I think the test fields are moving to Ohio simply because Gardens Alive is located there and that is where their other R&D facilities are. Makes sense to have it all in one place - and saves money. Gardens Alive bid for J&P and even though their offer was, I believe, more than Blackstreet it was not accepted because they would not guarantee they would keep the all the jobs in South Carolina where Parks Seed and Wayside are. Too bad as I think they would have been better owners. Personally I think Weeks is in good hands. Garden's Alive have good people there who actually know something about the plant industry. Keith Zary is a good example. I don't know if Tom Carruth is staying with Weeks but hopefully he is. Christian Bedard also knows his stuff. IMO California mainly grows large roses because of Dr. Huey. It simply pushes larger plants. But Dr. Huey does not do well in my area (or most areas this side of the country) and keep in mind since it cannot be grown from seed RMV is a result of it being used. Personally I'd be happy to see it vanish as a rootstock. There is a lot of growing in Arizona these days and I suspect we'll see more there. And don't count out Tyler, TX. But I think in the end that won't matter. The trend is heavily towards own-root and towards liners finished in pots. Much of the public and quite a few garden centers don't want to deal with bareroots. At best I think we'll see one year field grown own-root crops for wholesale use but I'm not holding my breath on that continuing either. As to retail I think you'll see more and more 2 quart pots being used for mail order - even from the big boys. The traditional bareroot budded crop takes two years from planting to harvest. That means you are attempting to guess what the rose market will be in two years. Think of all those growers who planted crops in the winter spring of 2007/2008 for fall 2009 harvest and spring 2010 sales only to see the bottom fall out in September of 2008. By then the planting of the understock and budding (read the most expenses) were spent for a crop that was now likely going to never sell. With liner production you are almost producing on demand and that means you can react to the market far more quickly and keep losses under control. And conversely bring in larger profits if a rose, or the rose market, heats up. I think the changes in nursery ownership and nurseries closing aren�t the only big changes we are in the midst of. Paul

Cyn and Sandi, I learned to be very careful about that after all the ribbing I got from the folks on the Texas Gallery. Once while I was focusing on some canna lilies in the foreground it seemed certain parts of David were perfectly framed by the foliage. Of all the online squealing you never heard the likes! LOL And I honestly didn't even give it a thought before posting. What was even funnier is at a nursery years ago while walking down a path with some young salesmen carrying my plants my five year old grand daughter ran over and tweaked a David statue. The guys howled in laughter and I'm sure I turned red, but when my David was their last one they put him on sale and of course I had to buy him. I dress him in a fig leaf when the preacher comes over ... ;-)

Dlm I think it would be a little difficult to make that determination wouldn't it? I would be offended if I was buying baby formula in my painting gear (dh says I look like a homeless painter) and was approached with an offer of a discount on xyz because I was looking a bit down trodden. One of the reasons I shop there is because in both states we live in they are very active in supporting the folks in need in our community. But I'd really feel supported today if I had that parking space! It's pouring and I'm out of formula again! Come to think of it....they never have enough formula (I don't like to buy all twelve cans on the shelf because I worry about that one other desperate mom out there who might need it as much as we do). I think I'm gonna actually call bob lol. Maybe they could carry extra of my kind :). (and move it off the floor lol....maybe that's asking too much).

Since peeling is an effect of aging, why don't you stain the lion a light gray/rown, then use the Rustoleum on it? Then if/when it peeled, it would look even more realistic You wouldn't even have to be careful with the stain, since the sun and weather age things really unevenly. That's a lovely sentiment. I'm so sorry for your loss. What an absolute nightmare for you.