Of COURSE ignorance and lack of research have kept ND a popular rose. That's how the vast majority of the rose buying public actually buys their roses! But around here the reason it sells well is because there are so many out there in neighborhoods looking wonderful and people see it and want it. It's that simple. Now, I also have a theory why in my area there are so many ND and not many examples of other things. In the early 80s we had a several nights in a row well below zero and it wiped out all the teas and other warm weather roses that can do well here. ND is hardy a couple zones colder than most teas and it was still early in the general interest of Old Roses. I suspect many that were lost were unidentified and/or unavailable commercially even if you knew what they were. So they weren't for the most part replaced. But the ND lived on. As to why I have them by those doorways? We don't use those doors--they are mainly for show. A hallway is on the other side and stray cane blooming on the other side of the window is a pretty lovely thing to see as you walk down that hallway. An quite frankly it's a perennial garden and it's just not that big of a deal to whack it back when needed. And I can whack it back and not worry if I've hurt it feelings or if it's going to sulk. It can completely defoliate from rose slugs and a few weeks later be back in business. Considering all the temperamental, fragile, accident prone roses out there, there is always going to be a market for a robust one. Don't get me wrong there are things I don't like about it and since I bought them I've discovered other possibilities that might be as good or better and I've considered replacing them. But if I replace them it won't be because of their exuberance!

Look at rope saws at the 1st link below. They can be a bit challenging at good heights to get the rope/chain over the limbs. Two individuals at distances apart vs one will get less binding/pinching on the chain. They Work But Are Work To Use At A Distance UP. Pole saws are better for close limbs, IMO (2nd link). OR pruning hand saws, search Home Depot Etc.. loger http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&N=0amp;Ntk=All&Ntt=rope+saw&Nty=1&D=rope+saw&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchallpartial http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog/servlet/Search?keyword=manual+pole+saw&selectedCatgry=SEARCH+ALL&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&Ns=None&Ntpr=1&Ntpc=1

Thanks Pauline (you're a sweetheart)! I may take you up on that when I start posting rose photos from my garden!!! But I think when the time comes, I'll just curse and keep trying - I'm stubborn! happyjacq: Yes, we must be happy in the now. What will come is not here yet. Sometimes I get frustrated by what I can't do anymore, but that's only for a few seconds. Life is good. I'll be thinking of you and your family. I'm glad you have poodles in your life - they're wonderful! I don't know what I would do without my dog - she makes me feel so much more independent! Thanks Susan - there is nothing they can do. But I'm fine, my decline is going slowly, I don't have to work thanks to hubby, I've got my roses and my dogs. Life is more than good! Carla - yes, I've trained her since she was a puppy, back when I didn't know what my problem was. As I started to get worse, I just kept training her to help me more and more. Poodles rule!! LOL Carol

Jo, I think Brandywine might set for you in August or September. It is a really, really late-season tomato, especially in our climate. Some of the Brandywine crosses I'm growing from seed Jay sent me are much better producers, but nothing matches Brandywine's flavor. Brandy Boy, a hybrid from Burpee, comes closer in flavor and produces much better but also doesn't have that amazing Brandywine flavor. In 2002, I had so many Brandywines that I gave them away to several people. I haven't had enough fruit on a BW plant since then to make it worth the space it occupies. What was special about 2002? Here in Love County we were abnormally cool in May, with some nights in the 40s, and even abnormally cool in June. Thus, the weather Brandywine enjoyed during that time was similar to the weather in Pennsylvania where Brandywine 'originated' there in the Brandywine River/valley region. Jay, I'm glad the flowers are attracting some beneficial insects. We need to figure out if there is a beneficial insect that eats thrips or pysllids because if there is, that's the beneficial insect you need. It sounds like your harvest is going to be stupendous! I never get everything in the ground that I planted either. Something always stops me....too much rain leaving the ground too wet, too much cold weather late into the season, too much hot weather early and even the combination of too much cold too late immediately followed by early heat which happened this year when we had a late frost in May and just a few days later were in the 90s. It also could be that I always plan to plant many more plants than I have space for. Carol, Great bargain on the CRW. I've been very disciplined when picking peppers this year and have been waiting for them to turn to their mature color, but I've had more sunscald lately because of that. I may have to start harvesting some bell peppers green in order to get them before the sun does. I found a lot of tomatoes 'hiding' yesterday and it is always fun to find ripe tomatoes that I hadn't even realized were there. It sounds like Tess's is keeping your busy. Isn't the production on it amazing? I wish we had a large-fruited or medium-fruited plant that would produce 1/20th as heavily as Tess. Some people call Jaune Flammee by half its name....Flammee. I haven't started seeds for fall and I really need to. It is hard to feel terribly motivated in this heat, but I know I'll be sorry if I don't start some. Maybe I can get that done today after finishing up the last batch of Habanero Gold. (I might make another few batches tomorrow though....the habs are coming in hot and heavy and I am desperately trying to process them within a day or two of picking them so I can avoid last year's Pepper Explosion. It does help that I didn't plant the bird pepper this year because that's at least 600 peppers I won't have to deal with at the peak harvest (and I still have hundreds of dried and frozen bird peppers so I won't have to plant it again for another decade). "I guess gardening in Oklahoma is always a gamble." lol Oh, yes it is! We need to needlepoint that and hang it on the wall as our slogan. Heck, most springs living in Oklahoma is a gamble. I still love it here though, despite the challenging weather. The people here in this state are just the best! And I'll include Jay in that group since he has one foot on the Oklahoma side of the border and the other on the Kansas side. Dawn