I agree, this thread is getting long. Not so much in the number of responses, more the number of pictures. I'll start a new thread but first... Claire, I have noticed that my House Finch numbers are also way down. I had one day last week that I did not see a single HF. That is very strange. My Goldfinch numbers have also been down but not as much as the HF. I think part of the suet issue in my yard could be the feeders. The birds love the one that is attached directly to the tree. I could put anything in it and the birds would love it. I think they like it because it is easy for them to get to. They can hold on to the feeder or the tree. The larger birds like, Red-bellied, Flicker, Harry can all get a good grip and, it does not move. The other suet feeder that I have is smaller, cage style, the size of a single cake of mixed suet and is free hanging from a chain. I see smaller birds like Red Breasted Nuthatch and Chickadees at it but nothing larger. OK...now I'll start a new thread... sooey

Well, it's been a while, folks, so here's an update. Ken's 1000% recommendation of Whirlaway as "the best mini/miniflora" regardless of color sold me on getting it; that and the fact Ken's in the Gulf Coast climate too, or close to it. Whirlaway actually arrived for me last week. No blooms yet, but Ken, I expect good things! I have to apologize for my comments on Peter Cottontail. The first misshapen yellow bloom turned out to be just one of those early "practice" blooms. It took a little time to establish, but by this mid-autumn it's produced some wonderful big, ivory-yellow blooms, perfect hybrid tea shape and floribunda size. Not very many blooms yet, but they have each lasted one-and-a-half to two weeks on the bush. Pretty darn good. I wouldn't call this rose white, though. To me its more yellow and less white than, say, Fairhope, which is classed as a yellow. Moroseaz, Linville is definitely a keeper for me. I've had one for 4 years now. I actually have a second one that's about a year and a half old. But Linville has not been pure white for me. That's probably your 100+ temps that give you white. Mine is antique white with a wonderful soft eggshell-pink blush to the centers, very reminiscent of how French Lace looks in cool climates (which is dissapointing for me in my climate). In winter, Linville's blooms get bigger, close to 2 inches across, open more slowly and are the softest icy pink rather than white. By the way, how's your Memphis Magic doing in Arizona? Mine is also nearing the end of its first year and has not produced a lot of blooms but HAS slowly but consistently produced gorgeous and long-lasting nearly black roses. One of my favorites already, just from its sheer beauty.

First, let me introduce myself. I have been lurking here for a couple of days and couldn't resist signing up because I am learning a lot from this place and enjoy reading the comments and discussions. I enjoy birds and gardening so this place is wonderful to find. I am happy to see a thread like this was started. I am having huge problems with the English Sparrows taking over my two feeders and preventing the other birds from enjoying some of my sunflowers. I have a tube feeder and a gazeebo style feeder and I am filling it constantly. The sparrows waste most of the seed in the gazeebo style feeder and I scoop it up and put it in my coconut shell feeder which a squirrel has taken over. I tried not putting seed in them for a week in hopes the sparrows would find another place to dine, but I always break down when I see a chicadee or a cardinal there trying to get seed when there isn't any. I am going to stop putting seed there again but am getting worried because I want to feed the birds this winter when they need it most, but don't want the sparrows to prevent the other birds from eating. I don't mind the sparrows eating my food, but I don't like how rude they are. :o(, This evening the sparrows tried to gang up on a cardinal, but the cardinal wouldn't budge and I believe the cardinal hissed at them. :'0. I need to come up with some kind of solution before winter and before I go broke.

So far, Darcey Bussell has been my best DA performer. She’s not a favorite, only because I prefer softer colors. She remains “fairly” compact, relative to most DA’s here. She never seems to mind pruning, no matter when or how often. She blooms all the time and makes a better cut flower than most DA’s. I don’t get any disease on her here, although Embothrium has big problems with something like downey mildew on Darcey Bussell. I don’t think that’s in a dry Mediterranean climate, though. Mine is always healthy and happy. She’s in a rather small bed, so she’s cut back often. She doesn’t receive more water than anything else does, and doesn’t seem to need it. My soil is clay, so it does retain water well and is full of nutrients. Abraham Darby on the other hand, DOES want extra water here. I have never experienced rust(other than on hollyhocks), until recently. I’d been very busy over the past month or so, and must have slacked off on watering, just a little. Nobody minded except for AD. This, combined with the wind and 3-5% humidity produced a spectacular case of rust on Abraham Darby. Even though I’ve never seen rust on my roses before, it’s so bad that there’s no mistaking what it is. I’m not even sure what to do about it. I’m giving him lots of extra water, and thinking of pruning him down to almost the ground. I’m worried about spreading the rust, even while pruning. Last night, I went out late to move the hose with my headlamp on. I removed a spent bloom from AD, and in the light beam I could see tiny dust like particles floating off. I can only assume they were rust particles. I fear that while pruning the rust will blow everywhere. So AD definitely wants extra water. He’s brought me my first case of rust on a rose bush. And oh yes, of course, he grows huge in our kind of climate. Lisa