Own-roots are just going to be wimpier than what you have. A decent rule of thumb is that if it is going to dieback over the winter, it will do much better with a strong rootstock. MM has a reputation in the east of just plain not being worth much. I grew Tropicana when it was still under patent, and it was a decent performer. I'd expect you could get something out of it so long as it is a grafted plant from a reputable supplier. That may mean it is coming from Canada at this point in time.

I like the idea of bumping it out a little and making it look like furniture. It's not like you have to protect that view of the dishwasher, so it could end up working nicely on both fronts. The only things to think about are the practical considerations. Don't bump out too far of you'll impede the dw and not be able to stand at the hutch and empty the dw into it, whch is I think what you'd likely want to do. And ensure that there's enough clearance in the aisle way between the hutch and island / work table. It looks a bit tight in the picture but I think it's probably just the camera angle.

I'm attaching a link to my house plan. my house is that Augusta plan reversed. So in my new plan, the bar is open to the living room. How much work space do I need? My kitchen isn't the smallest kitchen, and even if I had the pantries as counter instead, I would still have only added 48" of counter there when I originally built my house. And after making meals here, I can't imagine having to sit and prep my meals anywhere that far away from the stove? If I take out the columns from the stove and replace the smaller cabinet with a larger 30" x 27 cabinet, I get full use of the 27" on either side of the stove so 54" total counter there vs 36" in the plan so I'm gaining 18" of space. Plus I'm adding another 48" of counter with the island (rolling or not). My dining room space is smaller than my kitchen space so I don't see how I'd gain anything there? Especially considering that I'd be paying to move all the water, and electric in there. I was trying to enhance things without paying for all the items in the kitchen from being moved. For the most part, I enjoy my kitchen layout and am where things are. I was also hoping not to have to change the structure of the house (windows or doors) but I'd would like and would rather make the kitchen sliding glass doors a single french door and work with adding counter/cabinet to the stove wall which would go from 8" to 11 ft. I am worried however with matching my siding although I suppose that they can without trouble My house is 12 years old. I am on a wooded lot so I really do like having the large window in the dining room. I don't have another window on the other wall in the dining room so I want to keep that huge window. But if we do something with the sliding glass doors, that gives me almost 36" inches? What do you guys think of that idea? I think that may make things a bit more workable. I am excited to hear what you think. Here is a link that might be useful: My House Plan

Not sure what you mean by "aha moment for wall back of stove".. you say that you are removing the wall the stove is on (between Kitchen and Dining room). Your layout picture is small and kind of hard to read, but I will try to give comments. Sorry, I don't like your dual islands much because of traffic patterns and the sitters on the right one seem banished to no-man's land. Is the Range in the peninsula important to you? Many don't like them. If you keep it, please deepen the counter so that another 12-24" is between the stool sitters and those spitting pots. You might also consider a pass-through like shanghaimom's. Also, make sure your seating overhangs are at least 15" for counter-height (36") seating or 12" for bar-height (42") seating. It is uncomfortable to sit with less space. I would then get rid of both islands in order to make one huge rectangular one with seating along the right and bottom edges. DW and Sink go all the way down towards the right, and get swapped because you don't want DW between Sink and Range. Wine and Bev fridges go under counter next to MW/steam oven and Dish Storage goes in the upper cabinets above. Extra Oven stays somewhere in Island. I would also consider putting a Prep Sink somewhere on the Range counter run. Alternatively, consider putting the Range on that Pantry wall. Move MW/Steam Oven to that little corner up in the top left of the picture. Move Cleanup Sink & DW to peninsula where Range was. Dish Storage is in that peninsula. Again, make the two islands into one large island in front of Range, seating on the right and bottom edges. Suggestions for Island, from left to right, place Wine & Bev fridges, Prep Sink, Drawers. Extra Oven goes next to Range (more functional, not as pretty for Range Wall wow factor) or stays in Island. The first option will offer you that view of the Range and Hood from dining room and family room. The second option is safer and cheaper because gets the range off the peninsula and out of the traffic pattern there, and you don't have to shell out the bucks for an island hood. HTH!