Oh my. What is a passionate rose lover like you doing in that glacial hell hole? Reading about your endeavors has exhausted me and I haven't even lifted a shovel. I admire your grit and determination, but would love to see you rewarded with thousands of blooms on your rose bushes for all your hard work. I bet they could use engineers in zones 7 to 10!

Here is the copied and pasted complete list of all my Olallie Late and extra late bloomers. A RIPE PEACH (VT) CAMEO APPEARANCE (VT) FASHIONABLY LATE (VT) LATE EMBERS (VT) PURPLE LACE (VT) SHOWLIGHT (VT) Olallie Mack VT Sweet Tart VT Late Green Throat VT Gala Vt Yellow Sights Olallie Keith VT Type Alpha Vt Good N Gold Vt Shocker VT Fall Pink Mellon Vt Butterscotch Harvest VT Creamy Yellow Vt Home Companion VT Wishing Star Vt The Last Mellon Vt Dimpled Cheeks Vt Right Regal Vt Bridal Lilac VT Maroon Branch Olallie All Summer Olallie Gold Rim Next I am going to add my list of Isabel Hibard intros that I have here. So here are the Hibard intros that I have-- Mid Late- NO PUEDE SER CHARISMA PLUS WINGED DOVE Lates- AUTUMN FAIR LATE SESSION (listed as Late Season 2006) AMBER FINALE APRICOTE AFTERGLOW COUNTDOWN TO FALL EXIT STRATEGY FAREWELL PARTY FINAL CIRCLE IMPERIAL BALL LAST CREAMSICLE LATEBREAKING NEWS LATE HARVEST MULTIPLE PERSONALITY MUSIC OF THE NIGHT TOKAY WINE WHAT PRICE GLORY Very Lates- FAMOUS LAST WORDS (bonus plant 2006) LATE WONDER 2007 AMOR ULTIMA END OF STORY FINAL ANSWER FOREGONE CONCLUSION LAST LAUGH LAST WALTZ LATE INTERLUDE LATE ROUND SEASONS END SEPTEMBER SERENADE Very Very Lates- FINIAL FRONTIER SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER

Those are good choices. For trees maybe include the Golden Willow-a fast grower much like the Laurel leaf willow. It can take over in an urban setting but in this case it might be a good choice-nice golden bark and twigs. Also towering aspen, with it's narrow columnar form might come in handy. I don't know if the pin oak is entirely hardy-it might be a zone4 plant-maybe try bur oak (work of caution: bur oak is a VERY slow grower and doesn't like to be moved due to a deep tap root). Maples, alders and Lindens tend to tolerate wet soil. Also for the dry areas try the columnar Caragena "Sutherland". It's very hardy, drought tolerant and underutilized. Hope this helps, Gary

Ok, so I have another thought on the front of the house. To get two of the catalpa in the front I think I can fit it it I push one over to 5ft from the drive way. I feel like that's super close but this is supposed to be a tree with non-destructive, non-aggressive roots and a mature trunk diameter of 3ft. If I'm thinking right that should leave 4 1/2 feet between the tree and the driveway at maturity. That's really hugging the driveway but it leaves 30ft to the next catalpa and 27ft to the Plumb. Again it's the existing trees that make this tight. If the plumb we're there I'd have gobs of room. I checked the specks on the plumb it should be 10ft - 12ft wide at maturity so I think that will work well with the 20ft - 40ft catalpa. They may just barely connect when both are at full maturity. So it comes out to two catalpa's at 30ft from the house with the West one at 5ft from the drive way and 20ft from the well, with the next catalpa 30ft away from the first and 27ft from the plumb. Think that's a workable plan? Too close to the drive way each other and surrounding trees?