Thanks, Kippy, it was interesting for me to see how this list compared to the one now. Sadly, Baptiste Lafay, Burbank, Souvenir de Germaine de St. Pierre, Souvenir d'un Ami, Rasberry Parfait, China Doll and Earth Song are all gone. On a brighter note, William R. Smith, White Meidiland, Young Lycidas, Belinda's Dream, Miss Atwood and Sophy's Rose are all improved, I'm happy to say. Souvenir du President Carnot has been moved to a new, less stressful location although I'm afraid that now it may not have enough sun. Potter and Moore is still pumping out blooms on a graceful bush that is easily kept within bounds. The Ingenious Mr. Fairchild is still gangly but blooms fairly well, with no disease whatsoever. Bishop's Castle, SdlM and Le Vesuve are all doing well and blooming, with no disease to speak of. The same goes for Rosette Delizy and Mutabilis. The rose I've fussed over the most, Annie Laurie McDonnell, has been in the ground for a few months and I was happy to spot a few buds which I'm going to allow to turn into flowers. It's still a very small rose but seems quite healthy, although I notice some of the newer leaves are quite a bit lighter. My biggest wish (and I imagine I'm not alone) is to have a very rainy fall and winter filled with rose blooms, but which will also revive the trees and shrubs that are so dried out. Ingrid

It's so nice to see this thread resurrected. I forgot about it! Now I can talk about my results with my desert trials. Agastache sprite (thanks, Penny!) and cana have come back each year. They smell like root bear. I put one on my deck table for the hummingbirds and take it indoors every winter. I have many penstemons that thrive here, one is Red Rocks from Bluestone Perennials. The others came from a penstemon seed mix... I just love the colors! Not all of them survived, but the ones that did, are gorgeous. Mexican goldpoppies (from a southwest seed supplier) fill my garden and also any sunny, gravelly area. They bloom from June through many frosts. They seem to love cool weather (since they bloom in February in Arizona...70 degrees and sunny). They are the cheeriest flowers, glowing gold in the sun. Their petals feel incredibly soft and velvety. The opuntias died a horribly ugly frozen death. We're returning to Tucson area this winter. I'm checking on and hoping for rainfall because that's what brings the annual poppies and desert bloom. The year after record rains brought carpets of flowers to Death Valley in '05, was a drought year. We were disappointed, but the green desert plants and shrubs looked great, even without the flowers. And anything is better than a foot of snow covered with 6 inches of ice pellets! lol. I hate winter more each year. lol.

This list has been compiled from the thread started by Garden_Frog back in September 03. It is based on the membersrecommendations (names in italics). The list is organized by region (and Upstate New York is HUGE!!): Capital Region/Glen Falls , Syracuse area , Finger Lakes/Central New York, Rochester Area, and Buffalo area. Some areas are not yet represented (Adirondacks for example), but this might come! Other great sources of plants are Farmers Markets (as the one mentioned by upstategardener Christine in Downtown Rochester, or the one in North Tonawanda, Buffalo, on Saturdays, mentioned by Penny1947). Local Co-ops, too, are valuable sources. Honest Weight Co-op in Albany has really interesting choices on a day-to-day basis! So, let's not forget our "local growers"! Capital Region / Glens Falls Area Verstandigs (Delaware Ave, Delmar) Nice variety of annuals, healthy and good prices -- babanna & Anne-Marie Olsens (New Scotland Ave., Slingerlands) Healthy plants, expensive though. Nice variety of shrubs --Anne-Marie Helderledge Farms (on the escarpent near Thatcher Park, Altamont): a wonderful place, looks less like a store and much more like a garden. Very unusual plants and knowledgeable staff --Kareen & PerennialFanatic Gade Farm (Route 20 Western Ave.-just below Carmen Road, Guilderland). A great variety of just about every flower possible and a fair selection of veggies. --mcdonne ... And they have great wood fire for the winter! --Anne-Marie Colonial Acres Nursery (on Route 20 - "Western Av."-, Guilderland): Healthy plants although expensive. A nice selection of shrubs. --Anne-Marie Beckers Farm (Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush): reasonable prices and knowledgeable staff --Kareen Story's Nurseries (Route 67, Freehold in Greene County) --babanna Guernsey's Schoharie Nurseries (Schoharie, Schoharie County-30 minutes West of Albany) They have over 100 acres of nursery. --Rockman Hewitt's (several stores around Albany) For trees......Lifetime guarantee on all trees and shrubs...Garden_Frog: Tara For bulbs: nice selection --Anne-Marie For seeds: nice selections --Anne-Marie South West Country Grown Perenials (in Walton, South of Oneonta, Catskills). The place is unbelievable. I've been getting my shrubs & perenials from them for about 10 years now. Fresh blueberries to pick, too. --LIDebbie South [Dutchess County] The Phantom Gardener Nursery (Route 9N, in Rhinebeck, Dutchess County) A bit pricey but they have a nice selection and the plants are healthy. --Rockman North/Northwest George's (on Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham): good selection of perennials, good selection of trees and shrubs, but a little expensive --LNMP & KitCatClub Faddegons (Norhtway at exit 6, Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham - huge varieties if seeking something "unusual". --Cremin Valoze's (Route 9 just past Guptill's, Latham Huge collection of small (4" pots) perennials for $2.50 a pot --KitCatClub Schulz Greenhouse (Hetchletown Road, Scotia) My all-time favorite nursery, for both selection and reasonably priced plants. Most of the stock is sold in smaller quart-sized containers. Local growers (2 or 3 greenhouses set up on his property) --mikee2 Toadflax nursery (Route 9, South Glens Falls). Directions: off Exit 17 of the Northway, head towards Glens Falls on Route 9... go by the transfer station, soon after, on the right-hand side. --adkmountaingirl A lot of unusual or hard to find plants. All plants are VERY healthy and of good size, worth the cost! Staff Knowledgeable --Garden_frog Staff go out of their way to help and answer questions! wonderful (and so healthy) selections! --adkmountaingirl Visited by Anne-Marie in September. What a pleasure! Absolutely awesome Mums Great nursery! Watkins --PerennialFanatic Meads --PerennialFanatic Garden Time --PerennialFanatic Quaker Farms --PerennialFanatic Syracuse /Oswego Area Phoenix Flower Farm (in Phoenix area) Daylilies, Irises, Peonies, Hostas, unusual shade plants. Truelly amazing place! starina Large variety of grasses Wendy_the_Pooh Also recommended by DustyDigger Country Herbs and Flowers (County route 8, in Fulton) Pretty good prices. Over 1500 different perennials and over 100 herbs. Great place --kklady Ornamental grasses, water plants, cannas, and fish for the little pond --starina Ontario Orchards (in Southwest Oswego) For trees and shrubs --starina Seneca Hill Perennials (Oswego area) My current absolute favorite for rare shade plants and perennials! --starina Grandpa's (in Sodus ) For perennials -some interesting finds --starina Seneca Trails Garden Center (off of Rte 20, outside of Oneida) --rouan FarmersMarket (right across the street from Carvel Ice Cream store on R12, in Watertown) Extremely knowledgable manager, healthy plants, good selection! --littledesertrodent Finger Lakes Region/ Central New York Bakers' Acres of North Lansing (Groton , between Cortland and Ithaca) Herbs and perennials and much more-- Wendy_the_Pooh The Plantsman (on Route 34B, Ithaca) Excellent unusual plants, great prices and very knowledgable owner --mzebe Plantasia Nursery (636 Dawson Hill Road , Spencer ) The best for dwarf evergreens, evergreens and Japanese maples, topiary and all the classic trees and shrubs --mzebe Veronicas Garden (1748 Trumansburg Rd, Trumansburg) Very good selection, organically grown perennials --mzebe Harvest Hills (off of Rte's 5 & 20 in Geneva ) --rouan Borglum's Iris Gardens (Austin Rd, Hall, south of Geneva --west of Seneca Lake) They dig the iris right out of the ground for you --misstish64 Great, and fantastic prices. He also has peonies and a few other perennials --juspeachy Dana started something new this year, he has added named iris to the dig your own bed's $5.00 a clump, & he has also gotten in to Daylilies. Great people that go out of their way to help you.. :) --nyvoices99 Anita *If you cant visit in person, go to their website! The Overlook Perennial Gardens (on Middle Rd., just out of Hammondsport) Fantastic! Small, but great plants and wonderful prices. They have some fairly hard to find plants, and Old English roses. --juspeachy Rochester Area Garden Factory ( in Gates, Just west of Rochester) Huge, the biggest in Western New York, and they have anything you could want. --yjtj Sara's Garden Center in Brockport Somewhat pricey but great sales at the end of the season. Great place to find unusual varieties -- MaryBz5NY Spring Valley Greenhouse (Daansen Rd, Walworth) Known for their clematis (actually give away free clematis on their opening day!) Also excellent for veggies --Rini & Upstategardener Have an inviting website, if you cant visit the place! Walker's Nursery in Marion Sporadic hours but great people, very direct about what to expect from plants -- they won't dissuade you from buying anything but they want you to know what you are going to get. --Rini Wayside Gardens (on rte 31 in Macedon) A bit pricey, but they have a good selection. I found herbs there that I couldn't find anywhere else. --rouan Lucus (Route 31, Macedon) Very unique plants -- upstategardener Christine Trollybed (Route 31, Macedon) Very unique plants -- upstategardener Christine Oriental Garden Supply (in Mendon) Bamboo, unusual conifers, dwarf conifers, japanese maples, unusual trees --starina Bristol's Nursery (Route 96, in Victor) Somewhat pricey but great sales at the end of the season. Great place to find unusual varieties -- MaryBz5NY --Also recommended by rouan Buffalo Area Galleys -- deg08 & husky004 Menne Nursery (Niagara Falls Boulevard, Buffalo) -- rbirch & Penny1947 Majeski Nursery (French Road, Buffalo)--husky004 Stedmans -- rbirch Adam's (in the town of Tonawanda) -- Russells (East Amherst, towards Buffalo) -- deg08, rbirch, and yjtj Garden in the Hollow (Route 5 in Clarence ) Small place for bargain hunters - smaller, healthy plants at great prices . Check out sales in the early spring on perennials. --Gertlee Masterson's (East Aurora) Good pond plants husky004 Also recommended by deg08 Johnson's Nursery (East Aurora) Unusual perennials & shrubs - very healthy. You will pay, but it's worth it. --Gertlee Boston Hills (just outside of Eden) Reasonable prices, wide variety, and great service --Glennkid Eden Valley (Eden) We are so far out in the western part of the state (Little Valley, NY that Eden Valley sounds good to me. --parmm Johnston Nursery (in Erie, Pennsylvania) Great selection, outstanding prices ( HALF the price of Menne/Adams/Russells and TWICE as large), and friendly service --Glennkid

Good news, Rhamel. I met with our Ass't Manager and she is all for rescuing plants before the bulldozers arrive. We decided to have a plant sale to finance Appreciation Day for all the wonderful people who took care of us during our blackout. I am contacting our Ward Leader to assist us in getting plants from DGS when they dismantle gardens and plantings to prep for new seasonal displays. I would like to invite you to join us for Digging Day if you care to. You will have first choice of plants. Some I have planted in "my" shade garden are several ferns, heuchera, several different hostas, creeping fig, lamium, liriope, maybe the dwarf iris and bleeding heart has survived. Some others that will be available are sedum, vinca, yarrow, the list goes on. I also can show you how to propagate a few shrubs.