Alberic Barbier is a rambler that loves to send out horizontal growth along the ground. In fact, that is what enables my Alberic to survive my zone 4 winters - he hugs the ground and gets all covered up with leaves and snow for the winter. AB is a spring bloomer, but has a lovely cream colored bloom and his thorns aren't too severe. In summer, I easily pick him up barehanded and move him out of the way of the mower if he starts sending his canes out across the lawn, LOL. I use AB as a ground cover of sorts between some larger shrub roses in a hedge row. (But I'm sorry to have to say this: I do think you should heed Ann's warning about RRD in your area - esp. since a "groundcover" rose might too easily hide early signs of the disease until it's full blown.)

Sandy, regarding the holy&berries, its usually not only spraying, but a whole set of things in the city environment. Most plants which are not self pollinating, need pollinators. However, in the city environment bees often are exterminated as a pest if the swarm happens to land somewhere by chance, also people tend to destroy bee nests if they find them somewhere in their property, instead of calling a bee keeper so safely remove it. Also usually there are not that many bee keepers close to the city, so no honey bees in flying distance from the city. In the city bumble bees are important pollinator, but again, in the urban gardens they lack habitat and food to really thrive (especially since bumble bees rarely make nest in same location next year). Even those few flowering weeds that somehow manage to appear in the lawns, tend to be herbicided and weeded out fairly quickly. Lawns, paved gardens, flower-less ornamental plants, all of that make any sane bee (or any other nectar feeding insect) to fly the other direction. Nectar feeding insects need continuous supply of it from different plants for the variety of diet, so you have to have something different blooming at any day of the season to really feed them well. In bee opinion wild flower mix seeds for 2$ are way better choice than roses and other fancy, but low on nectar plants for 200$. Also, in some climates bumble-bees are even more important pollinator, because they fly in more cold and wet conditions than the regular honey bees (or any other pollinator, due to their fur). Hence if you have an orchard and very cold wet weather when your orchard is blooming, you rely solely on bumble bees to pollinate it. Bumble bees in their turn need fallen tree logs, meadows, turfs or even just clumps of dried grass to establish their hives, so heavy cultivation and even tidy rose gardens are not really good for them. Also, many birds and insects like to use second hand nests for themselves, for example bumble bees like to use old mouse nests for their nests, so if the mouse population is exterminated aggressively, that also influences the well being of the bumble bees. It is possible to provide special hives for bumble bees though, but again, not everyone likes a bumble bee hive in their garden.

Hello, People of the Rose. I'm a semi-old person, but young budding rosarian . I've garden most of my life except for a 20 year stint that just ended a few years ago. I just never got the hang of starting roses so I have a lot of catching up to do. That being said, I don't have much to trade in the rose world except a species rose or two I've wild collected and a non-fragrant, extra-large rugosa from my neighbor. I've got my first small batch of cuttings now rooting from mid-summer collecting and seeing some success. By my seek list, you can see I'm pretty much into pre-20th century,fragrant roses. Any way you can help would be much appreciated. And I'd pay a fair price in lieu of exchange. Albertine Alchymist American Beauty Apothecary's Rose Ardoisee de Lyon Autumn Damask Blanchefleur Comtesse Cecile de Chabrillant Crested Damask Dainty Bess Danae Duc de Guiche Fantin Latour Félicité et Perpétue Félicité Parmentier Fortune's Double Yellow(Gold of Ophir) Gilda Illusion Jacqueline Humery Joseph's Coat Lavender Lassie Leda Mme Plantier Queen of Denmark Reine des Violettes Rosa Banksiae, lutea Rose de Rescht Silver Shadows Souvenir de St. Anne's Super Elfin Yolande d'Aragon Zéphirine Drouhin As I have almost no roses, I'm open to just about any pre-20th century variety. Thanks, JJJ This post was edited by jjjessee on Sun, Sep 7, 14 at 0:46

Barb...both happy and sad....Happy he is moving forward with his life. Knowing he will go far as long as he stays focused on his studies, and learns to quit being so wasteful. Sad because he is moving on and we will be seeing very little of him in the next 4 years or so. We havent made any new life adventures yet. House needs some TLC. I suppose first we will get used to having a home with just us and the critters and go from there. Chell I used to be a dog and cat groomer. I loved it too. But my employer was a deedeedee. Never had the money to pay me each week and always "owed" me. And she never gave me my tips either.Then at the end of the year she reported more earnings for me than what I had really made.Fortunitly I kept records and proved my case and won, so make sure you don't let the same happen to you. I have kept my clippers, blades and accessories and still will do a neighbors dog or two once in awhile to keep my skills up.....but don't miss the hair stuck in places I did'nt know existed....lol. Love all the pictures the everyone post. Always enjoy seeing ya'lls babies. Regina