I love posts like this! I just planted my fruit trees, so I don't have anything to post yet, but I can't wait to see what others trees and fruits look like. If you could, please post the variety names as well if you know them. Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden

Hi again, rose friends! Just popping in to say 'thank you' to all of you for your enthusiasm, kind words, and for appreciating roses like I do. That 50-degree day was short-lived. I guess I shouldn't have gotten so excited. Tonight it is down to 17 degrees.....tomarrow it will struggle to get out of the twenties. Winter is hanging on. melva....,my Duchesse de Buccleugh is about 5 1/2 feet tall; she is only a couple of years old though....not sure of her mature dimensions. (I'm not sure if it will get the same size in your warmer climate or not.) york rose.....believe it or not, with over 350 rosebushes I still water all my roses by hand, by myself. We live out in the woods so we have our own artesian well (very deep) so I never have had to worry about running out of water, just time and patience....lol. Watering all those roses is probably my least favorite rose-chore, especially getting all tangled up in the extra-long hoses. Krista....its good to know you see what I see in 'John Hopper'.....he's FINE. Carla....Thanks for your sweet comment! organic....Yes, she is a DIVA, that Gloire des Mousseux...lol! Gean....so glad you are getting something out of my posts...thanks. I like 'introducing' you all to the roses, because I am so enthusiastic about them. aroidgardener....Excellenz is a wonderful, charming rose. You were SO smart in getting that one! I forgot to mention that the blooms last a very long time on the bush and are great for bouquets. Mark....Happy Spring to you as well....thank you for taking the time to read my post and for letting me know you enjoyed it! Tammy....Pinks are my favorites as well. I have way more pink roses than any other color. Eric....careful of those roses....they like to whip out a thorny cane when our backs are turned! Centifolia variegata is the sneakiest of my roses....I swear she waits for me to turn around and hooks me like a big fish and reels me in...lol. (but I love her still) Deb....I think you are right....roses do need that extra caress and a few 'sweet nothings' once in awhile. My neighbors can attest to the fact that I am in love with my roses....quite a few times I have gotten weird looks from them when they hear me talking and there's nobody there....lol. twohuskies.....I know what you are going through....I placed all my rose orders early and yet I am still pining away for yet more roses that I don't have room for! I am running out of land, time, money, etc. but I can't stop myself! Luxrosa...Pink or white Albas...there is nothing more beautiful. I am glad you know this too! And I can well understand your wanting to marry Long John Silver. I have him too, and he's a charmer. He can make you weak in the knees, can't he? Rose-fever is one 'sickness' I hope I never recover from....lol. Thanks, everybody! Celeste

Thanks everyone for your comments. Nat--The beetle is the size and shape of a Japanese beetle, but not shiny and is two shades of brown and yes, they eat the flowers and leave spots with no color. Chris--I got a single fan of Last Snowflake in August of 09. The next year I had 8 blooms and then the next year I thought it had died. It reappeared, but didn't bloom. I think I had 3 blooms last year and 7 this year. It's still a single fan. Maybe if I'd had a double fan it would've done better, but I don't know. Anyway it's been very disappointing here. It is gorgeous though.

Thanks, all! Mantis, I just got FF last September and there is only one scape (two fans), it is a bit shorter than registered height right now. I had to measure Jamie Dockery, it looks like most of the scapes are a bit shorter than the registered height. JD is one of two (the other being Early Shirley) that I noticed has a couple of rebloom scapes.