I have a climbing Cecile Brunner that went up to the roof of our 3 story house (before we had to prune it so that the house could be painted). It has burst out in new growth since then, and I firmly expect it to get as tall within a couple of years. Next to it on the house, the same height and the same width, was a banksie lutea (also chopped back now and also re-growing vigorously). I would strongly recommend a banksie lutea for the companion to your CB. The banksie is a once bloomer. In our climate in coastal No Cal it blooms earlier than the CB in the Spring, so you get a staggered Spring bloom between them that lasts for 4-5 (Feb - June usually) months. Also, most years the bloom periods overlap, and the combination is stunning. The soft pale yellow of the banksie is exactly the same strength (or whatever the correct term is) of color as the pale pink of the CB. The banksie blooms in clusters of tiny flowers, so that also complements the small CB blooms. AND IT IS THORNLESS! Completely, none, zero, nada. The long canes are flexible and easy to train (if you have a ladder!). Mine has never been sprayed, and has never had any disease in our climate. When it blooms you cannot see the plant, there are so many flowers. Jackie P.S. I personally would never plant Mermaid anywhere except perhaps if I had a lot of land and wanted an impenetrable barrier (thorny is an inadequate word) against livestock or roving monsters, or something.

No, it does not rebloom for me, nor did it rebloom for English rosarian Graham Thomas (according to his book on Antique roses). (As soon as I have funds to do so I will be replacing it on this condo property. I need a lax pink (but with no hint of yellow/orange/apricot/peach) remontant climber that will trail gracefully along a 3' high cast iron fence and look nice next to New Dawn, Viking Queen, and Tausendschoen, preferably with canes about 10' long (give or take). City of York is just too vigorous, and while it's quite beautiful in bloom, nicely fragrant, and seemingly immune to disease, it's simply out of place here. It's also viciously thorny!)

Digitalflower, I'm glad I'm not the only one looking at that stuff. Some things work, some don't. The daylilies they planted on the Riverside Drive medians lasted about 2 weeks. But if I were the Meilland people I'd be putting signs in these rose beds - what an advertisement for them. It took about a week before I got up the nerve to jump out of the car and look - it's not a pedestrian friendly place, to say the least. But I've been trying to figure out what these are for a couple years now. WW

I haven't been here, but I noted them from another post for later: * * * * * An older hotel that looks to be in good shape. In the past, have read some good postings on this hotel. Location is very good = a less that 10 minute walk to Times Square. Two hotels with kitchens you might consider are the Beacon, 75th and Broadway and the Milburn, 76th just off Broadway. Both are on the upper west side -good shopping, lots of restauirants, good transportation close by. The Casablanca is a stunning boutique hotel located at 147 West 43rd.St. in New York City. (212) 869-1212. Continental breakfast is included. (Sounds great!)\\