Florence - Yes, we are having a lot of fun with the new camera. It's one of those combination camcorders/cameras and my daughter has been make all kinds of "documentaries" and even a garden tour. Garden 2 Garden - I'm liking the color more and more myself. I remember last year I was a little worried the color would be too strong or too dark, but it seems to fit in very nicely with the other roses in my garden. Organic Garden - I'm sure your Pretty Jessica will start doing something soon. You'll love it once it starts performing. Mine are grafted, and although I'm usually very hesitant to buy a grafted rose in my climate it could possibly explain the difference. Labrea - I love the alyssum too. It's so easy and common, but you just can't beat it as a companion for roses (in my opinion). It blooms non stop from spring to hard freeze and always looks good. Krista - I agree, Austin has some wonderful pink roses. I purchased Eglantyne last year on your recommendation and I really love it too. It was just a tiny band last year, and it's in a bad spot completely shaded and crowded out by an encroaching "The Fairy" but it has given me several exquisite blooms this summer. Randy - I agree, the perfectly shaped blooms can't be beat. It's so old fashioned looking to me, yet blooms non stop. Okay, I'm starting to sound like a commercial for David Austin roses so I'll stop now. I usually do not cut my flowers for bouquets, but since there were so many I went ahead and cut five for the house. My daughter took this picture with her camera:

LOL, schoolhouse, that was the first thing I thought too - how healthy everything looks! My plants have lots of ratty foliage and bug-eaten blooms, lol. I've got to get myself a nice little point-and-shoot. My DH bought me a beautiful digital SLR camera with complete manual over-ride, which I am still trying to learn. For serious photography it's great, but to run out to take a quick pic for ID or something like that, it's a pain. Have fun with your new toy! Of course we now expect lots of pics! :) Dee

beautiful!!!!have you notice that some of the 'UF' look like that--the one you said looklike it rotted out--have you checked out C Hansen intros this year? only one scape in mendo we have been having the cool morns-- got an order from Nicole H.--and rices--they are great--fans like redwoods-- Well you know they'll shrink uphere but what a great start-- bestbloomsalways keep sharing--cole

Lrae - EVENING ENCHANTMENT is one of my older ones but I will always have it growing in my yard. It keeps that dark, and yes - Velvety - look all day - something hard to do in our Georgia hot sun. Shive - we need a dance to go along with that daylily.. love the color but admit buying it for the name..LOL Fairysoap - I USED to say I didn't like red daylilies.. now I seem to seek them out.. I probably have 40+ different reds and all of them are different.. nothing like that splash of color mixed in with the pastels. Shelly