Lovely rose as always, Jeri. If anyone is looking for this rose, Heirloom also sells it and mine really took off after planting this spring. Usually I disbud all my small bands in their first year, but mine not only put on some substantial growth already this year (not common in the "old" Heirloom) it also put out two huge blooms. Mine have reddened up more on the edges in our heat, but it's definitely a keeper. I wish mine would show more of the contrast in your photo, but she's still a baby and there's time! Cynthia

The irises aren't really graded by hardiness zone. Chuck Chapman is the most northerly major iris grower and hybridizer and since all his plants are field grown (i.e. he doesn't just order a crate of them from Holland, they multiply in his fields), they all pass the acid test of Guelph winters or he doesn't sell them. Since Guelph is somewhat warmer than the prairies, there could be some difference in hardiness. He does note on his website some TBs that perform well in cold climates. If you're worried, order the smaller types of irises such as SDBs. They tend to be hardier. And yeah, we are all broke from gardening but we can share recipes for dandelion stew and toaster shakings if your family is starving.

Beth, you are so right--should have done apricot and orange separately. But since I grow almost none of either one, how was I to know you folks had gone a bit nuts over apricot and orange. I didn't even know there were that many oranges and apricots! (You folks must have "loud" gardens--ha!) Think we are headed for Orange/Apricot, Part II, don't you? Well, let me pick out a few of my favorites upthread. Cheshire and South Africa are lovely--I like golden tones, with some apricot highlights. Honey Perfume belongs in there too. Eureka falls into that golden category also, Beth--and Marilyn Monroe is lovely in her own way also. Don't know quite what to say about a rose like Hot Romance however--it is a gorgeous rose, but I can't imagine it in my garden. Same with Granada and Dolly Parton and Playboy--absolutely breaktaking--but don't they dominate everything within 20 ft? Pat Austin too. I mean like, Wow!! aren't they just too, too stunning? I guess I incline more to roses like Cherish or The CoxSwain. Tammy, that sure is a nice photo of Memerized. Guess I'm going to have to work on my orange appreciation! But don't let my attitude slow you down--pile on the orange! Best way to get me used to it! LOL Kate

Dianalo. We haven't even investigated that much, but know that IKEA has something we like, that reasonable. I googled the Applad and found $7 - what a shock...how can they sell it for so cheap (or how can the others sell if for so much). At these prices, we're now considering that we will do both uppers and bases. That way when/if I get tired of them, we can just get new faces and it will fit. I would have liked to keep my bases but they just don't fit with IKEA. I would have had to get a new sink base anyway, plus we were going to get a trash pull-out. Needing only 8 more cabinets, it's why not just get it all to match? We've never been hard on our cabinets (even having raised 4 kids), so I'm sure the quality is enough for us. They are opening a location near us soon, and I can hardly wait!!!