Rebecca, I've had Felix LeClerc for about 9 years and I echo the fantastic comments of everyone about him. He's among the first roses to bloom in late May here in zone 5, and he's totally cane hardy and pretty indestructible. It took about 4-5 years before he rebloomed very well, but now I get blooms pretty steadily into July, and scattered blooms off and on even into November. As for height, I think we'd be in the same boat being in close zones. Felix is hardy to zone 3 at least so I think you're still looking at cane hardiness. Mine is about 8' tall and he puts out laterals pretty well, so if you pull the main canes horizontally along your 8X4' trellis you should be able to get it fairly well covered after a while. Like all climbers, he takes a good 4 years to come into his own so be patient. Also, I find his canes to be pretty stiff so I wouldn't expect to do the zigzag canes you can do with more flexible climbers like Crown Princess Margaretha. You also want to make sure your trellis is pretty strong, given that those sturdy canes can pull down an average wood trellis in the wind. You didn't ask for pictures, but here's one of Felix trying (and not succeeding) to pull down a 6' fake iron (aluminum) fence. You can see that even 4' or so away from the fence he can easily reach the top. For years I didn't realize he was supposed to be a climber so I kept pruning him lower to keep him in line. Fortunately it made him bush out and he's forgiven me since. Mine was from HCR too and he's absolutely fine on his own roots. Have fun Cynthia

Oh my. What is a passionate rose lover like you doing in that glacial hell hole? Reading about your endeavors has exhausted me and I haven't even lifted a shovel. I admire your grit and determination, but would love to see you rewarded with thousands of blooms on your rose bushes for all your hard work. I bet they could use engineers in zones 7 to 10!

Here I am again after coming in a few minutes ago. We could have worse vices, yes. I didn't realize the Dowdeswell Delphs were the NZ types. My good gardening friend, and far more experienced than I at growing perennials, grows these. I saw them a couple of weeks ago at her garden, and I've never seen such lovely delphs. I can't get her to take photos, so I can't share any pics, darn. I would be interested in the shorter ones you mentioned because of our awful wind. I expect to stake anything like that out here, but it gets to you after a while. If you hear anything more about the shorter ones, please let us know. As a cheap substitute for tall flowers like foxglove and delphiniums, I use double hollyhocks. They are quite lovely in all sorts of pastels, reseeding readily. I also gather seed and throw it out starting in late autumn. They are in all stages of growth and blooming, which means when half of them are blown down, there are more coming along. I never tie them up, and of course, they are the type of plant that really breaks good when they blow down. There's no saving them then. Jim, those marigolds are really stunning. I think I'll try them next year. I didn't realize that they were slug food in some areas. Definitely not here, though. I grow a lot of calendula or pot marigold, not a true marigold like you grow, more by accident than anything. They look good for about three weeks max, then go to seed. and do they produce seed. I really don't like them very well, and they are the darn blister beetles' favorite food. I like your train track scene, very green and beckoning--makes me want to walk along the tracks in that cool green grass. Well, back to viewing the hired goats eat brush out back. DianePoor woman's delphiniums. Diane

lol, this is not part of an assignment... and even if it was, I have compiled enough on my own to have more than enough ideas. This is a no-credit, online class that I am taking to learn new things. Just wondering what you've all had success with, I know many of you here are zone 5ers. Some of my ideas are: baptisia, ligularia, goatsbeard, turtlehead, japanese forest grass, angelina sedum, jack frost brunnera, phlox jeanna, new england aster, shade clematis, serviceberry, variegated dogwood, [more variegated foliage ideas?], willows, smokebush, [more dark purple shrub ideas?], evergreens with yellow shades in the fall, flowering small trees, hydrangea (lacecap variety), ninebark... I have MANY other plants I could add to this list but these are the ones that I have a particular fondness of that I do not yet have in my landscape. And I'm well aware not all of these will work together, really all I'm trying to do is get a list of plants I like, then go from there. camp - I appreciate your comments, I don't plan to use everyone's suggestions, this is really just a way for me to get more plant ideas on paper, I will do my own research and see if they would work in my landscape. If they will, I may use them, I may not - depends on how the whole thing looks together in my head. But here's this if it helps: I have 3/4 of an acre with sun/shade all over the map - dark shade, light shade, bright sun, part sun, etc... soil for the most part is clay but I have amended many planting areas with compost and will continue to amend and time goes on... I like a full look, cottage style I guess, informal. I am always in the garden so I don't mind having to trim things, deadhead, water, whatever. I realize my style is a little high maintenance but I am OK with that for now.