So if you are saying Jeri, that they grow at the expense of bloom *** That's what it did here. I do know some ARS people who prune these roses brutally after each flush, which gives them another flush. But in my climate, few roses will tolerate that for more than a few years -- and I want my roses to live for decades. -might fertilizing with a bud and bloom booster help counteract this effect? *** Well, it's worth a try. Personally, if I grew them again (which I won't) I would pull those long canes out horizontally along a fence or something. Then I should get a lot of blooming laterals. I won't do this because it's too much work, and those roses want more water than I can afford to give them. But it's an approach that I think might succeed. And, Kathy -- Maybe Evelyn will be a good bloomer for you. The blooms ARE lovely, and to me, they smelled just like a really ripe peach, just pulled from the tree, and warmed by the sun. Jeri

It's non-cultivar cousin (Common Tansy) is an obnoxious weed in these here parts of the US. I keep one just for the use of bringing in pungent smelling leaves and dried flower parts indoors around harvest time in fall....deters field mice from entering and sticking around. I wouldn't dream of letting it go to seed or giving it more water than nature provides as it's an aggressive re-seeder and spreads underground via runners. I'm not convinced 'Isla Gold' is better behaved!! Vera

Bumping back up b/c every CDN should have the opportunity to join the list if they wish to. not every person on Far North Gardening, visits the Exchange forum and they would never know the thread existed. Happy SPRING all! Barb southern Ontario, CANADA

How do you know when the buggers are ripe? **** Because most of them develop an amber blush and depending on the variety that blush can be just at the blossom end or encompass portions of the fruit to the whole fruit. In addition, they turn soft as do other varieties when ripe. You might want to go to tomatogrowers.com and take a look in the green section and look at some of the pictures to see what I mean by an amber blush. You can also go to Google, select IMAGES, and individually enter the names of some of the green when ripes that you've read about here to see pictures. Some folks in hot areas have said that certain varieties such as Aunt Ruby's German Green and Green Giant don't develop the amber blush, but not everyone in those hot areas experiences that with the fruits. But when ripe they will soften, per normal. Carolyn