My mom has the purple one, and she always said it was a trumpet vine and I thought she was wrong, but now that I see yours I am going to have to eat crow on this one. I love this vine, do you grow the purple trumpet vine in the shade or sun. my mom grows her's in half sun half shade. Where did you get yours my mom picked her's up at Home Depot but it has been some years now since she purchased hers, I want one. I need some color in my garden in the summer, it is so plain right now, I guess I should ask does yours bloom in the summer, I can't remember if my moms does or not. I see the orange ones quite a bit at at Home Depot but I have never seen the purple ones. Thanks Carrie

Wow...I have never heard of "no personal photos on the first floor." Ever. And I've actually never met a person in the flesh-and-blood that had a "decorator." Heck, most of my friends don't even having cleaning ladies (me either!). I am an avid amateur photographer and have been for years--since I've had children, the focus has obviously been put on them. I absolutely LOVE my candid B&W shots of my kids...lots of sandy, windswept days at the beach, in our garden, or asleep in bed...wherever or whenever. I proudly display them, in matching, tasteful frames all around the downstairs of our home--kitchen, living room, playroom, etc. I would say the only room that won't probably have pictures of the kids is maybe the dining room...since it is the most "formal" of the rooms in our big, sprawling Victorian. I love going to other people's houses and seeing the same types of photos--funny, touching, memorable times. Makes life (and people) seem real and worth cataloging. Personally, I'm not a big fan of formal photography (the studio kind, anyway)--most likely because I NEVER like the pictures they take of my kids (or me for that matter!) as much as the ones I've taken! I do agree that it does take a little money, time, layout, and planning to make them look good. I love matching frames but mismatched sizes. Not a big fan of collage frames. LOVE LOVE LOVE white matting (why can't I convince my mom? Does she feel like she's "wasting space?"). I try to glean ideas from Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and especially Exposures--then I try to recreate in a less-expensive way (pretty much my mantra for decorating, I guess, if I have one!). Anyway, just didn't want anyone to feel badly about their pictures all over--I love seeing them! Keep 'em coming! Sarah from Albany, NY

The old saying, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is very true and works when it comes to art for your home, YOU have to love it. It has to make YOU happy when you look at it. I collect art, but I never, ever buy anything that didn't fit into that criteria. Now, granted, the art should ideally work with your home. For example, a lush, green, very realistic landscape would probably look out of place in a Modern minimalistic room. But, in most cases, one's home usually works with the kind of art they are attracted to. My suggestion would be to look around your home to get a sense of the colors and style you're gravitating towards. Next, head to an online place like allposters.com and browse through the different styles or genres to see what attracts you. I'm not suggesting that you buy a poster necessarily, but they have a huge selection readily available for you to see and compare. Personally, one of my favorite types of paintings are landscapes that are relaxing to look at and make me feel like I can walk down that road or across that field and see more and more. I dislike any landscapes that look hot and dry. Enjoy the search for art for your home and let us see what you ultimately end up with. Lynn

That sure looks beautiful, Jeri! I think the pot helps the rose to really stand out. I absolutely cannot resist a good, pink rose. Nothing pleases me more than a full, girlie-girl pink one, and that one there pleases me! Is ‘De la Vina Mystery’ planted directly into that pot, or is it planted in a plastic container inside of that pot? If planted directly into the pot, I would think that pruning the roots would be quite difficult. How often does that need to be done? I have quite a few of those resin half barrel planters, and also the Cosco planters. I find that they work especially well if I shade the pot itself with annuals and such to keep them cooler. I’ve also heard that sinking the large heavy duty nursery pots into the ground helps with both gophers AND keeping otherwise monstrous growing roses in check. Do you have any thoughts on that idea, Jeri? I think I remember you might use those squat nursery cans for gophers, but I see no evidence of size control in your garden. Lol. I’m not even asking specifically about GH for this, but for any rose that tends to grow huge in my neck of the woods. I feel like I should grow a few more Teas, but they get SO big! Thanks. Lisa