I grew Graham Thomas in a pot for about 5 years. It stayed a fairly reasonable size but it was definitely taller than most HTs would be. I had a small trellis in the pot to tie it to and that worked out well. Lovely blooms, good fragrance fair disease resistance but a water HOG! I use it as the canary in the mine for watering because it droops immediately if it's the least bit dry. So it may not be the best for a very hot, dry climate. La Marne was a lovely polyantha that bloomed nearly continuously for me. It didn't winter for me so I don't know what it's eventual size might be but it only got about 3 x 3 feet in the season I had it and that seems to be about the perfect size for container roses in my opinion. I don't remember it having a lot of fragrance but the blooms were really lovely. They would start out with more pink and even burgundy touches and then open to white.

Thanks Jackie, for that tip on blue jays liking peanuts. What is a rose folly? I found some interesting info. about bat and birds dropping. Rabies are thought associated to bats only, but cattle (esp. cows) represent 5% to 11% of rabies cases since 2004. Here's the info: Worldwide, bats are predators of vast numbers of insect pests, saving farmers and foresters billions of dollars annually and helping to control insect-spread human diseases, like West Nile virus. Although bats play key roles in keeping insect populations in balance, they are North America's most rapidly declining land mammals. Bats give one or two off springs per year. Wild animals accounted for 93 percent of reported cases of rabies in 2001. The wild animals in which infection was reported included: Raccoons -- 37.2 percent of all animal cases during 2001 Skunks -- 30.7 percent Bats -- 17.2 percent Foxes -- 5.9 percent Other wild animals, including rodents and lagomorphs (e.g., rabbits and hares) -- 0.7 percent. Fresh bat droppings (unlike fresh bird dropping) can contain the histoplasmosis fungus. Bat droppings do not need to come into contact with soil to be a source of the disease. Histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus found primarily in the areas drained by the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The disease is transmitted to humans by airborne fungus spores from soil contaminated by pigeon and starling droppings (as well as from the droppings of other birds and bats). The soil under a roost usually has to have been enriched by droppings for two years or more for the disease organism to reach significant levels. Infection occurs when spores, carried by the air are inhaled especially after a roost has been disturbed. Most infections are mild and produce either no symptoms or a minor influenza- like illness. On occasion, the disease can cause high fever, blood abnormalities, pneumonia and even death. In some areas, including portions of Illinois, up to 80 percent of the population show evidence of previous infection. Outbreaks of histoplasmosis have occurred in Central Illinois. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reported a potentially blinding eye condition presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (OHS) that probably results from the fungus. NIH estimates that 4 percent of those exposed to the disease are at risk of developing OHS.

Cherry pitter, now I am back in the UK, I can access a mad amount of wild plums on the highways and byways, they are tiny look like cherrys, but lush to eat. Kicking myself I didn't buy more jars in the US, brought lots of lids but struggling with jars at the mo, kerr jars in the UK for 12 are around $50 and lids about $12 which is just taking the michael...not impressed! other than that I got my self setup in the US, I have 2 pressure canners, I forgot to buy the rubber replacement bits before I left but they are the type of light weight item when family and friends visiting the US, I ask them to bring back. ummmm what do I want....my lovely kitchen I had in the US and this will crack you all up, my house in connecticut is cheeper in price to buy than the house we are renting in the UK and my kitchen in the US footprint is 2/3 in size of our entire house in the UK, and we had family room, dining rm, living room, office room.... I don't need some of that stuff but I would KILL to have my old kitchen back :)

I grow some really great garlic each year from the "grocery store." I try to grow varieties that have the thinner stalks that dry well. Have had good luck with a variety that they claim grows from "The Garlic Capital of the World!!" Also sweet potatoes are a natural for this sort of thing. I prefer the dark red yams (actually) but both can be "started" this way. One way is to let the yam produce sprouts, or put a piece in water until sprouts form. Cut the sprout from the tuber taking a bit of the flesh, allow the cut to dry, then plant in some potting soil. When the shoots appear to be "taking" replant in the garden in a warm spot. (sweet potatoes like heat to grow). For the garlic, I just take some likely looking garlic, separate the cloves, punch a finger-sized hole in the ground (I have planter boxes - so along the sides), and drop in a clove. My planting times are late fall/winter - but others may have to wait for spring. I have had some good yields for the past 4 years or so. The best dried garlics are saved, those that have thicker necks are made into garlic salt. P.S. more than you really wanted to know - I'm sure. Bejay