Thank you to all for your feedback. From what I read, gardening in our new home promises to be challenging between the BS and the Japanese beetles. I have yet to figure out if I will decide to spray (I don't here). I also need to figure out if you can put some roses in containers or if you put them in the ground (hence the dieback in winter). Maybe some of you can suggest a few books I can read for our future endeavors. I've looked at all your comments regarding our roses. Caldwell Pink, Perle d'Or or Francis Dubreuil will probably take the trip with us. I can check on it on a daily basis, water wise etc. My heart was set on keeping Souvenir de la Malmaison (my husband and I met there) but I'd rather leave it here with someone who can enjoy it. I've already e-mailed Connie that we are planning on attending the get together in October. I look forward to it and would love to hear your successes (for roses and perennials) as well as your trial and errors. Thanks again. Isabelle

North Haven Gardens in your area has a list of fruit tree I assume work well in your area. At least one or more of these cultivars has a description that states 'juicy'. Several others mention 'good'. None mention 'good juicy'. Call your local master gardener's hotline for more recommendatons. Yadda out. Here is a link that might be useful: North Haven Gardens

Here is a link to a TAMU site with recommended fruit tree varieties. You may want to contact the Dallas County Master Gardeners to get specific information about the pear trees on this list to find out which are the "juiciest." I'm sure others here will be able to answer that too. Here is a link that might be useful: Fruit trees for Texas

srahndennis, yeah, it was especially interesting when several were working for competing brands; that isn't a problem anymore :) My brother is very complimentary about Showplace, he says it is the best value cabinet he has been involved with. They do lots of custom work but at a semi-custom price. Well, custom sizes and cabinet configurations, but not custom stains,species, or door styles. He also worked for a custom builder called Actua for awhile, but I couldn't remember that name before. Actua went bye-bye a long time ago during an earlier recession. The guy who started Showplace also started Decora and Starmark; this is his third brand and sounds like the third time is a charm! Crystal is a great cabinet too, but much higher priced; at least that is what I think I know. Lyptus is BEAUTIFUL and has a great "green" story; it ages like cherry and looks like mahogany ... I think darker colors look best, but that is personal preference. On the formaldehyde subject; most national brands that sell in California are required to live by the rules set by California (if you want to get deep into it Google "CARB" to get some "light" bedtime reading; maybe you've heard the term)... those are the best you'll find. The smaller "custom" shops would not have to live by the California rules, but still might be OK; you'd have to specifically ask them.