Hi Guys:IMHO,Sal's #1 is very close related to Hardy Chicago,but positivelly more productive. This fig was in the E.L.,inventory,a number of years ago. Presently they look like they decided to sell it as one with Hardy Chicago. So we can say they do not carry Sal's any more. Or we can say They do not carry Hardy Chicago any more,and the one they sell ,might be Sal's. One thing i can say. I have a Hardy Chicago,from Hartmann plant co,in Lacota Michigan,much closer to the source where HC,came from,and it is different than Sal's,Alias HC,from Edible Landsc. It is positivelly more vigurous,and has a longer central lobe compared to the figs coming from EL. Also it never shows any symptoms of fig mosaic virus,while the figs (i have both) from EL does. ----------------------------------------------------------- Now there is another Sal's coming from Belleclare as a second cultivar(they use to have two Sal'sadvertised),and this one is completelly different compared with #1,in that it has larger fruits,and diff. leaves. So here you are make your own conclusion,I made mine. Best regards

Defrost - I wrote a long message this morning that seems to have gotten lost in the ether. There are a several roses that I've grown in the past or am growing now. Many of my current plants I started from cuttings, and you'd be welcome to come take cuttings if you would like. I have found them relatively easy to grow from cuttings even though I don't know much about it. Almost all my roses are relatively easy care, but the Japanese beetles bother all but the earliest. I recently read that water that has had cedar soaking in it will discourage the Japanese beetles when sprayed on susceptible plants, so I'll be trying that this summer since I have way too much field area to treat for grubs. - Rugosa Hansa (previous house along with one other Rugosa) - Lovely scent, easy care, but I didn't get good repeat. - Double white rugosa - Lovely scent, not good repeat, looks like wet tissue if it rains but gorgeous if it doesn't get wet. One of two current roses from Uncanoonuc, and it is grafted. I fight the understock to keep it from taking over. - Apothecary rose - striped red and white shrub with strong rose scent. I fight the understock (multiflora I think) which has come up 8' away from the plant. Early bloomer no repeat. Uncanoonuc. - Autumn Sunset - Gold Climber, good repeat, light scent. Another Uncanoonuc rose, also grafted, and after about 3 years didn't come back after one winter, though I don't know if it was due to voles or it was too cold. I would grow again if it were on its own roots. - Fairy rose - previous house - no scent, repeat (almost constant) bloom, easy care. - Dr. Huey - Dark red climber from understock. Not much repeat. - John Davis - light scent, medium pink, one of the Canadian Explorer roses, shorter climber. Long bloom with lighter repeats continuing. - Lady Elsie Banks - medium pink shrub, no scent that I notice. Repeats well. - New Dawn (probably) AKA George's rose since it came as a cutting from my now-gone neighbor George. Vigorous climber, very pale pink very double flowers, little if any scent (can't get close enough to smell) and wicked thorns that require that it be planted away from paths. - An unknown pink shrub rose that was here at the house when we arrived. Lovely scent, no repeat bloom. Cleanest foliage of any rose I grow, and the foliage has a light scent. Although IME own root roses don't take off quite as soon as grafted roses, in the long run, I prefer them as I don't have issues with the root stock and all my own root roses have always come back. I don't do any extra winterizing. I don't know if Uncanoonuc has any roses that are own root. I added Zepherine Drouin (pink climber) and Westerland (orange mix) this past summer and haven't yet any feedback on them. This winter will test them, but they are both own root, so I have faith that they will come through.

Last week Tuesday, Trouble (one of my dogs) and I were walking around sundown when we heard lots of racket. Looking up I was thrilled to see a wave of about 1000 geese overhead, all headed north. A few minutes later, a second wave, just as large or larger, passed by. Being a "northerner" until last fall, I assumed they were Canadian Geese - about all we ever saw. The next day I read in the local press that they were Snow Geese. What brave birds they are. They winter on the western coast of the Gulf of Mexico but breed in the summer north of the tree line in Alaska and in the arctic regions of Canada. Now that's what I call a comute!!

NHB: it is fine dining and the most special part is the farm to table aspect. Almost all of his suppliers are a few minutes away. Meats, poultry and vegetables, cheese etc all come from right in the area. He is thrilled , to say the least. You can check their blog on the website and see his latest menus and the wine dinner menu. He actually went to the farm that supplies the ducks and geese and he and the owner did the slaughtering right before Thanksgiving. He was able to get tons of fat from the ducks and is in " confit heaven" LOL. Bonnie, caminnc and sandy.....oh my what gorgeous pics. So serene. Beautiful . tina: we travelled up there to see them several times in the year they were there but not in the dead of winter. We loved the area. I am really looking forward to seeing the beautiful scenery of his new location. c