Let me copy and interject some answers from what I've seen: New Dawn which is already getting large and closing in on my two Rugosa hybrids, which I really like. Do you think I should just take it out before the apparently inevitable happens? .....The growth you may see on the rugosas will probably depend on your soil and moisture. I've seen a bunch of local rugosas growing in sand next to Flat Creek, their roots are in flowing water. The rugosas were ten feet tall. Same cultivars in clay on a dry knoll in our garden are much shorter (almost petite). I'd keep New Dawn, but prune it to be airy, rather than massive. You mentioned that Rosa setigera seemed to be more resistant to RRD (not totally since you mentioned having seen an infected specimen). Where might I source one? What's your experience been like with this species? .... Setigera is magnificent. Spring bloom comes after most of the first bloom is over, so it truly extends the time of massive bloom (along with The Fairy). And often, but not every year, fall color is really good. As to a source, almost any thirty year old fence row out in the country will have them blooming on public rights of way; for you it would probably be mid May. In the wild, the bloom isn't great; it becomes great with a little bit of better soil and a little more water than dry fence lines where they fight with trees. (Look for cedar trees ten to fifteen feet tall for the right aged fence row.) As for color, I would really like to get a good vibrant yellow or an apricot. Would Louis Phillipe make it up here? ....All chinas do well here, and I'm probably at least a half a zone colder than near downtown Chattannooga, if not a full zone colder. I also planted two Mutabilis, which get enormous in Florida, and seem to show the same vigor up here. I've really been looking forward to growing so many of these rose varieties that I simply couldn't attempt in Florida due to climate and soil conditions. I know that the possibilities here are far greater. So, please let me have a list of your "all-stars". ......You will have to come visit in late April/early May. (Bring a shovel for suckers.) In the long run, my goal is to establish that "cottage garden" look, with a good deal of diversity but with roses as the plants that set the tone for the garden beds. I do have a question on RRD: what time of the year would seem to be optimal for the "windblown migration" of the mites? I've yet to read up on the deeper specifics on the mites themselves. Tests in Iowa showed the mite populations were much greater in late August and September; those are their hot and dry times. I've seen infections move in in the late spring here, after the temps jump into the 80's in May. I worry that last summer's hot drought may have made mite populations soar and with long periods of infection of wild roses last year. So we may have even greater disease pressure this year. The highest infection I had was a very dry summer when I kept my roses well irrigated. This past summer, I didn't keep the roses that well watered. Our well wasn't recharging the way it used to and I didn't want to take a chance with damaging the well. So I'm going to keep listening to how RRD moved last year. Esp in drought areas. And my invitation to you is an open one, although blooms are great, just seeing the different roses and their growth habits can be interesting. And this invitation extends to anyone reading this....the house may not be picked up and the roses will never be totally weeded or mulched. But if we wait for perfection, nope, not going to go there. Ann

Veggie girl, if you're visiting Texas, you shouldn't leave the state with citrus. And, may not be able to leave with the other items you're intending on purchasing. Most states have strict laws on transporting live plants across state lines. And if you live in some other state, you'll need to declare the plants, will need to make sure they have inspection tags, and can be inspected by your state's ag agents. And, even if you live in the state of Texas, you may not be able to move citrus outside of the Dallas area, check with the Texas State Agricultural agency to see what restrictions there might be for moving citrus around the state of Texas. Patty S.

I would love to be apart of a plant exchange in Chattanooga. I will soon be moving there and you have no idea how happy that makes me. I just came back from Iraq after spending over 16 months there, I use to get on the internet and look at trades on gardenweb just to try to give me something to look foward to when I got back, its weird the things that you miss but sitting on the computer late at night sipping a glass of wine, looking and achanging ideal/seeds with all my friends at gardenweb was it. Now I am back soon getting out of the army, just bought a house in chattanooga (just thinking about it makes me teary eyed) but anyway, I am more than looking for foward to a swap around chat

Hmmmm, this might just be worth skipping the Talahi Sale. If Chattanooga was a little closer, I bet it would put the Talahi sale out of business. When I was down at RR a while back, they sure had a lot of intersting stuff in their greenhouse area.