My two cents: Please consider giving them another chance. I did get a mislabeled rose from them once, but have continued to order from them without any further problems. Of course, I did get a healthy rose even though it wasn't the one I ordered. If they were dying, that might be another problem. However, I tend not to plant anything into the ground unless the roots are coming out of the bottom of the pot--or close to it. That might be something you may want to consider in the future. I think it's important to have patience and forgiveness with a company that's good overall. (You may never have another problem with them again.) Also, as others have pointed out, the number of places that sell old roses (and willing to do mail order) is shrinking. And let's face it: you can't find these roses at Walmart.

lilacs of may - I agree w/the "need more greens" opinions above (which is not to say that I disagree w/the "need more water" opinions - I just don't have an opinion about the water thing b/c my bin is in a container & I tend to have too much moisture more often than not). The way you described it - 1 thin green, 1 thick brown of mostly leaves - seems like it would take a real long time to decompose. I've noticed leaves in my bin take a long time, which I didn't expect. But, my bin takes a short time to decompose when I've used mostly garden/kitchen waste, intense greens (such as UCG/dried blood/alfalfa), and some browns such as (leaves/paper towels/napkins/shredded moistened cardboard) - IF I turn it ALOT (again it's in a bin so this might not be as crucial to your formula). Plus, I also find that we each have a preferred "formula" for our individual systems, lifestyles & area of the country. I've added below a link to my list of 201 Compost Ingredients, if you want to brainstorm about more "greens." BTW, we just got our first Starbucks (10 min away) - prior to that the nearest starbucks was 1 hour away & that was just in a bookstore. I am already collecting from a local coffee shop (actually, they were new about 2 yrs ago - pre-local-Starbucks - and I told them about Starbucks' habit of bagging & offering UCG for peoples' gardens & so now they're doing it! yippee!). And, actually, most of the UCG I gather go directly onto soil (under the store-bought pine/other bark/shredded mulch) or onto the grass. So, do it again this year & keep experimenting to see what works! polly in IL - that is BEAUTIFUL! Thanks for the pix! All the Best, Tree Here is a link that might be useful: 201 Compost ingredients

Yes, that is possible and I could certainly use Firefox on my laptop. But when I am at home I am often on the iPad using the OnLive PC desktop for my software. I use IE on that and could install another browser, but that interface is so small to begin with its a little difficult to manipulate as it is. And of course on the regular iPad you can't do anything about those heinous ads.....or can you? The whole fact that people have to take evasive action to combat these intrusive ads makes me wonder if the host site or their clients even understand the purpose of advertising.

Not hiring an interior decorator to help with the finish selections. Even if only to say "no, no, yes, no, darker, no..." How much would that be? $5k? Less? Worth it, imo. I did ok, but I was a little hesitant, and could be talked into things I didn't want. Not doing the landscaping as part of the total package. I'm now paying for "design services" and the bidding rigamarole all over again. Trying to save a little money *at the end.* I was so determined to hit the budget number that I allowed some compromises. Save money at the front, then give yourself a healthy contingency.