta, not very big, basic smaller round leaves with white edges. I split it up in several different clumps and it was the beginning of my hosta interest. Now I have over a 100 and can't stop! I grew up with a Mother who had a love of flowers and a Dad that grows an awesome garden. I can only hope it carries on!

Alrighty, let me see if I can answer you guys in order. NCRealEstateGuy, I gave the buyer all the information you gave me and thank you for that. I am not sure what he's doing with it. I got scolded on here before for trying to help my buyers get a loan. Trying to hold their hands and being too much in their business. So I didn't ask. We are not under contract yet. He called me today to let me know things are progressing. Sweet tea, he applied for the transfer and is waiting to hear. Don't know if he asked his bank about the letter. I suggested it. Yes Bill, the difference is the banks AND the market. Yes, multiple people told me the banks would want more than 20% but that was not for my original buyer. That was for my second buyer. After HE was rejected. After I lost the original buyer, I did what you're supposed to do and I called banks and asked them what they required. I told them I was attracting a lot of out of state people and at least one of them was self employed. They told me what he'd need. They told him what he needed. He got pre-approved. We went under contract. Later what the bank said he needed changed. That's why I lost him. It really had nothing to do with his house NC when it comes down to it. He was not coming out with as much money as he originally expected because of the flood insurance issue with his house. But at first that wasn't a problem. It wasn't a problem until the bank changed its criteria from him needing 20% down and one year's worth of mortgage payments in escrow to 40% and one year's worth of escrow payments, that it became a problem. Now he was short--he could only come up with 35%. The bank knew his whole situation being self-employed and relocating from the start. That was the purpose of the mortgage payments going into escrow. He was not starting a different business, just relocating his same business. But they knew all that. That's the point. We told them. Who knew you couldn't count on what the bank employee says? Now I know. And that's the point of this board. Not to constantly be picked on for being a for-sale-by-owner. Not saying that is specifically you NC. And what do you mean you put your own hardwood flooring in? How long do you think that's going to last? Ha! Funny you should say that live_wire_oak, because no, I don't have a note on my house. I paid for it with cash. All my vehicles except one were either paid for with cash or paid off early. Credit cards paid in full monthly. Yes, you're right, credit is a tool and I use it wisely. I will be paying off my only truck loan asap. I'm the customer. I'm a good customer. I don't really NEED them. I guess if you want to split hairs some buyers might need them. But I don't even really NEED to sell this house. I received more than offers. We were under contract. Why does the word "buyers" bother everyone so much? Okay, let's call them "pre-buyers,"--they're more than lookers, they're more than interested, they're more than people you are negotiating with--you are out of attorney review, you are under contract, but you haven't closed yet. So how about "pre-buyers?" No harm in interviewing realtors because that's what I did before I even put it on the market. There is nothing wrong with my price or my marketing. In fact, I just saw the agent who gave me comps, an expert in the area who specializes in horse property and she could not believe the action I've had on this place. I've been under contract three times, once for the full asking price, twice for close to it ($3,000. under) and I have a fourth one cooking. All in about eight months. I hate sounding like I'm bragging but some of you keep on insinuating that I am doing something wrong because I'm a FSBO. My problem is the banks giving someone a mortgage! I know this is not a vanilla kind of house and I know that's all they're giving out loans for--vanilla houses being bought by vanilla buyers. That's what I'm saying! That's what this post is all about! How the banks are over-correcting and making it almost impossible to get loans unless they are absolutely perfect and there's no risk whatsoever involved! And all I wanted to do was vent about how hard it is nowadays and maybe get some board buddies to shake their heads and say, "I know, it's a nightmare out there." Chrisdoc, I swear I have gotten at least two dozen people asking me if I'll hold a mortgage or rent with option to buy. More evidence people can't get loans. I can't because I'm using the money for my next place. And Live_Wire, the banks can go jump off a bridge because even though I could afford a mortgage, I'm not getting one.

My son first met his father when he was 4 years old. I tried to fight him getting any visitation but was told if I didn't cooperate, I could lose custody. He had a few 'supervised' visits for them to get acquainted and then a few day visits and eventually, overnight. And his father was married to a woman that hated me and harassed me. I had several restraining orders against her for threatening me. I once refused to let my son go because he cried that he didn't want to go. His father came with the police and I was told if I refused to let him go, they would arrest me. I told the officers that he was crying, he doesn't want to go. They took my son, crying and ten minutes later, the officer came back and assured me he had stopped crying once he was buckled in his father's car. (at the time, I didn't know that it was not uncommon for kids to act that way at an exchange and my behavior was part of the reason he cried) It was hard. Not only had I not shared him for four years, I had to hand over my son to the person that violated me. Talk about not trusting the other parent. But, now it's 17 years later and looking back, my fears were about what he did to me, and that doesn't necessarily translate into how he would treat my son. I guess what I'm saying is that a guy can be a terrible husband/boyfriend but still be a good parent. (I will probably never say my son's father was a good parent but my son says he was. I don't agree with some of the things he taught my son or his lifestyle, but then he never tried to tell me how to live my life or raise my son) In the OP's case, BM chose to have a baby with him. I agree he should have tried to be in the child's life sooner, but he's there now and she should encourage the relationship, not make it more difficult for her child.