I have to echo all with my regrets for your loss. I also have to echo Diane and ceterum, to also query the Antique forum. I know it sounds kind of scary at first with all of the long names but people will be gentle with you and they are not hard to come by at all by mail order from reputable places. The reason you may be more pleased with old garden roses is that often they have more disease resistance, more and more of us don't spray due to the environment, but honestly speaking who has the time and dedication? This might also be why the ones you lost didn't fare well. I particularly like the 'found' roses with names of who found them or where they were found. Some may only bloom once which isn't bad, but for your application you may want to make sure that they bloom throughout your season. I finally dove into them this last year and am very excited about how they will look and do, you sound like it wouldn't take too much for you to become just as excited if only you had better guidance (and enabling, you've come to the right place for that!) than what's at the local big box or nursery. Although you've described your needs pretty well, you might want to think about colors before you start studying what to get. If I may suggest, you might want to focus on bold (but not overly gaudy) colors. I especially like yellow as an accent, it is such a happy color to me and that's what you'll want to feel in the spot, not that she's gone of course, but all the happy memories of times shared. Too many pale colors would just get me down, I know, and that's where you want to go to get away from such a mood. You might also want to include her favorite color as a main color or accent depending on what it is. If she liked white or pale pink, just pair it with a saturated dark pink or the lovely purple clematis above. Best of luck and don't be afraid to really dig in and ask more questions here, we really thrive on wonderful projects like yours. Kerin

Those kids sure are wonderful. A few now live out of state, but when home to visit, always come by to check on the garden and see what new plants have been added off the list. The extra marigolds from the originals found homes in my daughter's apt back porch. Yellow and orange that my mom used with her tomatoes to keep the bugs from gettting them. My son, who lives in Kentucky, has some chinese forget me nots, malva zebrina, and a few others in pots on a patio garden. My sister and brother prefer to just buy from the nursery, but they do buy some of the plants that my mother grew. Linda, the funny story with those victorian ornaments is that I would never in a million years have had them in my yard. I always thought "it just isn't me", yet I have my own craft business that is mainly hand thread crochet victorian Xmas tree ornaments. I would put out things like the ducks, the bunnies, a cat, but nothing like those. In the spring of 2002, I took them all out of the cellar to put in the memorial garden and their wasn't really enough room for the one with the gazing ball, so she got moved to another spot. They grew on me over that summer and now I love them. Must be that I'm just getting old or something strange. Alberta, you could do what I have done in memory of my grandfather. I grew up with my grandparents on a summer veggie and flower farm. He would plant at least 100 tomato plants. Nothing including severe water bans would stop him from watering those toms of his. One summer, we had such a severe drought that all water usage outdoors was banned and you could be arrested for using any. He was jumping out of his skin over those tomatoes of his. So he rigged this elaborate siphoning system from the bathtub to hoses that went out the bathroom window and long enough to reach all the plants of his. Every time someone took a shower, and there where 7 of us, we had to plug the tub so water would collect in the tub. then when it was full, he would drain the water and water his tomato plants. He rigged another hose to the line from the portable dishwasher to a huge rain barrel and a syphon in there too. All the water from the dishwasher was used on those tomato plants as well. He didn't loose a plant and we had an abundance of tomatoes, but nothing else. So what I have done since I started gardening over 30 years ago is put an American flag in one of my pots that have my tomatoes in them. He was an Army vet from World War 1 and worked with the military during world war 2. It makes me feel close to him all the time. Put a flag beside some of your bleeding hearts. Fran

Hi ~ I'm DESPRATELY lookin for Siloam " Joel's Double" and the single " Joel". This is for my oldest son Joel ~26 memorial garden.. I will trade multiples of anything for a small fan of either one.I have Kawaza double, Happy Returns,a redw/yellow center & some seeds from some named x's.I also have some rooted cuttings of Rose of Sharon " Double White" Also have other things not on my list. Please check my list and let me know via email if we can work out a trade. Thank you for your time ~ God Bless ~ Tink62

Chris, I would be interested in any tomato seeds that you may have extra of. My hubby and I were just talking about what to put in the veggie garden last night. My family likes canteloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, cumcumbers, and green beans. Would be interested in anything unusual, fun for the kids! But if you've got everything ready for Patty, or have it mailed, please don't worry about me!! I wasn't able to send to everyone either. I really wanted to though!! Patty, I'm going to have my daughter mail off my seeds today. I'll post when they've made it to the P.O. Have a good day everyone! Karen