The newer hybrids have had the fragrance bred out of them, unfortunately. You have to find old-fashioned types to find the floral appeal(this I remember fondly from ones bought by my mother in the 60s). The leaves are sticky, but I've not found that to be objectionable. The deadheading and stem elongation with warm weather can distract, but I find removing the faded flowers a therapeutic 'chore', while being out in the fresh air and sunshine. Like to know that I'm extending the flowering potential and season of enjoyment.

Linda enjoy your time away from the snow. :) Yesterday we had 7 inches of heavy wet snow. Another storm system is lurking just around the corner....6-12 inches are predicted on Sunday, then blowing winds on Monday.

Believe me when I tell you-- NO ONE hates these threads more than I do. Every time I open one, I feel like I could barf. No lie. I also know I'm probably just as responsible as Al for these threads going on as long as they do and topping out before they head into oblivion. Here's the problem, though. This is Al's shtick. As one webmaster put it, he beats down his opposition with "verbal diarrhea", and then once his opposition gives up, he influences his audience. I refuse to give up. As I've said several times in the last two days across the web, I'm damned if I'm going to give him ANY kind of credibility by my silence. This is too important, and the repercussions could be too far reaching.

I never considered white cabinets for the kitchen in my forever house either because I once owned a home with oak cabinets, painted white, by the prior owners. When it was time for me to sell that house, the housing inspector hired by my buyers rated the kitchen cabinets "substandard" due to the lack of a factory paint job. Ever since that experience, I've been a fan of wood-stained cabinets. I also think a preference for wood-stained cabinets over painted cabinets is a generational thing. My parents (in their 80s) think the only reason to paint wood is because the wood is of such poor quality that it doesn't stain well. Not necessarily true but that's how they think and their home (as well as the homes of all of their friends) is full to brim with stained wood--stained wood doors and moldings, stained paneling in the den and stained wood cabinets on the kitchen and bathrooms--and the end result are dark and dim houses by today's standards. Lots of people, me included, wound up painting the paneling in the den to lighten things up a bit!