Sammy, I'll keep an eye out on Basye's Blueberry, since yours have gotten rather large :') This is the second time I've grown Basye's Blueberry, and although I like it a lot, it's not as blackspot-resistant as my Carefree Beauty was or as resistant as my chinas & teas. It's very worthy of growing in my garden though due to its excellent fragrance & zero thorns. By the way, the only reason I removed Carefree Beauty years ago was because it got way to large for the space where I planted it. Great rose though. Regarding Reine des Violettes, in my opinion, it is of a different character than the other hybrid perpetuals I have grown. It does not have the really large "heavy blooms" that many of the other hybrid perpetuals do. For example, it's nothing at all like 'Paul Neyron'. Reine des Violettes' blooms are medium-sized and although they have lots of petals, the bloom depth is shallow like a gallica rose, with a perfect button-eye like some of the old European roses have. And unlike most hybrid perpetuals, Reine des Violettes does not make a good cutting rose at all, because the petals fall cleanly to the ground after about two days max on the bush. The major attraction of this rose to me are the gallica-like form, the button-eye, the consistant fragrance, the arching canes that make it usable as a "short" climber, it is full yet NEVER balls on me, & mine has never had a single thorn on it. Although it blooms more than many hybrid perpetuals, it in no way compares to the frequency of a china, tea, or shrub rose. I get a heavy flush or two in the spring, sporadic blooms all throughout summer, and very, very few blooms in the fall. I completely love it, but I also recognize it's not for everyone. Just want you to know what you'd be getting if you got one. Randy

When are you going? Whats on your list? Be aware that sometimes they get sold out of things.....and their one gallons, which are the most cost effective, are sometimes so small I just wait until they are back in stock later - Abe Darby is one I had a hard time getting. I was thrilled to get a nice looking Reve d'Or this time. You will find some real deals in the "boneyard"/sale area. I always go there first! Their roses are so healthy and they take such good care of them - I actually could go there a couple of times a month.....but I have so many to plant now, have to contain myself! My pot ghetto looks like a nursery, and I have lots of daylilies too......Have fun and let us know what you get! Judith

But for how long did you grow him? It's been a long, long time since I've grown him, but he had some size, as I recall. He's fairly big in the Sacramento City Cemetery, too. He was one of the roses here that frustrated and educated me. Moving him from one location to another didn't help at all. Everywhere he grew, he mildewed to a spectacular degree. Then, I learned that others in CA had that problem. AHA! Eventually, he became kindling. (Old dry rose roots make excellent kindling.)

OMG, I spent the day in my basement with the parakeets, an elderly cat, and hundreds of plants in 80 F heat and bright light (combo of sun as it is 1/2 above ground and LED lighting). I did a lot of transplanting and light feedings of underfed plants. We all like it down there by the furnace and hot water heater this time of year. Today was chilly but there was not a cloud in the sky all day. Just wish it would stay like this all winter all! Outdoors, the darn Camellias really want Spring as they are beginning to bloom. I used to get some degree of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) because of the short days and darkness, but think it's definitely gotten better over the years. It definitely helps to live in a home with full, southern exposure all year long and to have windows facing all compass directions, especially the south. P.S., If you want bird songs, you need canaries, definitely not parakeets, they squawk and make more of a presence than their diminutive size would suggest. LOL.