Zaiger was working with different cherry tree cultivars from Spain. It's quite possible—I would even say very likely—they could have used Cristobalina to breed Royal Lee. The descriptions of these cherries sound quite similar to each other in many respects, dark colored flesh, sweet, and good flavor. quote by goyo626: "I tried searching for cristobalina cherry patent info but nothing comes up. Can anyone direct me to the patent info on this variety. The only info I have found is that it is an old spanish variety. Thank you. " I feel reluctant to post this again, because I have already posted in several other places in this message board, but here it goes... There is a low chill Spanish heirloom variety cherry called Cristobalina. It is self-fertile and requires about 200 chill hours. Cristobalina has been grown for generations of cherry growers in Andalucia and Valencia, where winters are as mild as they are in Southern California, and reliably produces fruit despite lack of a cold winter. It is known to flower mid-February and produces dark purple, delicious sweet cherries. The only negative is that the fruit does not have as much edible flesh as other more popular cherry varieties, but thinning the tree can help lead to more full-sized fruit. Of course there would not be a patent on it, and this variety is not widely known in America.

Ah yes, Buff Orpingtons, Kitty. Well.........maybe, in the (distant) future. We had them at the allotment and they were fun to have around.....as long as they didn't escape.....and therein lies the dilemma - Mr Fox is perpetually lurking and chickens, unlike a lot of birds, were not terribly smart. Cath, I love the thoughtful info you impart - it is worth reading twice, especially since you are mentioning plants which I am utterly unfamilar with. Even now, shrubs have not popped up in my brain - still playing with perennials. Way back in the day, when I first started gardening, it all began with a particularly colourful flowering shrub (lavatera) and, thrilled with the success and ease of having colour and structure, I followed the well-known novice route of rapidly buying several more (philadelphus, weigela, the usual stuff)....and, of course, roses. I ran out of room in the first year! Anyway, apart from a few deutzias and philadelphus, those shrubs are long gone from my garden and also from my brain - so thank you for reminding me about a huge class of stalwart plants. I do recall checking out lindera and fothergilla and concluding they wanted a more acididc soil than I could provide (I had a brief flirtation with autumn colour) but I have always been crazy about heps and berries (I might have to risk a few of the better behaved cotoneasters) and I love the sound of your holly(although I have been looking at non-prickly types such as J.C.Van Tol). Also, I now have room to indulge in some of the less familiar fruits such as aronias, japanese wineberries (and indeed, rubus of various winter colours and good white spring flowers). I feel a bit faint when I consider the massive shuffling around this autumn, moving roses and perennials, so I may have to reach into my purse (deep pockets and short arms syndrome) and spend a bit of cash on a few statement bushes, for the sheer ease of straightforward planting (as opposed to cutting back, digging up and moving ).

Virginia, 'A Place of Greater Safety' is good; I was slightly baffled as to why 'Wolf Hall' and 'Bring up the Bodies' won awards, though I enjoyed them both and thought they were fine novels, just not spell-binding. A re-read is in order. 'A Place of Greater Safety' matches them in quality. I have a weakness for good historical novels (not the bodice-rippers, in other words). I tend to be a light pruner, not at all given to guillotining my plants, and Lucie is a bit of a weakling, very likely on account of her poor growing conditions. She has been dug around and the soil amended this fall, and I'm hoping for an improvement next spring. Kate, thanks for the poetry, and I'm happy to meet another fan of Jane Austen! Melissa

Hi Amazin , sorry I'm new at this web stuff ( mostly just a lurker) and couldn't find were I wrote to you the 1st time ... me feel so dumb with this puter stuff... but yes I have 9 begonias and 6 are from Logee's, some are named and other are ( pass a along's ) ..... Named ones= Begonia " Richardsiana" B." Snow Capped " B. "Tea Rose" B. "Hot Tamale" B. "Good and Plenty " B, "Tiny Gem " B. " Silver Queen " The Richardsiana has in pass week took a big flop , and so not sure whats up with it , taken it back into house , hope it was just heat stroking from 100 + daze we have been in for pass couple of weeks here in nastyville , so not sure about it. Two other's unknown named ones but pretty just the same and last one I think mite be B. " Sophia Cecile " not sure. I see you have " My Special Angel " have been looking at it in the catalogs . sorry I'm so long winded.... but sure there must be something in your long list that we can work with . P.s. I wont make it to any plant swap so..... not sure how we would do this if we've a mind to ???? But thanks for your time and effort if thats the only way .