Juliet, yes, his gardens are very near Birmingham, it's a half hour train ride from there. Even in late August it should be pretty spectacular. Wollerton Old Hall is covered with buds. I've not seen a single bloom yet "in real life", so I've got my fingers crossed. I think I'm expecting something similar to Scepter'd Isle with a lighter colour. I'll post photos when it blooms. Florence, it's my pleasure, and a treat to share it with others who enjoy the roses! Silverkelt, I do appreciate how lucky I am to live so close! When I lived in California I never dreamed I'd get to visit, and now I can walk out of my door, get on a train, and be there in just over two hours. I wonder what I should do this weekend?? LOL. Jumbojimmy, the roses in most of the pictures of the greenhouses are "potential" new Austins, either for garden or cut flowers, so I'm pretty sure we wouldn't know any of them already. If you like button eyes, you should consider Sister Elizabeth and Eglantyne. I thin Sister Elizabeth might do very well in your climate, she loved my So. California garden. Krista, it was great fun. I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures. Hosenemesis, thanks for taking a look! Inga007, you're very welcome, thanks for taking the time to look through everything. The Bustopher, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Christina, I'm so glad the photos brought some happiness to your day! Ingrid, it was my pleasure. Thank you! Jerome, yes, I agree, I think he is a genius too. I can't tell you how much enjoyment I get out of his creations. I think we are so lucky to have him. He lives in a house on the grounds, and the tour guide told us that he still comes out every morning and walks through the gardens, taking notes, commenting, and finding improvements. He still works in the breeding and selecting and is very much the man we can thank for these roses. So.. thank you very much Mr. Austin! Kristin, I did spend hours there. We arrived at 11 and left when they closed at 5, and I still could have spent many more hours wandering around. It was really fantastic.

Ian, Yours looks different to mine. How much sun does yours get? Mine gets all the afternoon sun and I'm thinking maybe that's too much? I thought mine looks sort of faded against yours. Actually I thought yours look way nicer than mine. Annie

Plymouth (MA) Garden Club. Our plant sale is this Saturday May 21 from 9 to noon at the Chiltonville Congregational Church 6 River St Plymouth MA. We have very nice plants both divisions and starts carefully tagged and packed, as well as kitchen treats, attic treasures and boutique items. Come early for best selection. Benefits scholarships and civic beautification projects in our town. Thanks NH Babs for this thread.

I grow all my open-centered dahlias around my apiary (honey bee area), and along my raspberry rows wherever I can squeeze the extras in. They have such a light and fun feel, contrasting almost too much with the majestic and elegant feel of most other forms of dahlias. Dahlia hybridizers that are trying to breed for ball, waterlily or cactus forms traditionally stay well away from growing any open-centered or laciniated (frilly-petalled) forms, as those traits are dominant, and the resulting seedlings are disappointingly opposite of their goals.