This was a gift to me during Tet Holiday, an old man here had grown it for about 20 years with a little styling and a lot of wire marks. After paying 600.000VND for it (about $35 USD) I've started to refine the style and make some changes. I'll post a few new pics soon. It is about 28" high and about 35" long...yes, it's growing in water, the roots are firmly grown over the rock and live happily in the water. I may make a pot change in the rainy season if I can find the right pot here. Image link:

Yes, ARE is without a doubt a wonderful organization, run by wonderful folks. I started out my hoemplace projects with them. They are about an hour and a half from me, and make a great Saturday trip. Only twice have I gotten a bad plant from them. But they have stood behind them both times... and this is statistically very good, since I have purchased in the neighborhood of 300 roses from them, both for myself and as gifts. For those of you within distance, don't forget that next weekend, the first weekend of November, is their fall festival at ARE. Our own Jeri and Clay Jennings will be speaking on Saturday, as will Stephen Scanniello, and many others throughout the weekend... Come one, come all, See you there... Allison

One of the "problems" with Mrs.B.R.'Can' ;-) is you 'Cant' bring yourself to cut her back because when approach to prune she always presents you with branches that are covered with tons of blooms or buds :-) However, I noticed that ARE in San Antonio manages to keep one specimen a 6 by 6 size in their staggered row of teas with a winding trail between them, but you could see they had cut back a lot of pretty thick branches to do so. But she soon fills them in and looks nice. What a rose -- perfectly healthy foliage and an almost continuous bloomer with large, full and fragrant flowers. My mother always cut them for the house and they seemed to last well in a vase.

Just wanted to let all of you know their decision. We tried out all kinds. She liked a lot of them, but they both liked the Joya best for their room. The size and style fits them and it is a little firmer than many of the others which she liked as well. They are getting it in navy. Mtn, in re your comment about the child's rocker, there was one chair at Crate and Barrel that she tried out and her feet did not touch the floor. She looked liked Lily Tomlin as Edith Ann. I thought of you! Ha. So, thank you all for your ideas, suggestions, and kind words. It gave the search some direction, so she wasn't overwhelmed with way too many possibilities-they all seem to blur into a mishmash after a while, don't they? It was also such fun to read all your posts. What a generous group you all are!