Hello, Bart! I recommend that you not try your camellia in the ground but rather leave it in the pot, as we do with ours. Usual Italian conditions in the hills are a combination of everything camellias hate most: compact clay soils tending to an alkaline ph, summer drought, sun. We tried hard to grow them in the ground, with consistent failure. Actually we lost our two little potted sasanquas in the freeze last February because my husband stuck them in an unheated building without protection, rather than covering them and leaving them outside. I really want to get similar kinds again, as they're wonderfully cheerful right in the gloomiest time of the year, blooming during the rain and fogs of late November and December. I don't shine at pot culture either, but you might do some research and see how to keep camellias happy grown that way, as I think it can be done. You're right, the Serbian nursery is Petrovic. I've heard varying things about the quality of the roses over the last several years, among others from an Italian friend who has made a number of very large orders. I'll be able to tell you about these when I get them. The owner knows English: I've been corresponding with him about my order in that language. It's a serious nursery, and they have an impressive collection of old roses in the cold-hardy classes. As I wrote, my chief current concern is whether SDA will deliver them in reasonable condition. P.S. My gardener buddy who ordered from Petrovic has made sure that I benefited from his orders as well: I now have a number of roses grown from cuttings or that my friend himself propagated from his Petrovic roses. Share the joy! Melissa P.P.S. Are you talking about Italian cypresses? They do really well here, even though we're a bit north of their usual range, settling in happily at once and growing steadily. It's really gratifying when a good tree makes it clear that it loves your garden conditions. I imagine that they'll do very well for you too. Last note: who do you order your roses from? La Campanella has always done well by me, and I hear very good things about S'Orrosa--which I'm misspelling! But I believe there are several good Italian nurseries, some of them of fairly recent date. The rose scene, especially for old and warm climate roses, appears to have opened up in recent years, after a low point when Walter Branchi closed down. The last few years I've been so busy with cuttings gotten from other gardeners that I haven't bought much.

I'm obviously in a zone with different issues from you, but in my dry and cold zone 5, the Massad roses have done surprisingly well. They have that heavily packed floral look without some of the excess that you can see in some Austins that can't hold their heads up. Most of them are hardy in zone 5 for me, and at least Paul Bocuse has survived 5 winters in my zone 4 pocket in the front. Disease resistance for me to blackspot has been quite good as well, but I don't get enough mildew or rust to report on that. They handle our Augusts of 90-100 degrees F quite well, but no idea about the extended heat and humidity of warmer zones. I'll post photos of my favorite Massads: Paul Bocuse bloom and bud (a little spent on the bloom): And my ultra-favorite Massad, that can even take some part shade, Versigny: To my eye, they have saturated colors without being at all garish, and they blend nicely with OGRs in the beds. Cynthia

I'm really annoyed with myself for missing out on the alphabet game. Oh well, better late than never. :) Redwolf - I want to see more of your New Imagine - looks amazing so far!! Pat - that's a really nice dark color on Nicole Carol Miller!! Gorgeous!! All of your roses shown have thrown me for a tizzy!!! Lovely! Seil - that's a gorgeous Neil Diamond. So perfect!! Beth - I'm loving Night Time and Nightingale!! Wow! Nicole is so lovely!! How in the world did you get your Neptune that color?? Stunning!! -------------------------- Night Owl in its dark phase. Night Owl in its softer shades. Neil Diamond Carol

! This has been my biggest problem! and the main reason I have to move a rose. I only have one modern HT and didn't realize the form at the time being a newbie. I need graceful, short bushy plants to go in front of climbers growing along a low balustrade, not gawky 6'+ monsters that stick out here and there. I confess most of my personal pics on here are flowers only, but my hardscape background is such a disaster it's hard to get a picture that isn't embarrassing. And I mean that seriously, not like some who consider a leaf in their mulch a mess! : ) I wish I were at that point. I should put some of my bush shots on HMF, especially those that have few pics, such as Bloomfield Abundance and The Tooth Fairy. I think if more people saw the latter they would grow it, even if it is a single. That doesn't seem to stop folks from growing HMs. Ingrid, Lisa, Diane, Cynthia, Sheila, Rosylady, Lilyfinch, Titian and so many others, that's why I appreciate your posts so much. The photos show the landscape and view and how the shape complements it. It's just hard to find bush shots of those I want. It's also why I appreciate the Austin site and Louis Lens'... they show pics of the roses in action! :) It's also why I visit so many rose gardens at different times of the year if I can.