Back after a long absence. The plants (Bougainvillea in center, flanked by Tangerine Beauty crossvines) don't look so good. They haven't been fertilized since we planted them in No. 2012, but were well fertilized then. They were well watered last year, but we cut back this year. I think they need more water and fertilizer. This post was edited by benesesso on Sun, Apr 13, 14 at 11:22

I live in Seattle, zone 8. I have a Barry's Silver planted approximately 9 years ago that is more than 9 ft. tall, 4 ft. wide. I'm suspicious that it is beginning to revert, at least in terms of size. The brown interior is beginning to be more visible, but up until now, this tree has been gorgeous, with no burning, no maintenance. Don't think I've ever watered it except for the first year. I almost wish it would die, as it is way too big for its location, but too big to move and too nice to cut down. Everyone who comes into my garden seems compelled to pet it.

I agree, the information posted about how cultivars do for people in different locations is priceless. You don't get that out of a database or garden sales website. Here is what a responded to the Robin with a few corrections (I figured out I was mixing cultivars in my brain and writing comments about the wrong plant...oops!) ROSES IN SNOW- I was disappointed with this one in my garden this year. I can forgive it blooming on short scapes and having few blooms due to it having been planted in May, however, it was pretty much red with very little edge. I've heard others complain of the same thing after several years in their gardens. I'm going to wait to see what it does next year but my hopes are not real high. SCHNICKEL FRITZ- I saw this one first on a garden visit and later received a clump of it as a gift at a local club event. I'm really looking forward to seeing it bloom in my own garden. The day I saw it at the other garden it had chosen to poly instead of double. I'm told that it occasionally does that here, especially early in the season. It was a beautiful clump with a lot of buds. MOSES' FIRE- Like SF I saw this one first on a garden visit and which was right on the early side of bloom season. It bloomed single on the day I visited the garden but the color was so hot that I fell in love with it immediately. year. WILD HORSES- MY VOTE. This one's performance for me was phenominal even in its first year. I received a clump on May 15. Put it in the ground and it bloomed from June 27 to August 8 on 9 scapes. Every flower was perfect quality. In fact it took a blue ribbon at our local show. The scapes again were shorter than typical due to short time between planting and bloom but I gather that is typical in first year plants. To show its vigor it set pod well and each flower held up perfectly to water & heat w/o melting or fading seriously, even on 100 degree days. This performance gives it my vote. Others in my club tell me it does fine over the winter for them. Seen in other's gardens: SABINE BAUR- unfortunately I was not impressed with it as the day I visited was after a cool evening and the form was strange, just not evenly open. It looked odd though the color combination was beautiful. Perhaps if I had seen it on a different day a little bit later in the season I would have a different opinion. BUTTERED POPCORN- I saw this one at a local garden center. I nearly brought it home right then & there but I was on a mission to ID my diploid yellow that in every way resembles Mary Todd, including scent which is as I recall why I decided it wasn't this cultivar. So, I was too focused on the immediate task. It is a nice bright yellow and reading the positive comments on the Robin & here make me reconsider it. Have seedlings coming from each of these and I certainly hope they carry the wonderful qualities of their parents: CELEBRATION OF ANGELS, SPACECOAST STARBURST, SPACECOAST TINY PERFECTION

Brian illustrates the dynamic as it works on the buyer. Long before the days of internet I decided I had to have a fish tank, and it was only when I went shopping that I discovered a fish fad was in full swing and shops had been popping up everywhere. The fad passed and I haven't wanted one since. The dynamic must involve something cosmic, all right :), something that's only about a nature desire for something fresh and "new," and a very large portion of something cynical and venal. That said, those of you who grew up in the "brass is trash" era (already over) have your outlooks strongly warped by the notions of that day. The sad fact is, brass is made from copper and zinc, and world supplies of both are running low. As sure as bread falls butter side down (or even if that's not quite a law of nature), you will develop a whole new attitude toward it as items that have been sent to landfills by the millions, such as solid brass doorknobs and tacky old ceiling fixtures, become prohibitively expensive.