Patrick, Could you bring me some Esther Reed daisy? I can bring you some red foliage canna. The person I got them from called them scarlet ribbed. Teresa

Hello Corrine, I just posted on your 'haves' post. Other choices that I have that you want are: Bergenia-don't know the name Clematis (vine) Nelly Moser-cuttings I started already Other clematis-spring blooming white flowered-plant Clematis 'Radar love', 'Montana tetrarosa', 'sweet autumn' all cuttings I started end of Jan beginning of Feb. Columbine-mostly dark purple blooming Epimedium Lamium-pink blooming-decorative leaves Thanks, Teresa

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick (Corylus avellana contorta, or contorted filbert) is a mutation. It will not reproduce from seed. So for the average gardener without access to a tissue culture laboratory, there are only three options: layering, rooting a cutting, or grafting a cutting. Layering can take a year, and if the tree isn't yours, you need the owner's permission to lay a branch down and leave it that way for that entire year. Grafting takes practice, and means that you have to find a compatible plant to act as donor. Filberts are notorious for sending up suckers from the rootstock, especially if the main trunk is cut. I have a native filbert at the top of my driveway that I tried to cut down, with the result that it is growing only to shrub-height, and has about 20 trunks. With grafted filberts, you have to watch for straight trunks coming from the root stock. It can be a never-ending battle, since every time you cut off a sucker, it can stimulate several suckers to grow in its place, like the Hydra of Greek mythology. It's been my experience that the best way to remove such a sucker is to rip it right off of the rootstock. Grasp the stem close to where it comes off of the rootstock and pull it down and away from the rootstock, tearing the cambium off with it. Of course, this creates a wound that invites disease. You can see how much trouble it can be propagating this particular plant by grafting. However, one advantage of grafting a tree is that you can control its height by selecting a dwarf rootstock. That's how they create dwarf apple trees, and that's why the contorted filbert is characterized as a dwarf. For that reason, a tree you start from a cutting may grow a little taller than what you expect, so if you like the diminutive stature of nursery-grown contorted filberts, keep that in mind. Personally, for this plant, I like the option of rooting a cutting best. The roots it develops will be its own, so if it does send up suckers, they will have the twisted characteristic you want. Try soft wood (current years' growth), semi-hard wood (last years' growth), and hard wood (two years old). From what I've read, filberts are not difficult to start from cuttings, and cuttings taken in fall or early spring do best. Good luck!

Jim, Thanks in advance. I got some of your 'Autmn Joy' at the last trade, and they look wonderful! I can take as many as a dozen gallon pots. jburesh1388, My roses are clearance potted roses from Lowe's. I have five roses: Two are labeled "windowsill" roses, which I guess means they are tender. The varieties are Rosa 'Autumn Sunblaze' (Red) and Rosa 'Bridal Sunblaze' (white. I also have 2 Knockout Roses (that's a trademark brand, I guess, don't know what it means): 'Red Radrazz' (red, of course), and Rosa 'Radcon' (pink). Finally, I have a patent rose, 'Joyful Jubilee', not sure what color it is. The closeout roses were all looking a bit scraggly, like they forgot to water them for a while. There were a lot of dropped leaves, but I picked out the best of the bunch - ones that have new growth, and a couple that were still blooming. They are all leafing up quite nicely, making the most of what's left of the growing season. In other words, they are still vigorous, although by the time the trade comes around, there won't be any outward sign of life in them.