Just keeping everyone updated - Vintage sent out the roses that are still left after the first rush and that's posted below. Among these, I see an additional recommendation for The Prince's Trust that I got from Vintage a few years ago, and it's a red climber that very enthusiastically wants to grow. It was probably the biggest band plant I've ever seen at nearly 4 feet long, and it put on another 5-6 feet in its first year. It's a very healthy happy climber in my zone 5. Cynthia Remaining list as of March 6: Ch "Ferndale Red China" 1 ChCl Setina 1 E Jeannie Deans 1 Fl Centenaire de Lourdes 1 Fl Europeana 1 Fl Fire and Ice 14 Fl Fred Loads 1 Fl Holstein 1 Fl Impatient VID 1 Fl Jazz Fest VID 1 0 Fl Kirsten Poulsen 3 Fl Lili Marlène 1 Fl Lipstick 1 Fl Orange Garnet VID 2 Fl Playboy 1 Fl Showbiz VID 2 FlCl Heidelberg 9 1 HB "California Malton" 1 HM Heinrich Conrad Soth 1 HM Verdi 2 HP Dr. Masaryk 4* HP François Arago 5* HP Marguerite Guillard (Loubert) 8* HP Mme. de Staël 15* HP Paul's Single White Perpetual 3* HP Rose de Bouffarik 2* HP Silver Queen 1* HP "Souvenir de Mme. Berthier" 5* HT Blithe Spirit 1 HT Broadway 1 HT Chivalry 3 HT Die Welt 2 HT Ellen Willmott 1 HT Frances Ashton 1 HT Harry Wheatcroft 1 HT Kalahari 3 HT Love VID 1 HT Macho Man 1 HT Maria Callas VID 1 HT Movie Star 1 HT Peach Beauty VID 1 HT Slava 2 HT Tropicana VID 1 HTCl Amy Johnson 1 HTCl General MacArthur, Climbing 1 HTCl Queen Elizabeth, Climbing VID 8 HTCl Reine Olga de Wurtemburg 9 LCl Casa Blanca 2 LCl Coral Dawn 1 LCl Crimson Cascade 1 LCl Doubloons VID 1 LCl Dr. Covell's Carrotrooted Understock 2 LCl Eden 6 LCl Étendard 1 0 LCl Gold Rush VID 2 LCl Golden Threshold 3 LCl High Noon 1 LCl JACclam (aka America™) 1 LCl Joseph's Coat VI 1 1 LCl Lawrence Johnston 4 LCl Leverkusen 3 LCl Olive 5 LCl Pelé 4 LCl Rosendorf Schmitshausen 1 LCl Salita 8 LCl Sympathie 2 LCl Tempo VID 1 LCl The Prince's Trust 1 LCl White Cocade 2 LCl William Baffin 1 2 M "Joséphine de Beauharnais" 15* Min Magic Carrousel VID 1 Min Oakington Ruby 1 N "Lingo Musk" 1 N Narrow Water 1 Pol Ave Maria 5* Pol Mme. Taft 2 4* Pol Petite Marcelle 24* Pol Rösel Dach 16* PolCl Rose de Montplaisir 4* R America 3 R Baby Shower 4 R Chevy Chase 5 R Cooper's Burmese 4 R Dr. Huey VID 4 R Harry Maasz 1 R "Mystery Muse" 3 R Not Cherub 4 R Purity 7 1 R Ramona 3 R Roserie 2 R Wartburg 1 R Windermere 3 S Ferdy 10 S Hamburger Phoenix 7 S Illusion 1 S Romanze 1 S Rosy Cushion 4 3 S Salmon Wings 7* S Sandrine David 2* S Yellow Butterfly 3 S/AUS John Clare 6 S/Aus Red Coat 1 *Starred items are French Imports priced at $30 each

Outsmarting the tree rats (squirrels) around my house is a full time job. This past spring I hit on a new idea. When I plant a container I invert an empty wire hanging basket over the container and the plant gets sun and can be watered but the squirrels can't dig in it. Another idea: I bring in a lot of plants to "over winter" under lights in my garage. I have so many that it is hard to reach my hand under the lights (4 shop lights) to the middle for watering. So I bought a pump sprayer with a long wand and it works great! In late winter I add a little liquid Dawn detergent, few drops, to each gallon of water and not only does the soil get wet easier but the worms that are waiting to hatch into distructive pets just don't hatch. Don't know what it costs me to run those four shop lights all winter but I don't care. It is a small price to pay to be able to "garden" every weekend in the garage. Many people have mentioned that they mark their outdoor plants with a "permanent Sharpie". In my experience there isn't a "permanent Sharpie", they all fade and quickly too. A grease pencil/china marker or expensive "no fade" garden center marker are the only markers I have found that won't disappoint you by fading. Eight years ago I decided to learn about gardening so I tapped into my local library. I checked out nearly every book they had on gardening and learned so much. The Gardenweb forums are also a wealth of information and entertainment. There is always something new to learn and I appreciate all of you who take the time to write in your ideas. One last idea from me...I keep a small notebook on my computer table and jot down any idea I find that's new and I will want to try. Little pieces of paper get lost but I always know where my notebook is and also use it when I order "on line" so I will remember the name of the company and the order date. Tina or Trowelgal

Gil, this is my grape scented iris. When it rains, the petals sort of melt together making the flower look like mush. But the stems are tall enough that you can easily bend over and bury your nose in its luscious fragrance: The Calgary Hort. Society published some books (The Calgary Gardener Vol. 1 and 2) a while back; this is the information they give about bearded irises in our climate: "Developed and selected for flower size and colour rather than winter hardiness, they require ideal conditions to survive our winters." I have a feeling that the TBs I've lost were either planted too late in the season to develop good roots, or they were not growing in ideal conditions. I've also lost a few because of deer. They don't eat them...they just stomp all over them in winter in order to get to the cedars. I'm determined to keep trying because many of them are so beautiful. Please keep us updated re: all your new TBs, Gillian. I hope they all grow well and bloom for you this spring!

Born in 1547, he was general captain and lieutenant of the Catalonia and lieutenant general of the Kingdom of Aragon. At his tomb at the Abbey of Montserrat near Barcelona.