Actually, I've been following this thread for awhile & was coming here to say something similar to what Pam said, but I hadn't yet distilled in my mind what I wanted to say. To me, soil is something for the plants to set their feet in, no matter what it's made of. I think that puts me on pretty solid ground technically, but I'm subject to correction by you guys if it's not accurate from a practical perspective. I don't use these things, but it seems to me the terms are used pretty interchangeably, so instead of sounding disagreeable, I'll ask a question: Aren't we eliminating a fair number of products that could be used with reasonable results in containers simply because they are labeled 'potting soil' instead of 'potting mix'? .... and then it follows: Aren't there media out there that are labeled 'potting mix' that are far inferior to others with the unfavored label 'potting soil'? If there's a point I'm making, it's probably that the most important consideration to me would not be what's on the outside of the bag (label), but what's on the inside. That said, I am fully prepared to allow that perhaps a higher % of media labeled 'potting mix' might be appropriate when compared to those labeled 'potting soil'. I really don't know. Like I said, I don't buy these products. I walk by them & squeeze the bags out of curiosity to try to get a feel for what might be in them, or if there's a torn bag, I might pick some up to look it over. It really is just food for thought & more a question than an argument. Pam offers: "I've been container gardening both personally and professionally for many years and I have never made up my own mix but used high quality purchased mixes only. And with excellent results. It's merely a matter of understanding the requirements of container growing and the plants you are including and making sure the mix you use provides sufficient aeration, porosity, drainage and moisture retention to address those requirements." I'm proud to call Pam a dear friend & I agree with what she said. I KNOW she is an excellent container gardener; and of course you can grow vital, healthy plants in any mix that retains the physical characteristics she referred to. I'm not here to twist the arms of those who are satisfied and happy with what they use as media - especially growers like Pam. ;o) I always point out there is a balance between convenience and plant vitality in the mixes I grow in. I think that you can grow superior plants in the highly aerated mixes I use, but the trade-off is you have to be willing to water more often. Some NEED the convenience of not having to water a little more frequently, and I understand that's a part of our individual growing experience - it is whatever we want to make it. I have tried all manner of bagged and commercially prepared media, even the Fafard blends, but I still prefer those I make myself, even though I'm very busy tending plants and an extended interval between irrigatings coupled with not having to make my own media would be a real blessing. My main focus here on the forums is to try to help the folks who might be foundering a little - who might not be able to tell a good soil (oops) ;o) ..... a good medium from a bad one, those who really don't have access to a very good container medium and who would like to make their own, and those who are looking for a way to improve their soils, plant vitality, and growing experience through a better understanding of the 'whys and wherefores'. ;o) Take care. Al

I don't see a definition of subspecies or a definition of variety that would separate it from subspecies in Ronalawn's link. A simple answer is that subspecies is a broader division than variety. In other words, there could be multiple varieties of one subspecies. In actuality, there is considerable disagreement about which should be used when, and it's quite common to find a name referred to as both a subspecies name and a varietal name. I'm not aware of any formal rule for this, but from my experience, subspecies classification is often given to a group of plants that are geographically separated from a similar but slightly genetically different group of plants of the same species. Quercus ilex subsp. ilex and Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia are examples of this. Varietal classification is often given to a group of plants living among (there's a word for that, that I can't remember right now) a similar but slightly genetically different group of plants of the same species. Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis is a good example of this. Variety differs from form/forma in that a variety implies predictable inheritable traits where form/forma traits occur sporadically within a population.

I think there is definitely a fine line between country and cottage. I also think beadboard has now crossed over and is traditional, country, cottage, vintage, etc. I guess beadboard could be considered timeless and looks good in almost any design scheme, except super modern. When I think cottage, I see images of more pastel colors than with country. I also see more delicate flowers and painted furnishings. Now mind you, this is in my mind, it's nothing scientific. LOL In my new house I'm seeing traditional country for living area, country with modern accents for master bed and bath, old New Orleans for guest bath, cottage for guest bedroom, traditional for kitchen, vintage/traditional for foyer and traditional for office. In realizing my confusion for design and need to have all designs in one house, I suppose I won't be winning any design awards anytime soon. LOL In a year we can look back and see if I was able to pull all of this off in one house. HA!

That was super frustrating I was out in the Sacramento area and I could not get to photos to sync or post and I could not get the Facebook to send a message to Star Roses, but when I got home to my desk top, I could do it. Here is the French Lace. I had Dark Night and I did not take a photo, but it also had two canes that were bright red that grew up in the wrong way. Now I really wish I had a photo of that Dark Night. I really wish this is spring dwarfism. I have more photos, but I can't find that camera right now. I took these with my phone. But, the photos in that camera show other of the roses near it was some signs of it, but nothing as extreme as this one. I hope I can find at some point and post those. Unfortunately the link posted looks nothing like Dwarfism due to Mosaic and in big huge letters it says, THIS PAGE IS BEING WRITTEN. PLEASE DISREGARD THE INFORMATION ON ROSE MOSAIC VIRUS BELOW. If I saw the rose listed as in the photo, there I would think that is ok, and proably buy it. I like to buy sickly plants and nursery them back to health to show up my skills, but that Dark Night did not give me anything to go with. Like the photos I have, it had no leaves at all and only witches brooms instead of leaves and the nursery seller has been tricked by the Star Rose Rep into leaving those plants right next to all the healthy ones. We are not able to reason with Nursery Owner who probably does not use the Internet and does not know or care very much about roses either.