Fellenberg, I believe, is considered similar to Italian, but as I said, I never have grown it. It tends to be rated a moderate cropper. I consider Italian here less than a moderate bearer so I'm guessing Fellenberg would likely be same. There's a lot of tricks I use to accelerate bearing so I'm not sure if Fellenberg actually can't be speeded up significantly. I consider Castleton a very flavorful prune plum but what makes it stand out is its reliability- it tends to set fruit in clusters almost like grapes. Some years other plums set little or no fruit but Castleton always seems to have a crop at all sites. It is also a natural semi-dwarf with a wonderful spreading branch habit. My favorite prune plum is Valor because it is very big and has that rich super-sweet quality and it can ripen from the last week of August here until the first hard frost. That is an extremely long picking time even for a prune plum. The reason I recommend Castleton over Valor is because of its consistency at many sites I manage. The funny thing is that at some sites plums are generally much more reliable than other sites for reasons I've never been able to decipher. That means that to really know what is best at your site you'd have to try several varieties and find out yourself but if you're just going to try one I think Castleton is your best bet. ACN carries it but you'd better order ASAP because the commercial growers are sucking it up.

Patti ~ Where are you, since you aren't at home? If you don't mind my asking. Will you have a lot of snow at home to shovel? I've heard about others covering the bases of their plants with snow because of the insulation. Don't work too hard. I know, easier said than done. : -) Natal ~ I do think most things will be ok. They will probably get wind/cold burned like you say, but should bounce back as this isn't supposed to last. I had some lovely double impatiens turn to mush one year. Kathy ~ Oooohhh, you've got really cold temps coming your way. I've heard about using Christmas lights for heat in little greenhouses. Which reminds me, I need to cover my little greenhouse with something. Most of my gardens are pretty protected, so I hope they will do fine. Right now it is 49 and feels like it is 38. Brrr. We'll see how cold it really does get tonight. It may break a record which was in 1962, for this time of year. FlowerLady

LOL, this is too funny! Shasta daisies, I love them, bought one measly little plant 8 years ago, from that, had them in all my gardens, and gave a bunch to my neighbor, who also loved them. when she sold her house, the new owners ripped everyone out, and told me "she sure had a thing for those da*n daisies didn't she?" Guess it was a good thing by then my gardens were all toasted, or he would see a bunch more :D They have it up for sale again, must of got wind I was putting a shasta daisy garden along the fence :D Now, for me, its 4 o'clocks. OMG, i planted some 8 years ago, and i'm still trying to get rid of them. they are even in my yard. only thing in the garden the weeds taking over did not kill, they just grew and grew and grewwwwwww. funny, they didn't do that at my grandma's in michigan :D thanks, gave me a good chuckle tonight :D sally

Denise ~ Thanks. Have and open garden? Yikes! I don't think so. :-) I'm a selective picture taker, and my gardens aren't ready for touring, except via the web. After looking at all of the wonderful gardens here, I've still LOTS of work to do in mine. It's an ongoing project, one I keep learning with as I bumble along. Some of my OGR's are in the ground, others are in pots. I do this on a shoe string. Haven't bought any new ones in a few years now. I read about OGR's when I first got interested and they are more hardy and can handle poorer soils. I know mine don't really have the room they need, I'm just working with and around them. Jellybobelly ~ Thank you and you are so right about the pictures everyone shares being encouraging and inspirational. Looking at pictures can make one feel a tad 'green' at times, yet they make one want to get out and work in their own gardens. I wish scents could be shared also. There are so many things I'd love to smell, lilacs, peonies, and much more. Felix ~ Thank you. I'm sure you are giving your roses way better care than I am. After all, you've got some wonderful free fertilizer and you're great with plants. I really don't do anything special. I give them a dose of Miracle-Gro every now and then, sometimes a scattering of epsom salts, and sometimes a drink of stinky alfalfa tea. I need to do that again. I talk to them, sometimes nicely and sometimes NOT, like when I get stuck with a thorn or three or four. :-) Gardening is a learning experience that is never ending. It brings much joy, in spite of all the hard work. I've learned and been inspired here in this forum and others. I've traded seeds and a few cuttings and have some wonderful additions to my humble gardens. Thank you all once again. FlowerLady