Andreajp: I forget to answer your quality question. Roses Unlimited in SC, Chamblees in Texas, and High Country Roses in Utah are in the Gardenwatch TOP 5 as far as quality and customer service goes. Roses that you receive from the above three nurseries are over 1 foot, good root system and often have buds. This summer I'm pleased with what I received from Roses Unlimited and High Country Roses. I'm ordering more Austins from Chamblees, and the customer service has been great - they patiently answered my questions as to the fragrance of each rose. I have to warn you about own-root Austins: they need time and frequent watering to be established. Even with my 40" annual rainfall and planting in partial shade - they don't bloom unless well-watered. If your water is alkaline like mine (tested with fish-tank litmus paper sold at Walmart), fix the water with a soluble acid fertilizer high in phosphorus would encourage more blooms. The Chicago Botanical Garden stated their soil pH to be 7.4 (with composted leaves), and they use soluble fertilizer for their Austins and OGR's. My soil pH is 7.7 - David Austins catalog put his roses into 3 groups: Leander, Hybrid Musk, and Hybrid Old Rose. Own-root Austins in the Hybrid Old Rose Group hate my alkaline soil - I had to amend generously with peat moss (pH of 4) and alfalfa meal (pH of 5). Own-root Austins in the Leander and Hybrid Musk tolerate my alkaline wet soil well. Good luck on planting your own-root Austins. They stay more compact and controllable in growth, which is important for warmer climate. The grafted Austins at my zone 5a rose park are wild monsters compared to my tiny own-root Austins.

Keep searching! By the middle to end of summer, lots of bulb companies will have their websites updated with new listings of bulbs... and the Fall 2008 catalogs will be available! If you Google "fall bulbs" or "amaryllis" or "hippeastrum", or any key word combination related to indoor forcing bulbs or bulbs for indoor forcing, you should get lots of results with tons of links to follow! Companies that sell Tulips and Daffodils often sell Hippeastrum bulbs, as well. I searched last fall for online catalogs and retail sellers of hippeastrum, and I found lots of links to stores and places to order from! One of my favorite places is Royal Colors... John Scheeper's is another good bulb company... Brent & Becky's, Blooming Bulb, Dutch Gardens, Nature Hills, Garden Import, and the list goes on... A Google search for amaryllis bulbs should net a good amount of places to begin looking! Here is a link that might be useful: Royal Colors

You have to have a schedule and you have to adhere to it as best you're able. Sounds really draconian, but it isn't. It's the schedule that will keep an elderly person on course (esp. if they are losing mental capability), allow you to accomplish that which you must do, AND schedule help/respite. Help/respite. You must have this. Trust me on this. I have had Mum with me for nearly 3 years now. For fully 2 of them I did it alone. After her stroke I knew she was no longer able to bathe alone. I hired a woman to come in thrice weekly and assist her. Smartest thing I've done in a long time! I don't have to do it, it accords Mum some privacy, and she has another person with whom to interact. I calmly told my brother he had to step up to the plate and do some caregiving, too. It wasn't fair that I gave up my former life and he had to give up nothing. He now takes her for a month at a time; usually every 2-3 months. I'm OK with that arrangement; but know if he scheduled a "bath lady" it would be easier for him to take her more frequently. Try to incorporate them into your daily errands. I pack Mum into the car (along with the dog) and she "rides shotgun". She is perfectly happy to go for a ride, wait in the car in the sunshine while I dash into one place or another... sometimes she wants to go in, too... so I usually allot enough time. If I haven't, I simply say, "No" and explain why. I will grab her a "treat" if she must wait in the car. I make sure we get out to do something "fun" at the next opportunity. It takes practice to venture out with an elderly, infirm person. You will learn the places that easy to access, have comfortable bathrooms, have help that is willing to move slowly and patiently with the elderly. Mum goes every month for a shampoo/haircut/manicure. The woman is a delight; warm, patient, and gives Mum her undivided attention. We are "regulars" at several establishments BECAUSE they are willing to make time for a slow, old woman. It's hard work; not always fun. I miss my freedom terribly, if you want to know the truth. But I can do this and feel it is important for me to do it. She ain't gonna live forever, afterall. (Hi Connie!)

Kat....so true! I would add "have the right to complain and vent" !!