I am very fond of Caldwell Pink. This year I purchased two more and replaced some roses that have not done well for me. I will have a bed of 5 Caldwell Pinks together. From a distance the rose has almost a lavender pink glow. I do think it is beautiful. I wonder if you could find some information on HMF about the climber. Personally, I don't know what it takes for a rose to be a climber - I do not understand how and when the canes harden and climb. It is an interesting thought. It might be fun to have a sport that not many people have. In Texas it is sold by ARE. Sammy

Thanks for finding that pic, PopMama! I looked thru several pages and if it came up on my search I completely missed it! Liz, what you described at the swap was "more pink," so I hope what you remember is right! Please don't spend all your time looking for your pic, but if you should happen to run into it sometime over winter I would enjoy seeing it! If you don't run into it I will--hopefully--get to see it up-close-and-personal in spring! When that happens I will definitely be taking some of my own pics--however since google catastrophized WebAlbums a month ago I don't know if I'm even able to post links to my pics anymore! You mentioned that one of the Iris I got ['Superstition' and 'Abigail Provides'] was "shorter" than "others"--I think! If you did, was it 'Superstition' that was the shorter one? In the last couple days I got some big (2-3' X 18") patches of the "bad dirt" dug out along the walk by the side of my deck and, saving the more friable soil that was there, I've added a whole buncha home-grown, almost finished, compost to what was left! Have a "decent place" to plant both Iris now and am planning to get them in the ground tomorrow! I also saved some of the "better" natural soil to use when I dig out the potter's clay by the front walk where the peony is going! Will be completely removing the potter's clay, replacing it with my "saved" "better" natural soil, and then adding a WHOLE LOT of compost out there--including some that isn't quite so "almost finished!" Will be transplanting some worms too! I'm gonna make a Good Home for that peony! When I looked up the pics of it, one of the Way Cool things about it was how very different all the pics look--and, remembering you had said how much it "changed" from day to day, I'm really looking forward to seeing a few flowers on that too! Will be surprised if I get any next spring, but, with "good soil," I expect it to be taking off by the following spring! Can hardly wait! I had to water it in when I put it in the pot--my store bought soil is just "moist" when I use it, but, except for watering it in to "settle the soil" when I put it in the ground I'll leave it alone all winter--unless we get an extremely dry winter! Part of my reason for improving the soil in a pretty large area is so I'll know it has good drainage, so if we should get a snowy winter I won't have to worry about it sitting in WET CLAY! Thank you again for bringing such "cool" plants! (Yes, I realize everybody's definition of "cool plants" is different!) to swap! Since I already have so many things, and since people have started to bring things they originally got from me I don't often find many things that I want or don't already have, and this is the first swap in a long time where I was salivating and waiting to "pick!" BUT! I'll have you know that you created quite a "problem" for me!!! With my tiny yard I really did need to do some thinkin' to figure out where to put my new booty! "Problem" and all, thank you, Liz!!! >>> APS = American Phytopathological Society! Egad girl! Are you seriously into this stuff or what??? Did you REALLY go to a plant pathology convention????? Skybird

Lovely in bloom - and that is about it. The winter aspect in particular can seem to be a bunch of sticks*. Best use in less than ample spaces probably as a single specimen in a mixed border, closely flanked by other shrubs and plant types that will pick up the slack. And with a fence or hedge behind**. Philadelphus coronarius is fairly prevalent as a persisting, basically unattended specimen in local cultivation so I wouldn't assume a planting made before 1952 was the native. Other kinds are probably possible also. *I do like the really quite dark twigs of 'Blizzard', which at first might seem to add a second season of interest. However due to the overall visual character of the species out of leaf maybe it is better to see these as being of use primarily for providing a color contrast with the flowers. **If you are saying the part where the junipers are has no fence then actually it would be preferable to continue with other evergreen plants there so that the substantial appearance these have is maintained - deciduous shrubs look comparatively light in weight, particularly in winter when it may also be possible to see through them. Rocky Mountain Juniper is a tree reaching tree height, if the height of the junipers is the main problem there then it is simply a matter of replacing them with evergreen shrubs that will not grow as tall.

Virginia, re 'Dr Grill', I can't really recall the leaves or buds, but the blooms I do remember as being distinctly paler/ less vibrant overall than your illustration - a palest ivory or blush white background deepening into delicate washes of warm pinks and yellows like those illustrated. But I'm guessing your illustration may be taken from a European - perhaps French or English source? That might explain the deeper colouring. I may have only/ mainly seen them on warm/ hot days in Australia, in temperatures unknown in northern climes. I would think it could well be the same rose. Wandering the overflowing beds and aisles of teas and other old roses I was often drawn to this rose's particular subtle beauty, but on discovering who he was, was put off by the less than delicate/ romantic sounding name! In that, he instantly dropped a place from top to second level in my mental scale of 'must have'/ perfect roses... fool that I was... FWIW, I believe Adam in Western Australia had one, that may be the same as 'my' remembered Ross Roses 'Dr Grill', but I don't recall if it was one of the selection he brought with him from the old house.