Righto Kim. I'd have to say that to me the albas are the most pleasing rose plants, specifically White Rose of York and Mme Plantier. However in the interest of full disclosure, I must say that WroY is on its way out (some kind of cane tunneler - for want of a better term) and Mme P is recovering from a too close encounter with Syringia lacinata, Cut-leaf Lilac. I like this because I can get my lilac fragrance fix and yet it does not get too big - about 6'. Kim, I didn't realize at first that you could use this information in your breeding. Cath

I grow my dragon wing begonias in very large buckets, and save them at the end of the season inside a cottage that is heated at 48 degrees throughout the winter in Michigan. I presently have 34 plants that grow to the size shown in the photo. If parts are broken off during the summer, I just stick them in the ground and by fall, I have another plant. Before they are brought in, I spray them to eliminate bugs. I cut the roots and the foliage back to about 8 inches each, put them in large containers that are used to do an oil change on a car, and water them sparingly about twice a month during the winter. When I put them out in the spring, they are still quite small, but they grow very fast!

I have to go to work...will try to work on this from there...or when I get home. Nancy

Thank you! I had self-pollinated the flowers from the first scape, and they wilted almost on the spot. I think it is a good idea to pollinate 2 flowers of said "#15" from this pretty specimen, in other words to back-cross to the parent which is fortunately in bloom right now. One curliflower from the 2nd scape: