I have to echo all with my regrets for your loss. I also have to echo Diane and ceterum, to also query the Antique forum. I know it sounds kind of scary at first with all of the long names but people will be gentle with you and they are not hard to come by at all by mail order from reputable places. The reason you may be more pleased with old garden roses is that often they have more disease resistance, more and more of us don't spray due to the environment, but honestly speaking who has the time and dedication? This might also be why the ones you lost didn't fare well. I particularly like the 'found' roses with names of who found them or where they were found. Some may only bloom once which isn't bad, but for your application you may want to make sure that they bloom throughout your season. I finally dove into them this last year and am very excited about how they will look and do, you sound like it wouldn't take too much for you to become just as excited if only you had better guidance (and enabling, you've come to the right place for that!) than what's at the local big box or nursery. Although you've described your needs pretty well, you might want to think about colors before you start studying what to get. If I may suggest, you might want to focus on bold (but not overly gaudy) colors. I especially like yellow as an accent, it is such a happy color to me and that's what you'll want to feel in the spot, not that she's gone of course, but all the happy memories of times shared. Too many pale colors would just get me down, I know, and that's where you want to go to get away from such a mood. You might also want to include her favorite color as a main color or accent depending on what it is. If she liked white or pale pink, just pair it with a saturated dark pink or the lovely purple clematis above. Best of luck and don't be afraid to really dig in and ask more questions here, we really thrive on wonderful projects like yours. Kerin

Bill and Sue, My orders this year were a combination of love at first sight and cheapskate curiosity. The "love" order was 'Port Royale,' a dark crimson Japanese peony from Song Sparrow (it just arrived, and looks like a good plant). I saw it last winter on their website, and totally fell for it. I fell in "love" again in the spring, and ordered 'Early Glow' and 'Mahogany' and 'Amalia Olson' from Hollingsworth's. They should arrive any time. 'Early Glow' and 'Mahogany' will find homes in my "hot" garden in the back yard. The "cheapskate curiosity" order is from Wild's. I know they won't send large roots, but for their clearance price I could try half a dozen plants for the price of one from Klehm's or Hollingsworth, and even use a couple as gifts to a friend if they're really healthy. I ordered 'Mt. St. Helens' because my son is nuts about volcanoes, and he liked the idea of a plant named after his favorite eruption. I also ordered 'Mischief,' 'Polar King,' and a couple others whose names escape me right now. Now I have to find ROOM for all these beauties, since I bought 'Kelway's Glorious' and 'Duchesse de Nemours' this summer. I have to finagle the peonies in among my other plant loves - heirloom irises and daylilies. Laurel

Of all the antique roses I've grown none is better for cutting than Mrs. B. R. Cant. It's blooms are large and frequently occuring. To my nose it's very fragrant and it's among the healthiest roses out there in terms of disease resistance. The only downside is that the bush can get very large. I grow Natchitoches and dearly love it, but the blooms are small and not long lasting. Plus the color shown on ARE is not accurate. It's a light pink, blooms continually, its clusters of blooms are held high above the foliage, it's healthy, will take some shade, but for cutting ... no. Plus I don't get a fragrance. Of course, it's hard to beat Belinda's Dream for a big pink rose. If you don't have it, go with that one first. The size is more manageable. Here is a link that might be useful: Mrs. B. R. Cant on HelpMeFind

I REALLY wish GW had better search features - like, a lot of people here know your kitchen plans, while others (like me), don't. Sorry. It sounds like you live on a farm and want a country kitchen. Well, I'm from the Northeast - and Soapstone has been used here - in farmhouses - for CENTURIES! Ditto wide plank pine floors. That being said, if you are going with dark cabinets, it may be too dark for your tastes. Personally, I LOVE retro tiled countertops, but a LOT of people hate them because grime gets in the grout. If you go with tile make sure NOT to use white grout - impossible to keep clean (even if sealed). I love wood counters too, but still I would never put them next to a sink or stove - I really want to be able to put a hot pot on my counter without needing a trivet. And, well, even though I am obsessed with Tung Oil, and yes, it has been used for centuries to waterproof boats, it will need to be re-applied too often if wet dishes are left on it - therefore it is more work than I intend to do in my new kitchen. My main countertops will be soapstone or concrete simply because they require the LEAST amount of maintenance in the long run and only get better with age and wear. If you like gray but soapstone is too dark, ordinary gray Portland Cement (no color added) works, but it is more modern. Ground / wet-sanded to a fine polish and dirt won't get stuck in the pores. I'm not even planning on sealing mine if I go that route - why bother - I have no intention of re-sealing it at a later date. And hey, if sidewalks aren't sealed and I'm not planning on walking with muddy boots on my counter, any "dirt" will only add to the patina! I also LOVE stainless counters with integrated sinks - but they are expensive. My Grandmother had this as the countertop on the sink side of her kitchen and butcherblock everywhere else - it was a VERY country kitchen with pine cabinets and brick floors and it worked! This is by far the LEAST maintenance countertop choice. I'm going to have to compare costs of this vs. soapstone with a sink cut-out - it might just work out to be the same cost, but I already have a lot of stainless, so it will probably feel too cold in my kitchen. If I go with charcoal grey base cabs, maybe, if I go with stainless base cabs, no way! As for sinks, do yourself a favor and get a big DEEP sink! But fireclay or porcelain enamel over cast iron is NOT the best choice - chips too easily. I actually have a giant antique Art Deco double-bowl sink with a drainboard that clips over either bowl; one bowl is 8" deep, the other is 15" deep - but I really don't want to put it in the new kitchen because it already has a couple nicks in it and I don't want to have to worry and carfeully "place" my dirty pots and pans in it. I think I'll just buy a big stainless farmhouse sink instead and not worry about ruining the finish.