I have a question about Gertrude Jekyll. I pruned mine after its last flush to about 2-2.5ft and it looked pretty tidy for about two weeks It's since put out a couple of basals and new growth that has to be 5ft at least at this point. Gertrude Jekyll on 8/2/16 Gertrude Jekyll 8 days later As you can see, my GT is looking kind of gangly - Clearly I didn't prune it hard enough! My question is is it necessary to wait until after the cane blooms to cut it down? This is sitting out in front of a window at my apartment, and is kind of an eye sore to look at, plus, I don't want to draw unwanted attention. If it helps to know, I'm in NC zone 7b. AKA humid and hot!

Moril: If your Lowes purchase of "Old Timer" was in a plastic bag labeled "Beauty Queen Roses" (from Sexton Roses, Inc. in Tyler, Texas), congratulations on your addition of 'Lowell Thomas' (or some other nondescript yellow rose)! When I grew the Kordes rose 'Old Timer' in my Washington, DC garden, it was my favorite HT. I've attempted to replace it time and time again. My virus-indexed SPECIAL ORDER twig from Vintage was a nonstarter from the get-go. Then I noticed those bodybags at Lowes. Three times I bought them, and three times I yanked and trashed them. I've concluded that Beauty Queen/Sexton Roses in Tyler, Texas doesn't know 'Old Timer' from squat. That's one rose I should have dug and transported South.

Yes bru, I taped it and then DH and I watched it before our movie. He (DH) likes it when Chris goes in the hotels. It was really funny how he gave digs to the builders of these spaces but mercifully was kind to the people who live in them :). As I suspected, he did take the treatment up and over the top windows. Thanks for the pic caminnc. That will be the last room I complete. Even though I got so many opinions here from people, whose style I really admire, about 'grounding the room' by having treatments just on the bottom windows, it just doesn't look right to me. I have a huge pendant in the foyer and when I look at that and envision shorter drapes, the balance really seems out of whack. Of course, watching the show with DH just led to another 'discussion' of how much he loves the ceilings and I hate them, lol. When he nudges me to get started on planning a patio, he is quickly informed that the money for that project is NOT coming out of my decorating budget as I will be broke after the window treatments are finished. It's bad enough to have one room like that but our great room is the same thing and I still have to design a fireplace. I kept hoping that Chris would show the rest of their house and was telling DH that I hoped they at least had 'one' easy room to work with, but alas, never saw the ceiling in their family room.

patty, as much as I've tried to follow other theories on how to decorate, i.e., using something for inspiration, overall I've followed Christopher's recommendations, i.e., paint first. The only room I qas inspired by an object when it came to paint color, was my guest bath. I just happened to fall over that toile I loved so much and I used it for my color inspiration for that room. All the other rooms I chose paint colors I liked and I thought look good. Since I have no decorating "sense" I would have to struggle to decorate either method I chose so since I started with his first layer, I guess I'll try to continue with the other seven. It is so hard to stay on track though and I've actually veared off by buying a couple of pieces of artwork before I was ready for it. I am hoping it "fits" in when the time comes. If it doesn't, I'll have to find someone who loves oil rooster prints. HA! HA!