I've lost my mind totally!

Carla

You had me in a panic last night. That is exactly something I would do. I had to check the date 3 times!

It looks like I'll be able to arrange things to be in Charlotte on the 29th. I have an invitation to be in Greenville, NC, on Mar 1st, and I'm gonna see what I can do to put the two events together.

I'm driving from Virginia, and I'll come to Charlotte on Thursday to be there early enough on Friday for the festivities at the show. Any specific suggestions on where to stay? Or, where are some of you other out-of-towners staying, and we could make a party of it. Anyone up for dinner and visiting on Thursday evening?

Do we have to register for the seminars?

Connie

I am driving in Friday morning (5 hr drive...I must really want to go LOL) so I can't do Thursday but lunch Friday would be great!)

Sunni

Like I mentioned in an earlier post staying in a hotel located in Rock Hill, SC might not be a bad idea. I'd bet the rates are cheaper and overall Rock Hill is a safer place to stay. And it is an easy trip up Interstate 77 to Charlotte. The Merchandise Mart isn't in the nicest part of town so I'd avoid staying in that area. Center City Charlotte is gorgeous and has lovely hotels but I would guess that would cost big $$$. There are also a bunch of hotels north of town (near the speedway, in the University area and in Lake Norman) but the traffic is usually busier up there.

There is a food court area at the Southern Spring Show that sells all sorts of food. I'm not sure what kind of restaurants are located near the Mart. I usually only go to that part of town for the SSS although I think there are a bunch of places to eat on Monroe Road (which runs parallel to Independence Blvd).

I don't think you have to register for the seminars...just show up and sit down. There is a fee to enter the show...$7.50 in advance or $9.00 at the door.

Carole

There aren't any decent restaurants nearby for lunch. And I think the schedule only has a short break for lunch. I would advise pack something or the food court and various stalls offer decent food at the usual show inflated prices.

May I be bold enough to suggest we all meet for lunch at the Discovery State while it's quiet for the lunch break?

pfzimmerman: You may be so bold :-)

I'm looking forward to a little rose/garden time/talk.

See you all there.

Anyone with a long drive, that would find a night's stay in Greensboro is welcome at our house.

carole, I made reservations at the Marriott Courtyard at Rock Hill. It's not the cheapest, but I have a card with them and get credit (I'm hoping to get enough for a free room at some point!).

I'm up for lunch or even dinner after the show on Friday. Sounds like fun.

Sounds great Paul and thanks for bringing Trish.

Carla

I'm still working out the details. Buford, if you don't mind, I'm gonna make a reservation at the same hotel as you.

Lunch on Friday sounds like great! I love it when someone steps up with a plan.

Send me an email and I'll pass along my phone number.
c . hilker @ comcast . net (take out the spaces)

I'm not looking forward to the 6 hour drive to Charlotte, but I REALLY want to be at this show. DH can do without me for a few days.

Connie

Connie, I'll email you.

I had to let DH buy an IPOD yesterday for letting me go to the show:) How many roses = one IPOD?

Wow....this is turning into quite an event! Wonderful!

Would anyone mind if I toss out a couple of suggestions for restaurants for dinner? I got to thinking since a few of y'all will be staying in Rock Hill there are a couple of restaurants in Baxter that might be nice. Baxter is located about two exits north of where the Marriott is in Fort Mill. One is an English Pub and the other is an Italian Place...both reported as very good by my gadabout Mother.

I'll post links for both.

Carole

This is the one for the Italian Place (copy & paste)

http://www.fratelliatbaxter.com/

and

Here is a link that might be useful: Six Pence

We need to do something so that we will recognize each other at the show...maybe pin something to our shirts? ideas anyone?

Sunni

no ideas or interest? I was thinking we could print out a small rose icon and pin it to our shirts or something.

What time are you all getting there. I was thinking 11am for Pat Henry's talk.

Carla

I'm leaving here at 6 so I hope to make it there by 11 Carla.

I had planned on getting there at 10 am when they open the doors. I wanted to wander a bit since I am looking for ideas for an edging around a tree out in the front yard.

We could all meet at the Discovery Stage @ 11 am?

Carole

Carole, we'll be there.

Carla

The Discovery State is roses all day so it will make a good place to meet. In addition Organic Plant HealthCare will have a booth in the Market Place. They are the manufacturers of the Peter Beales Complete Natural Rose Care Program. Trish and I will also be spending some time there.

If ya'll would like....you can email your picture and I will make a flyer that has eveyones picture, screenname, and real(first) name on it. This way we can find each other.

I have to do this for my students each year so I already have a template.

The picture doesnt need to be fancy...just a decent mug shot. lol

Let me know!

Boy....do I know how to kill a thread or what???

lol

I think most of you know what I look like yes? Just look for the tall girl next to the really tall guy(Paul). We will both be in our Ashdown shirts. I will NOT be wearing a hat for those of you that always find me that way!

Trish

Nope, not at all. Sorry, no pics for me but thank you anyway.
I told you to look for swollen eyes and no hair, that'd be me.

:-)

I don't have any current pictures. I read this thread on my Blackberry while I was at work and with the wonders of Garden Web couldn't respond till I got home.

I know who both Trish & Paul are so that'll work.

Carole

Based on my calculations, it looks like there are 8 of us (not counting Paul and Trish)

buford
sunnishine
Carole
Carla
Jody
Rhonda
Barbara
and me.

I don't know who anyone is, but I'm looking forward to meeting all of you. I'll be at the Discovery Stage for Pat's presentation ahead of time to make sure to get a seat -- I'm tallish, with short dark hair, and I almost always have a pair of reading glasses on top my head.

I'll see you all on Friday!

Connie

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!! I am so disappointed that I can't attend on the 29th! It is end of quarter at work and I have to be there until MIDNIGHT Friday!!!!!

I can't wait! One more day of work! Woo hoo!!!!

Looking at the list of vendors, this show looks like it has quite a bit of garden in it. I always go to our local Home and Garden show and really miss the big landscape displays that used to be there. I hope this show is as good as it sounds!! I plan to walk around a bit too...but do not want to miss the lectures!!

:o)

I'm packed and ready to go. Look for me in the 'Crazy Greyhound Lady' shirt.

See ya tomorrow.

Connie

It was fun, wasn't it?

I sure hope y'all made it back safely to your destinations! It was so great being able to put faces to some names!

Carole

Hi all! It was awesome! Loved it. I made it back safe. I was fine but the last hour was hard.

Paul Zimmerman from ashdown impressed me the most. Really nice guy! Buy more roses from him:)

I'm glad you made it back Sunni...tough trip.

Paul Zimmerman is impressive....he's a wonderful speaker, always entertaining and informative. I buys lots of roses from Ashdown and will probably buy more. I have no clue as to how many I have coming from Ashdown this spring.

What was your impression of their new rose care program? I know they really didn't touch on it much.

Carole

I enjoyed Billy Styles too. On the outset it seems like he has worked out "the answer" to many problems.
Always nice to see Trish and Paul. Glad I had a chance to meet some new forumers and see some old friends.

Carla

yeah they didn't but I talked to them ..I think I am going to try it.....I'll let you know

I'll probably try it too. I didn't feel like carrying a 50lb bag to my car, so I'll order online.

The show was great, and it was wonderful to meed GWers in person. Connie and I stayed over and had dinner and breakfast and still weren't chatted out! It was lots of fun and I definitely will do it again. How about RU/Ashdown for the big spring flush!!!!!!

Bet

Oh, BTW, Thanks for the Rose Porn Paul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:::How about RU/Ashdown for the big spring flush!!!!!!:::

Now that would be dangerous...but wonderful! Sign me up!

The rose porn is great. I've been rose shopping in my spare time, I didn't realize that Peter Beales put out such a lovely catalog.

I spent a good part of today out pruning my roses. It was spectacular. Sunny, warm and roses! Lots of new growth on all of them and now there's a big pile waiting on the side of the road for the city to pick up. I'm going to call OPHC this week and see if they can have two 50 lb bags ready for me to pick up next weekend.

Billy Styles was telling me about a non-offensive alfalfa tea concentrate that he's trying to get from somewhere in Europe. None of the work but all the benefits. I'll try and find out more about that stuff.

Carole

that sounds great carole unfortunately it will be too late for this year.

I did my trimming too the way paul suggested but my roses are still new so nut much left over here.

Late for the alfalfa? Is that what you meant?

I've never used alfalfa tea....just tossed the pellets out about three times a season. Are there time limits on the tea?

Carole

I used what I call alfalfa tea and mush. I just soaked the pellets for a few days and then poured the liquid and whatever was at the bottom of the pails over my roses. I didn't notice a difference last year, but this spring I am seeing new basals on some of my HTs at least. And I have noticed that the ground around my roses is thick with feeder roots. I still have more than 1/2 a bag of the pellets left, so I'll use that up. I also picked up a 10lb bag of Rose Tone from HD. That was the largest bag they had. I figure each time I go there I'll get one.

I've pruned most of my roses. I still have to do a few climbers and the roses in the back. I'm going pretty easy on them and leave more cane than I usually do. I can always cut more.

naah I was just saying that he probably won't get it in time for us to use this year

hey buford!

Hey Sunny. Glad you got back ok. I don't know how you did it. I conkend out at 9:30 and slept till almost 8 this morning. I guess not having cats waking me up at 5am to get fed was a good thing.

Hey....I am a few clicks away from ordering my first tea roses and I noticed you have all of them...

Lady Hillingdon
Souv de Pierre Notting
Mrs BR Cant

and maybe rainbow....I have always liked this one but I know the color fades and it is not a widely grown one...

I just ordered the last two, so I don't actually 'have' them yet, but they've been highly recommended by everyone here. I had a Lady Hillingdon, but it was a victim of the drought last year. I did have some blooms on it early and they were very nice. So I ordered another one. I don't have any idea how big these will get.

The teas I have so far, Marie d'Orleans is about 3 ft high/wide. It gets little or no bs and blooms constantly, even in the drought. Rosette d'Lizzy is growing slower (I bought these 3 at Ashdown 2 years ago), and seems to want to grow straight up. Also no bs and lovely blooms. Mlle Franziska Kruger would be larger if I didn't almost kill it last year when I moved it, but it's about 2ft wide/tall now.

I just fell in love with the bloom form and the gracefulness of the bushes, that's why I ordered a bunch more. I haven't really pruned them, except to take out dead canes. They seem to make more spindly winding canes rather than tall stiff canes that need to be taken down.

Hey everybody!

It sure was good to put faces to names but I must admit I thought we would have more time to chat. The entire show was great....my H&G show here in Greenville doesnt have any garden displays. I felt like a kid in a candy store and I just had to hit the display gardens and plant vendors. I really should have planned on staying a second day so I could have made my rounds the second day and had more time to caht with ya'll on Friday. We left around 5:00 and I was exhausted.

I loved all the lectures. Paul you have such a good wit as a speaker...I really enjoyed your lecture!!

I did purchase "Good morning roses" and plan to give that a try. I will likely use it on my newer roses. I think I will wait until later to put it on in order to make sure I allow for a late freeze.

Carla...thanks for passing on the rose porn from Paul. It had me drooling!!

SO glad I went. I hope to see you all again at Ashdowns or RU this spring!!

Ronda

BTW.... I have some pics Ill post later.

One of my favorite teas is one that I never hear anything about, Mme. Antoine Rebe. I got mine from Lisa at Countryside (they're sold out right now) but it has been one healthy bloom machine in my yard. Rarely any blackspot and blooms one flush after another. The individual flowers are pretty enough but the overall effect of the bush is stunning.

Carole

Here is a link that might be useful: Mme Antoine Rebe @ Ashdown

we need to plan this well and we can all have these teas...supposedly they root easy ..lol

I am glad I came too and would do it again in a second.

Not sure about Ashdown and Roses Unlimited though...those are a bit further. Especially if I am driving by myself...not to mention gas! I would love too though.

Sunnishine, here is Rainbow. I love it.
{{gwi:229994}} Just a bud pic.
Carla

uh oh...a positive review from a trusted source...now I have to get it...lol

I don't know why this one has intrigued me. I usually don't like them with that few petals.