I'm struggleing to keep things alive. HOT and DROUGHT! 'nuff said? I planted 30 Pro Cut Orange seedlings on Friday. Each was 8-10 inches tall. Came back Sunday and they were GONE! Don't know if it was rabbits or grasshoppers. It's things like that that make me wonder if I'm the ONLY person in Texas (the WORLD!?!) who can't get sunflowers to grow! I have a few more trays of various suns/zinnias/ misc. others in progress, but I'm VERY scared to plant them in the field. It's very discouraging--I may have to camp out there every night and say "Shoo!" to anything that moves! Have found the hoops & fabric & staples to make some row covers, just haven't had time to set them up. Hopefully if I DO get them set up, I'll have some protection from varmints. I ran into a friend at Walmart Sunday afternoon; she asked if I had any flowers NOW, as in That afternoon! Told her I had a few sunflowers (from a successful planting in late March). She was having friends over for dinner Sunday night, owned a neat blue pitcher, so out she came and bought all 8 I had laft! Hooray! A RETAIL sale! That was fun! And fun, just standing in the field, cutting, and then handing them to her right then. We decided to let her take them home and put them in water there instead of trying to juggle buckets and water from the field. She was going straight home in AC car anyway. My boss at the nursery decided that this would be the year to grow vegies as fresh produce to sell at the nursery. So he's got this (seems huge to me) area of vegies in progress out back. One of the staff chores is "getting" to harvest said vegies every morning. Today was MY turn! I had to work a whole HOUR! Boyohboy, do I have new respect for the millions (?) of farm workers out there--and the whole American Food Chain! And you cut flower growers who also grow and harvest your own vegies for market. BOY am I SUCH a City Girl! LOL! I've had to stoop over some for my meager flowers on occassion, but not so far, in the kind of heat we have right now, and not through scratchy leaved zuchinni & squash plants! Dang! New subject: Kim, could you repost the Calla link? When I clicked on it it said the page wasn't found or something like that. Thanks. That's all for now. Susi.

Interesting discussion - when I visited David Austin Nursery a few years ago, I asked the manager, Michael Marriott, which rose he thought was the most fragrant of all - he though Jude the Obscure was a top contender. My 3 have done very well in SW British Columbia, and I would agree it is extremely fragrant - unusual very pleasing "guava" fragrance. Not the most florific though, but has not gotten BS or mildew when unsprayed. Still have to rate Fragrant Cloud at the top, and Double Delight. A lot of other Austin Roses are quite fragrant, but not as powerful. Many of the Kordes Parfuma roses have disappointed - not one bloom of Earth Angel opened properly in 2 years. Dark Desire was gorgeous at the Kordes site near Hamburg, but did very poorly here, small blooms, not opening properly. (that being said, most of my best bullet proof roses are Kordes, like the climbers Golden Gate and Laguna). I had abandoned Chrysler Imperial and Mr LIncoln in the 90s because of disease, but just planted some this year to try them again for the fragrance. Another one that I just love, and is great in PNW climate is Stephen's Big Purple - extremely fragrant, floriferous, trouble free. Re Julia Child - once in a while it seems quite fragrant but often not impressive. Lady Emma Hamilton and Charlotte - very fragrant, perform well. Munstead Wood - to me the best of its type - rich dark red, OGR type bloom, fragrant - there are several similar Austin roses - Wm Shakespeare, Darcy Bussell - which are not as good and received a shovel prune. Jubilee Celebration - one of my favourites. When I asked Michael what David Austin thought was his best rose, he answered immediately - Olivia Rose Austin - which is why he named it after his grandaughter. It really is a great garden rose - only moderately fragrant, but beatuful bloom, floriferous, disease free without spray, and unlike most Austin roses, which are really largish shrubs, it is a well behaved and shaped bedding rose. Nice to read comments on fragrant roses from PNW gardeners - when I started my latest garden 6 years ago, the main selection criteria was fragrance.... and most are not as fragrant as advertised..but those that are are worth it.

The botanic garden did test the water. I think they are more up on this topic than I am ever likely to be. We use the same water, and I am within walking distance. I know not to use this fertilizer again in my conditions. Next year, it is back to diluted fish emulsion, or nothing, as usual. And we will see how the roses look. Sorry, no place for olive trees (and I don't want the mess), and grapevines are out because I have dogs (grapes are toxic to dogs, depending on the dog as to how much). But I did plant alfalfa within the last several years to see how it would do (fields growing alfalfa frequently supplement with boron). The alfalfa grows well here with zero supplementation. The wild creatures eat it like crazy however.

Minshin - I'm in Calgary, Alberta. The hail capital of Canada! LOL Oooh! Your CPM looks heaven-lit!!! Kristine - Good heavens!!!! If my ORA had looked even a tiny, wee little bit as good as yours...it would still be here. Totally, off the charts amount of glorious flowers!! I can' believe it!!!! Ooooh!!! I've always loved the look of CRM!!! The lavender color is exquisite!! Stephanie - beautiful yard...and your path is wonderful!!! I want that in my yard! jc - is it a kingsnake? It sure is long!! Deborah - holy sh*t!!!!! That would scare the bejeebers out of me!!!! It's a wonder I didn't hear you screaming from way over here!! I love your picture with the blue chair...the colors of your roses are amazing!! White Licorice is such a wonderful rose...yours does you proud! Wowza! Your Julie Andews is awesome!!! What is the fragrance like? Wonderful roses!!