The only near species rose on my wish list is R.x dupontii, one of the most beautiful white single rose I have seen. I grow very few true species roses apart from the natives Rosa canina, R. dumalis and R. majalis that grow all over my woodland. I keep them for the hips, for me and the birds. The species I have actively chosen are R. pendulina, R. maximowicziana, R. stellata var mirifica and R. nutkana var hispida (or R. spaldingii). But I have quite a few near species, selections and species hybrids, among them 'Geranium', 'Louis Riel', R. x nitida 'Defender', 'Freya' and R. glauca 'Nova'. If I had more space I would get more American species as they usually bloom later that the Eurasian species.

Jeannie, How about one of the Ayrshire ramblers? I have been rather falling in love with 'Venusta Pendula', which is a very vigorous once-bloomer with pink-edged white semi-double blooms and dark pretty foliage. We have summer heat, which you folks do not, I know, but I hear VP does well in Germany, another place with cool summers. The Ayrshire ramblers, bred from Rosa arvensis, one of the few European members of the Synstylae group, have a reputation for doing well in poor conditions. I don't know if they would have disease problems in your area: mine are healthy until late autumn, when the older leaves get black spot. I can handle that. 'Venusta Pendula' is generally considered to be not fragrant, but mine is decidedly myrrh-scented: either other gardeners can't smell this fragrance, or they're listening to each other rather than going out and smelling the rose. Or I have the wrong rose, but I don't think so. Another Ayrshire rose, I believe similar, 'Ayrshire Splendens', is definitely myrrh-scented. I have this variety too, but am still getting to know it. The myrrh fragrance is thought to have entered the English roses through an Ayrshire ancestor of one of David Austin's founding roses, 'Constance Spry' I believe. If you can get cuttings, by the way, the Ayrshire roses root very easily, though this is true of ramblers in general. The chief item on my wish list is that the 78 or so roses that make up our definitive order from Petrovic in Serbia arrive reasonably promptly and in good order, and in a period when it's not raining hard or snowing. That's a fair amount of wishing, but not totally unreasonable. Mr. Petrovic told me he'd be sending the order out around the end of November, but I haven't heard anything from him (I need to get in touch), but it's been raining here for the last week, and perhaps they've had weather equally unsuitable for digging over there. It's been raining abundantly here this fall--and we have so far no slides and no signs of slumping on our land--and temperatures are forecast to begin dropping next week after a very mild fall. So, so far, so good. I've done most of my planting and taking cuttings, so my main task after the Petrovic roses are planted is pruning and maintenance. There are a lot of roses, but I have three months. I am looking forward to the sun coming out, as it's been raining for the last week. Melissa

Gosh, I hate to admit all these as I really don't have room either, but it never seems to stop me. I do have about 23 on my shovel prune list so that will help make a dent in the current Pot Ghetto population around 30 roses! CCRS auction-Solitaire, Special Occasion, Jade Heirloom--Solitaire (2), Silver Jubilee (2) Wisconsin Roses--Impulse, Louise Estes, Pink Intuition, Red Intuition, Mohana, Pedrus Aquarius, Dancing Pink (2), The Temptations. Pickering--Keep Smiling, Mamma Mia!, Perception, New Era Rogue Valley--Barbara, Julia's Rose, Helmut Schmidt, First Prize, Pres. Herbert Hoover. Palatine--Lucille Ball (2), Osiria, Thriller EuroDesert--Abracadabra, Annapurna (2), Canary Diamond, Gardens Of The World Plus, I have arranaged to do quite a few swaps with other rosarians for cuttings as well. I am gonna be very busy!! John

alyciaadamo - Greetings. I see several Lakeside Hosta on your wish list. While your experience may vary, I have few that do well here in my zone 4b, and it appears you may be in 3/4. After several years I finally found out that the wonderful and prolific hybridizer lady Famous Mary was breeding for Hosta to succeed in the hot southern climates. AHAH moment. The few that did well are very wonderful ones, though. Just thoughts. hh