(You know, it's really hard to type when one is hopping up and down in one's desk chair.) This is why I LOVE a world-wide Internet community. Here I sit in Virginia, frustrated at the lack of availability of something here in the US, and one of our friends from Sweden opens the door to another possibility. Ann, I will leave the quest for Dr. E. M. Mills to you and Ron. Please let me know how things proceed. I've thought about the loss of roses a lot this past few days. Take a look at the incidents of shovel-pruning that are being reported all over the Rose Forums now, and one can easily see where a rose can be all but lost. We have limited space to garden, and sometimes one rose must leave in favor of new one. At one time, it appears that Radiance and her sports were the height of fashion -- now we have Gemini, and Moonstone, and Let Freedom Ring . . . and whatever the latest and greatest is this year on the show bench. Don't perceive this as a dig against newer HTs, because I grow them and I love many of them. (Gemini, however, left my garden two years ago -- some of my exhibitor friends were confused at that decision. I don't regret it a bit.) Also, rose growers have always been bombarded by marketing. Buy THIS rose . . . use THIS product . . . (snake oil, anyone?) As time passes, and fashion fades, good roses continue to please us in our gardens. I would just love to see, and possibly grow, some of the roses that were considered garden-worthy at various other times. My list above is just a representative sample, since it came from only one reference. I could go on and on, as I sit and make lists from other books . . . for example, where are all the other Brownell numbered pillar roses? Back to the sub-subject of roses available other places in the world . . . who would one talk to, or where would one find, the rules for legal importation of roses into the US. I know it can be done, under certain strict procedures which, I'm sure, vary according to the country the roses come from -- but I have no idea where to even start to research this. Anyone know? Connie

Hi gladness I am a little lower then you over in northwest Montana,, but umm can make a few suggestions,,High country is a great source however like me you have to check those zones pretty closely since alot of their plants are geared at the southwestern part of the rockies, which can be all the way to a zone 7-8,, a far cry from us,,LOL,, I suggest you post over at the rocky mountain forums where there are quite a few of us with the wacky climate you have,and various altitudes, yes you can have tomatoes over there you just have to pick the right types,, go with something that has a very short growing season or is grown in a container,,the siberian types or even ones like Fourth of July ,, I have maters that produce in as little as 50 days,, You can add alot of unique plants to your area it is seriously just a matter of researching them out,, personally I pick alot of my plants with foliage in mind as well as shape to get something differnt,, these stand out in my more common plants which if planted in large color drifts look great,, jwj

bluebars: This is so sad. I am sorry. Perhaps it is possible to give a level of application of this weed control product that most trees can tolerate while still killing weeds in a lawn. I would never take the risk. Also, I do believe that Norway spruce are more susceptible to poisoning from this product than some other kinds of trees. Norway spruce is one of my absolute favorite trees, and one of its virtues is its very high disease and insect resistance in most parts of the country. These trees are very tough, and also have wonderful drought resistance. But this susceptibility to weed control chemicals is a weak point. I often see some poor looking trees that are weakened if not completely killed by these chemicals. Needless to say, I hate them. The chemicals are designed to kill most everything except grass. Trees, in this regard, are "weeds." Most trees can survive light applications of these chemicals because they are so big and strong, but their basic susceptibility to the chemicals is the same as the weeds. I won't use them around any trees because it has negative effects no matter how light the application. Before we moved here to the Winchester area we lived in Arlington, VA. At the back of our property there we had the most wonderful line of NS trees--especially wonderful in the variation in appearance (growth form, foliage, etc) from tree to tree. Two years ago we went back to see how the old house was doing. The owner invited us in to see the renovations, etc. Out the back I saw all our NS trees dead or dying. All the weeds in that part of the lawn were gone, but also the trees, that were not only beautiful in themselves, but also a wonderful screen blocking the view from the houses behind. Awful! I must admit that I have a different attitude about lawns than most people. Weeds in a lawn dont really bother me, unless there is some kind that completely takes over and then doesnÂt provide a good ground cover. I really love dandelions, etc. and others that produce nice flowers at different times of the year. My attitude is one that was held for many years in this country. If you ever go to Monticello (Jefferson"s home) in VA and take the garden tour, you will probably be told about how people felt about lawns in those days and how the variety of plants that mixed in with the grasses were thought to be a plus. One of the "weeds" that grew in lawns at that time gave a wonderful fragrance when stepped on. I wish my view of lawns were more common. I have tried to talk to my friends about allowing more variety in their lawns and to stop using these chemicals, but I am sorry to say I donÂt think in all the years I have been doing this that I have made a single convert. There are some people I have met who agree with me, but I have never changed any minds. What to do? Two possible solutions. First, one can place mulch around the trees. Because the roots can extend so far, this may not be practical in most situations. Perhaps mulch closer to the tree, and then some kind of ground-cover plant extending further out or a flower garden, maybe. For the lawn--if the weeds get too bad, kill the old lawn with all the weeds, etc--perhaps with Roundup or something that is active on the foliage and not in the ground, and then replant with a kind of seed guaranteed to be weed seed free. Weeds will eventually come back, however. Perhaps for a long time they can be controlled in areas near trees by hand weeding them out. If it is a choice between the trees and the grass--I choose the trees every time. --Spruce

Just found this out on the SW Forum. Debndal, you're probably right about the heat issue with some of perennials, but it can get plenty hot in some parts of NM too! Clay soil is also predominant here in Santa Fe, so there might have been some other factors at play. Lucas, I'm still hopeful that there will be a sale at their store locations here in NM. Sorry about the loss of the mail-order side of things, which was probably the best part of this company (the stores were always overpriced outside of sale times).