I'll not try Cl. Mme. Caroline Testout right now then,... I'm a beginner, and I think having stiff canes and big thorns on something I'm trying to train over an arbor (or even a wall) would be hard for me. If I get her, I'll try the bush form and just let it be a bush. Melissa, thanks for more info about training Crepuscule! that sounds pretty good! considering that I'm using pinks and hot pinks... would Crepuscule match ok...? The pictures I see online vary a lot. Sometimes it looks light yellow, sometimes peachy. Or would Cl. Lady Hillingdon be better for #4? I've heard people describe that one as being kindof a glowy light yellow, so that could be really nice with the other colors. I suppose I'm leaning away from using a pink climber in the #4 position since I'll have a pink climber on the front porch and a pink sakura tree (though that only blooms spring). I love sages and such, and I'm definitely going to use some sages and lavendars in the front with cl Eden (and I'm guessing I'll use Duchess de Brabrant under Eden) If I have room, maybe I can use some in the back, too? Right now I'm a little unclear on how much space there is. It's hard for me to imagine the size of the final roses and whether they'll tolerate some purple and/or yellow flowers growing with them...! a lot of people have had purple clematis growing along with their roses, but I think in this sunny spot that probably wouldnt' work. I'm lucky in that my neighbors have not done -anything- to their yard yet. There's nothing there but dirt. So I guess I can hope that they won't put a tree there? (or send them a plate of cookies with a request? haa...) As of yet, I don't have any neighbors on the south side at all. #9, I think, in the afternoon is getting shaded by the house. so probably not super scorcher? It sounds like based on what you guys said that I could probably use a Hybrid Musk,... sometimes you probably just have to try things, right?

You would be best off building (or having someone build) something yourself. The ones you can buy are usually too flimsy to hold up to a large rose in a strong wind. I would stick with something thornless or near-thornless and not too large to begin with because it will be so much easier for you to learn on. Renae, Allister Stella Gray, Crepuscule, or a modern like Berries n Cream or Eden (tho Eden's a Ruster). Mme Alfred is a monster, way to big for your chosen area. Check youtube for Ashdown Roses videos on climbing roses, attaching roses to structures, there are a couple good ones. Honestly it is far far easier for a beginner to grow a climbing rose on a lowish (5') wide (10'+) fence than it is up columns on a porch. On a low fence you can fan out the canes pretty easily and tie them securely and get a nice show of blooms in a relatively short 2-3 year period. Going straight up and then out is certainly doable but it takes a lot more pruning, tying, thinking, patience, time, etc. What about a couple free standing teepee type structures in front of the columns and the roses on that. That way you keep the roses off your house but still get the height. Key thing in your windy area, let them grow in spring and summer, but get everything securely tied up before the fall/winter winds begin. Widen out the too narrow planting bed in front to reduce your lawn size and give you room to really plant some ROSES! :)

What positions are you interviewing for? Are they true entry level positions or are they more than that? One thing that often gets overlooked in this industry is that there are great numbers of people who have been interested and self educating in it from very young ages. You are one of those, but you have to know that you are one of many. It is very easy to look at your own experience and view it as a strong background as it may well be. But, it is easy to forget that hiring choices are made by comparison with others looking for the same position. You are still only an entry level job candidate as are the many, many, other candidates with similar backgrounds. These are non-quantifiable resume items with the exception of the Associates Degree which you do not yet have. Hiring is more about matching a person to a position much more than it is about counting points on a resume and awarding the job to whomever has the most points. If you are emphasizing skill sets and knowledge that is for a position that is unavailable, there is a posibility that you would not have the prefered working relationship to the person(s) in that position. That isn't good for anyone. Think about what those "40 year old women" might be bringing into the job as far as experience goes. You want to count your own non-professional gardening experience as being a strong background, but would you not count the same for these people with 16+ years of experience. You don't know if any of them have Associates Degrees, Master Gardener's Certificates, Bachelor's Degrees, or Phds. Finally, every work place has its own culture. Some of those evolve one way or another to have a certain makeup that makes for a comfort level for those who work within it. If you or I don't seem to fit into that culture it may be disruptive. Work is often the biggest social interaction in a person's life and disrupting that can be devistating sometimes. Employers are very aware of this.

Another fun comparison: Left: RU, Distant Thunder, Own Root, I’ve had it about 1 month. This plant had the thinnest stems of the three, also had smaller root ball than the K&M. Very healthy, put out a lot of new growth Middle: Wayside, Molineaux, Bare Root, Dr Huey, also had it about a month. By far the thickest stems, but of course being bare root had to grow new feeder roots. Good progress, there’s even a bud. Right: K&M, Buxom Beauty ,Fortuniana, just arrived today. Thicker stems than the RU rose, also had a very dense rootball. Was trimmed short significantly to fit in packing box so most of the mature foliage is gone, but lots of new growth remains, even 2 buds. I’m very happy with all three providers, and thankful that I’m able to get hard-to-find varities in mid summer in great health!