Annie, I'd like to hear about that Montreal garden too. Ann, it sounds like you are right about it being R. bruonii. It was definitely huge, and no blooms at all that day. Thanks for the info! Malmaison, I was surprised at how much I liked MAM, they had several specimens and they all looked great to me. One of the happiest looking plants in the garden, and a very shapely bush habit. Bon Silene was as big as an ornamental tree. It was a huge plant, perhaps the biggest tea rose I've ever seen. Nur Mahal was grown as a free-standing shrub. The plant was wider than tall, with an open habit and arching canes. I thought of a fountain when I looked at it. It is not a huge plant, and will fit nicely in my garden. Just guessing, I'd say maybe 4 ft tall and perhaps 5 ft wide. I was like a deer caught in the headlights will all these old roses around me, I'm afraid I didn't sample the fragrance on this one. A guy walking around alone in a giant rose garden in Texas could get beat up for looking like he's TOO interested, so I didn't go out of my way to stick my nose into too many blooms :-) In the book, 'The Organic Rose Garden', Liz Druitt raves about this rose's scent. MadGallica, thank you for the info on brunonii ... I am sure you are right. A person could have crawled up under it and been hidden from view it was so mushroom-like and massive. In the step garden area, I think the designer was going for a "knock-your-socks-off" view as you enter the garden from above. That would explain why they had so much of one variety in that area. It is definitely impressive from that vantage point. Valerie, I felt really fortunate to have seen that many old roses in one day at one garden. It says volumes for the city of Fort Worth to offer something like this free to their citizens. Randy

Thanks for looking Fox and thanks for the encouragement to grow the Bird of Paradise plant, Element. Thought some might be interested in an upcoming event at the S. A. Botanical Center: Walk Across Texas at the Botanical Garden Take a "walk across Texas" at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, enjoying the beauty of spring wildflowers right in the heart of San Antonio. Hike the loop trail system of the Texas Native Trail which winds through an 11-acre native area of the Botanical Garden, where you will experience the diverse ecosystems of the Hill Country, East Texas Piney Woods and South Texas Plains. Enter the world of early Texas by visiting the historic cabins and living historians dressed in period clothing from the Sons of the Republic, Chapter 7. Enjoy Pioneer biscuits and gravy, compliments of sponsor C.H. Guenther & Son. The Alamo Area Master Naturalists will offer various displays, bird walks and art activities. PLANT SALE: Just in time for spring planting, gardeners may purchase all types of plants made available by various plant societies. Botanical Society members may enter early at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, April 19, 9 a.m. Â Noon Free admission! San Antonio Botanical Garden 555 Funston @ N. New Braunfels San Antonio, Texas Free admission from 9 a.m. to noon on this day. For more information, the public can call 210-829-5100 or visit www.sabot.org.

Marion you have a yellow franni, pity we didn't live closer we could swap colours. Hi Kathy I lived at Bluewater for 5 yrs its 35kms north of TSV before we moved here and I had lots of different colours they seem to have more up there in the tropics than down here, I bought my best colours from the Sunday Market at the TSV Showgrounds.I am sure you will be able to get what you want when you get back. No it is not a soursop Greencroc, I know what it is here is a clue "If you asked 99% of the people in the world what their favourite food was " you will find the answer, have another go...Cheers..MM.

Thanks, eaga and floral_uk. This pest is everywhere, and I just read that it can regrow from even pieces of stem. More seriously, I read that it can spread viruses to crops like tomatoes. Here is an interesting link. Well, no more tossing it into the uncooked compost pile. http://agron-www.agron.iastate.edu/~weeds/weedbiollibrary/517%20student%20pages/2000/Galinsogad..htm