Thanks for the compliments guys and gals. Lisa, those cukes were nothing special. I bought one 4 pack of Bonnie Burpless Hybrid and one 4 pack of Straight 8's from Lowes. They are planted in plain old field clay but I tilled it and added in some composted cow manure prior to planting. Some fish fertilizer when they were small and a little 10-10-10 when they were actively growing. We had hundreds of very large cucumbers from these 8 plants (4 on each side). That was year 1. Year 2 was a complete and total loss due to the cucumber beetles moving in. I had never even heard of them before until they hit, and they hit hard. By the time I diagnosed that it was cuke beetles spreading a virus it was a lost cause. I replanted the crop 3 times and each time they'd look healthy for a week or so and then suddenly start wilting and be dead days later. This will be year 3 and I'm going to try to keep a watchful eye and take preventative measures so that my cuke house will once again look like it did in these pictures. The woods behind it were cleared over the summer and the grass is kept mowed, I'm hoping the removal of that thick nearby brush and cover will greatly help. I also plan to use protective netting while they're young and growing as well as spraying if necessary. Maybe I can nip it in the bud early and get a good crop in between generations. Going from hundreds of delicious cukes to quite literally none in just one year was sooooo demoralizing. This year I actually built a large wood framed bed to fit the inside dimensions of the cuke house (roughtly 8' X 9' and 10 inches high) that I am currently growing cabbage in. If the cukes take off like they're supposed to it will be pretty much completely shaded underneath in the summer so not many veggies can grow there at that time but the cold weather crops can get plenty of sun there until then.

Dallasguy, I don't actually grow "Madame Antoine Mari" in my garden. I just admire it from afar ... the MAM specimen at the Fort Worth Botanical Garden and other gardens here in the neighborhood that grow her. From what I've seen, her blooms are kind of like my 'G. Nabonnand' in that they don't last long at all, but keep coming all the time. I don't think they'll last any longer in the ground. It's not a negative for me, but I understand that it is for many people. The thing I really appreciate about that rose is the shape of the plant itself, it's twiggy habit, and the porcelain quality and purity of its bloom color when the bud first opens. I have resisted purchasing 'Heromsa' for my garden for the very reason that you mentioned. Cut it back to 6"? I have never cut an OGR back that far, or even close to it. 'Reine des Violettes' is one of my favorite roses of all time. I didn't mention it before because it's not a rose for everyone ... but definitely is for me. I am so prejudiced FOR that rose that it's usually best if I keep my mouth shut, unless directly asked about it. Personally, I can't imagine gardening without it. It has a lot of character in my very biased opinion. I grow mine as a short climber, I think it's most elegant that way, but you could prune it as a shrub without much effort. Yes, it reblooms fairly well for me. Definitely not non-stop like a china or a tea rose, but after its huge spring flush, I get a sprinkling of blooms here and there until late fall. It rebloomed somewhat for me the first year, but got a lot better after 3 years. There's something intangible about Reine des Violettes for me, can't really explain it. Or maybe I can ... when you combine thornlessness, fully-petaled bloom with a charming button eye, unique color blending, & fantastic fragrance, how on earth could I resist? If you do decide to get this rose, and I'm not saying you should ... get it from The Antique Rose Emporium. Their specimen is great & truly thornless. Randy

I wanted to add something here. I just recently ordered three A. tomentosa vines to plant in a new bed. I got these vines from Pine Ridge Gardens in Arkansas, which is where I got the Georgia asters. Mary Ann lists Georgia asters as A. grandiflorus, but other sites call them A. georgiana or something like that. Many sites use the new term, Symphyotrichum instead of Aster, which has further confused the issue, which was already confused enough, because there are so many types of asters, including many that are probably local hybrids. So, my point is, I'm not sure my asters are really Georgia asters. Whatever they are, the pearl crescents like them, though, and that's what counts! The eggs hadn't hatched as of yesterday, but I think I'll finish out the 'cage' today. Sherry

I hate to say it, but depending on the books you have, looking at all the nice pictures and loving the plants, then finding out most of them won't grow in zone 3, is very discouraging. Been there, done that ......... If you have a black thumb: Try marigolds. They deter pests, but make sure you spread out the roots really well. I had a hard time growing them before doing that. People on this forum helped me out. I couldn't believe I couldn't grow marigolds very well until I almost abused the roots! Have you ever grown any flowers at all outside? Don't forget to deadhead. ( You know what that is and how to do it?) I love Silvercup Lavatera and it blooms profusely with almost no work from you. You can get a seedtape package at a greenhouse or WalMart. I highly recommend the seedtape. It's incredibly simple. Lavatera requires full sun. You didn't say if you had sun or shade or both. Johnny Jump Ups have always been a favourite of mine. Also, Osteospermum (African Daisy) are beautiful and bloom most of the summer. I just snip parts of the plant once in a while to keep it bushier. These are all annuals. That way you can experiment, find out what you like, or dislike, find out what works or doesn't work for you, etc., and then branch out more each year. Perennials often take too long before you really know if you're actually capable of keeping them alive LOL. If you can afford it, go shopping at a greenhouse, not a big box store. Big box store people generally don't know what they're selling. Try to talk to someone who's worked at the greenhouse for a few years or more, and has their own garden, not someone who's only there for a summer job. The experienced people can tell you a lot and show you things that are easy to grow. About the trumpet vine. I've never grown one, but I think they're invasive. Try searching it on this forum. There may be a thread or two with lots of info. Is this the kind of information you were looking for? I've got more. LOL =:)