Sammy........ I am sorry you did not find more nurseries and gardens listed for your state. I think that is an indication that the site is under-utilized in your area or that gardeners in your state are not familiar with the site. HMF does not advertise and is not supported by advertisers, but is supported by site users through premium-memberships, nursery sponsorships and donations. People find out about HMF by word of mouth, mentions in articles as the references used for the article, by nurseries listing their inventories and pointing customers to HMF to find out more about the roses they carry. In my former life, I used to be a construction accountant. Every time I changed jobs, I had to learn a new accounting program. It's the same on the internet. HMF is designed to be a tool for research and an archive of information about roses that are currently in commerce or have gone out of commerce. It takes time to learn how to navigate a new site, but I do think HMF is worth it. Connie is correct, when people list their gardens, it provides more information to other site users about the roses that grow well in their area. When even small nurseries lists their inventories, it helps rose lovers find a source for roses that may not be readily available in your local neighborhood. When site users share their experiences about how a rose performs in their gardens, those COMMENTS are archived with the rose page. All of this information can be found without having to wait for a response from other site users. However, members of the rose community play an important role in answering questions on the Q & A, providing more information about a plant's performance and, yes, catching errors. As nurseries like Vintage close, having those gardens listed on HMF will create a valuable tool to help save the roses that are not easily found in commerce. Smiles, Lyn

I really like the scenery in UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN. Near the end of the movie there is a lovely scene where the writer hosts her adopted son's wedding reception in an Italian garden. Another great scene is when her best friend comments on the "spooky Italian trees". I also agree about the Lord of the Rings trillogy. I own the dvds and have been known to pop in the first movie just so that I can watch the Shire scenes. When I first saw the film I had fantasies of living in a house under a hill with a big round front door. Did you notice the pretty cottage garden in front of BagEnd? Now THAT is my idea of idealic. The Rivendale and Lothlorian scenes were also breathtaking. Two things that stand out in my mind is the silvery garden temple in the first Rivendale scene where Frodo is looking out from his balcony at the elven colony. Another scene is the Elven Queen's scrying well (she calls it the Mirror). I want that well! Mine of course would be surrounded by white roses. Here is a link that might be useful:

It takes another gardener to know how one feels, not just about the joys, but about the tragedies, too! And you know what they say... what doesn't kill us only serves to make us stronger! Your former plant-sitter obviously isn't a gardener... if she were, she'd understand how important all the work you've done to your yard is to you! She doesn't care about flora and fauna... she cares only about the money she can make pretending to look after it all while her clients are vacationing. Those kinds of people have empty souls... they're miserable people deep down inside, and we should really pity them... they never really see the beauty of nature around them, they'll never experience the emotion that a special flower in bloom can bring, and they'll never feel one with nature or experience the deep sense of accomplishment that working with nature brings. I've seen so many people like that, being in the dog breeding business as we are... people who look at plants and animals and only see the monetary value... it's sad, really. When spring rolls around again, you're welcome to divisions, cuttings, young stock... whatever I have... of any of the multitude of perennials and shrubs in my gardens! I have Daylilies (both named and unnamed), iris (named and unnamed), columbine, rudbeckia, echinacea, hostas (named and unnamed), ferns (most named), heuchera (all named), monarda in 3 colors, roses (named and unnamed, large and miniature), and a plethora of other perennials and shrubs, the list too long to pull out of my memory at this moment in time! I'm not even through my first cup of coffee yet! You have all winter to think about it, though... and you pretty much know what my gardens contain due to all the photos I've posted! There are some things that didn't make the photos, but I'll have a more detailed listing by then. I've always felt that the most beautiful and precious of plants come from the gardens of our friends. Gardening is for sharing! If not, then why grow all this beauty? Surely not to hoard for ones self! It can only be enjoyed fully if we share the beauty with others! I sure wish your yard could have shared in all the rain we've gotten lately! Last year, this area of the country was low on precipitation, but we're surely making up for it this year! Not a week has gone by since spring that we haven't had at least one storm with an inch of rain! I've only had to run the soaker hoses once so far this season... last year, they ran constantly, it seems! In fact, we had more thunder storms last night! Larry and I stood out in the garage and watched the lightening flash across the sky... the light show was incredible! The flashes were both orange and white-hot! Some were in the distance, but some were pretty close! Some flashes were like long bony fingers of orange reaching across the heavens and branching out, and others were thick blue-white spikes that tore from the clouds and shot straight to the ground! The thunder constantly rumbled, and it boomed loudly when a bolt hit close by! The accompanying rain was at times soft and light, and then it would downpour for a bit before tapering off to sprinkle again... it was an awesome storm! I'm always awed by nature! Remember when you were a kid... and you were kind of scared of thunder storms? My Dad would kneel with us, backwards on the couch, facing the huge picture windows in our living room, and every time a lightening bolt would flash, we'd count... one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand, like that... until the thunder sounded... and then my Dad would say, "See? That one was only 3 miles away!" And he would explain to us how heat lightening was generated, how rain formed in the clouds, the cycle of rain to ground water, and all those things you want to know about when you're a little kid... and before we knew it, the storm would pass... and we wouldn't be afraid anymore. But I digress... Sometimes, there are opportunities hidden in the guise of disaster... I agree with Lizalily... this is actually a good opportunity to think about getting those few plants that you've wanted, but just haven't had room for, or just haven't ordered yet. It's also a good time to think in terms of water conservation... planting things that can tolerate a bit of dry. If you plan on taking several trips during the summers, laying out a plan of irrigation, and drought tolerant plantings for the areas that won't be irrigated, might be something to think about. Things like ornamental grasses and sedums can really be eye catching, and once established, they don't require much in the way of watering! I was all set to do some digging yesterday... to get some divisions ready to ship out... and the rains began! I suppose that's actually good, though... the divisions will be good and hydrated now, and should ship well with a lot less stress. The rain only set me back in seed collecting, saturating the pods. That will have to wait a few days, while the sun dries everything out. But, by this afternoon, the garden soil should be just about right for digging, and I can get some much needed dividing done! I did get lucky in that I got several perennials planted before the rains arrived yesterday! The rains gave the new plantings a good, deep drink! Well... I think that between Lizalily, Kitty, myself, and others... you'll be swimming in pass-along plants and divisions and cuttings for your gardens next spring! Put together a list of the colors and heights you're looking for, perennials and shrubs, seeds, and anything else you think you might want to add to your beautiful beds, and we'll all keep our shovels and pruning clippers clean, sharpened and at the ready! And by next summer, you're gardens will be so gorgeous, you won't have to go anywhere else for a vacation... your back yard will be a paradise!

Will- I have been a gardener since I worked at a nursery/garden center/landscape company in High School, but I started collecting midsummer of 2008. I started out trying to locate a Pinus flexis 'Vanderwolf' I had seen at Home Depot, but had sold before I could get back with the truck. I had trouble locating it because all I could remember was "Limber Pine 'Van-something-or-other'", however I found a lot of awesome plants, and the next thing I knew I had spent way to much money, and ordered way to many plants. By the time I got the shipment of over 30 conifers, I had forgotten about the 'Vanderwolf' and it is still in a pot in my nursery area behind the barn. It's just not that special of a plant now. Probably need to either plant it or pot it up this spring though it's getting pretty big. The overindulgence brought about another problem that my girlfriend pointed out, "where you gonna plant them all?" Now I needed to make more planting beds! This brought a neighbor down who asked me to stop my expansions since I was giving his wife to many ideas and his to do list was getting to long. I had to start tagging trees this spring to remember what was where, to which my buddy said "Most ppl at this point realize they have enough and stop planting, not you, you don't have to remember now and this just gives you an excuse to get more..." He works for a local "Chem Lawn" type business and jokes that every once in a while he is spraying a lawn or mulching and notices they have little tags ever where like mine. And another buddies wife makes jokes about going to the "museum" when they stop by. I explained that I was going to an "ARBORETUM" once, and she thinks it was a "Tree museum" I guess! To be honest though, my family and friends have all been very supportive, and enjoy seeing my new acquisitions and plantings. I think my excitement rubs off on them. My little brother just graduated college and moved to Nevada, but one of the first things he ask whenever we talk is "Any new garden projects?" Everyone ask questions and at least give the impression that they care I guess! It never ceases to amaze me, the conifers that always get the most attention are my least favorite, or ones that just aren't that rare or exciting in my opinion. My Abies kor. 'Silberlocke' always draws the most attention (Admittedly, mine is a very nice one, and one of my larger trees) even though I have a Pinus con. 'Chief Joseph' ten feet to the left or a mini forest of Picea glauca's not far away and similar situations! No one has started "collecting" per say because of me, but many have asked me to get them a plant here or there after seeing one in my gardens. When I go into my local garden center a couple of the guys who've helped me with various projects tell other employees or customers about my collection. Since I started almost a year and a half ago I'm up to aprox. 250 cvs. A few of them I had prior to collector mode throughout the gardens, but didn't know or care until recently. Most of them have a LOOOOOOONG way to go. Like you, I've popped for a few nice ones here or there, but prefer to buy lots of small ones that will get big and enjoy the ride. I figure I can move them a dozen times if need be until I'm satisfied or they get to big for moving, and that way I can continue to expand my gardens as I have time, and always have plenty to choose from already. Eliot