I said above that I couldn't think of any species I planned to bring. Actually we may have a few "Bremo" musk (R. moschata plena). The Bremo accession was described in Marie Butler's article, "Discovering the Musk Rose in America," in the Proceedings of the 9th International Heritage Rose Conference, in Charleston SC, 2001. (Those proceedings are still available through the Heritage Rose Foundation). She says "In autumn of 1988 yet another discovery of Rosa moschata occurred. Peggy Cornett, Director of the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historical Plants (CHP) at Monticello near Charlottesville, Virginia, wrote of this finding in Twin Leaf: Annual Journal and Catalog No. 2, 2000. Again history is intimately bound with this discovery. As she wrote in that issue in Twin Leaf, she, Douglas Seidel, consultant for the Leonie Bell Rose Garden, and CHP nursery manager, Diane Lowe, found the "Musk Cluster Rose" at "The Recess" at Bremo some forty miles from Monticello. Records indicated that this specimen, tended by Raymond and Frances Orf, the latter the great-granddaughter of Gen. John Hartwell Cocke, was purchased by the General from Benjamin Prince's Nursery in 1815." There's much more about it there, which I'll not type here. So that's an interesting rose that we should have at least a few of. It's identical to the other common double musk roses "out there," but has this historically interesting provenance.

Many years ago, we grew a rose called 'Etoile de Lyon'. I don't remember for sure where we got it, but I would have thought Joyce and Virginia. It was a pure, true yellow, definitely not the same as 'Bermuda's Anna Olivier'; but of course it may not have been a "real" EdL. Bermuda's Anna does seem to be the same as what is now generally known as EdL. I wish I knew what our old one was, and I wish I still had it -- it was an unusually nice, very large-flowered pure yellow Tea. As I recall, it did ball badly in some weather.

How exciting for you all and I do wish I could be there, although in my case it wouldn't be only for the meetings, but as an occasional student of the Civil War, Fredericksburg was a major battle and the 154th anniversary of it comes up in just a few days time incidentally. Now you may not necessarily be interested in any of this, but a main segment of this battle took place on the ridges just west of town called 'Marye's Heights'.. where Confederates were dug in, especially behind a low wall where there is a sunken road. This wall might be visible from the town I think. The Union army made vain attempts at taking it but with tragic results - so many were slaughtered in the attempt that it was regarded as sheer ''butchery''... A Union defeat, President Lincoln was much blamed and he wrote ''If there is a hell, I am in it''... It was also noted for the bravery of a Confederate sergeant called Richard Kirkland, who left the wall to give water and aid to injured and dying Union men lying on the field a few yards in front.. this story may be embellished somewhat, there are reports of more than one man giving aid, but nonetheless I think there is a statue to this gentleman somewhere in the town... Ironically, just 5 months later they were all at it again at the same place, albeit a lesser battle as the main action then was at nearby Chancellorsville... I would really have to go pay my respects... I would also visit the little town of Falmouth, which is a suburb just across the Rappahannock river. When under British rule this was named after the little town of Falmouth, Cornwall, England - where I was born as a matter of fact... which also sits on a river, so presumably someone in the 1700's thought it reminded them of it.. how quaint.. I think this is where the Belmont House is located that is already on your itinerary, and now houses a fabulous art museum so I read.. Whatever, do have a lovely time.

There is no need to be on the Beltway traveling from either Dulles or Reagan National airports. (For Dulles, I drive Route 29, a short stint on Rt. 66, to Prince William Parkway, then secondary roads to Fredericksburg. It's easy and scenic. For Reagan National, it's I-395/95 southbound the whole way, crossing underneath the Beltway. Depending on time of day, traffic can be bad on I-95.) Richmond is my favorite airport, but there are fewer choices of flights. It's smaller, friendly, and traffic going from there to Fredericksburg is rarely an issue.