Baronne Prevost could probably be trained on a pillar but it is fiercely prickly - the big, pointed kinds - I would not want to be the one to tie it up! We have Mme Joseph Schwarz growing in almost total shade in the Sacramento cemetery where it stays clean and blooms. I'm pretty sure it's a sport of Duchesse de Brabant since it sometimes throws pink flowers, but it performs much better. DdB gets mildew here, too, although our summer heat discourages it so the mildew is spring and fall. I heard a European speaker (don't remember who) extoll Mme Joseph Schwatz's virtues as a much superior plant to DdB, and that's been my experience too. Some teas are big. Some are huge. Mrs. Dudley Cross is in that category. Mme Antoine Mari is the closest to a moderate-sized tea that I've encountered but even that is building in our garden. Anita

Hi all. My name is Becky. I'm 50 yrs old, married to Mike, 53. We have 2 daughters. The elder is going off to Birmingham Southern College in the fall and the younger is starting middle school. We also share our home with two parrots - an African grey and a sun conure. During the week during the school year we live at our house in Huntsville, AL. It's on the side of a mountain and all woods. Holidays, weekends, and the summer we live at our farm in Lincoln County, TN. It's the home place of a land grant dated 1789. The house, corn crib and smokehouse are all 200+ yr. old log buildings. Of course, the house has been modernized - kichen, plumbing, ac, etc. LOL. Since we bought our farm (1996) we have planted many fruits (trees, vines & berries), vegetable garden, herb garden, moon garden and perennial flowers. We transplanted numerous plants from our parents', grandparents' and great-grandparents' homes in Louisiana. I'm very interested in heirloom and pass-along plants. Herbs, tomatoes and wild foods are also fascinating to me. I've managed to get a ramp bed and a fiddlehead bed going this last year. Every summer I enjoy canning, freezing and drying food from the garden. In the last few years I've gotten some citrus trees to grow in pots. I've been a member of Garden Web for several years, but mostly lurk. And I should mention that I'm the gardener in the family. Mike is willing to build garden structures (like the kiwi/grape arbour), but doesn't understand the joy of digging in the dirt. I hope to be able to attend the MTN plant swap this fall and meet many of you.

Hi. My name is Amanda and I'm a garden-a-holic. LOL. Seriously though, I only began gardening this year and already have plans for probably the next two or three years. I live in Chattanooga in what used to be my in-laws' house. When we moved in, there were already some hostas, two crepe myrtles, several azaleas, forsythias, two peonies, and a few other things. Well, I am working towards ridding myself of the forsythia. They are lovely, don't get me wrong, but I find them entirely too evasive. And to me, it is simply too much work to keep them trimmed back to a manageable size for something that blooms for only a week or two. I can happily say that I've added much more than taken away. I have planted cannas, daylilies, roses, bearded irises, and clematis. I definitely have plans for more roses and daylilies and cannas - just not sure where I will place everything. I am currently trying my hand at rooting some rose cuttings. I have Seven Sisters, Mr. Lincoln, and Climbing Blaze all struck. It is hard to not check for roots, as I am not known for my patience, but I have managed to leave them alone for the short time they have been in their pots. Finally, my husband and I are anxiously awaiting the birth of our second son. My due date is August 25th, but it could honestly be any day now. Our first son is 7-1/2 years old, so this is almost like having a first all over again. Although we're certainly out of practice, we're looking forward to experiencing all the 'firsts' all over again.

Good Morning All! No seeds yet but that's okay! I pulled ALL of my newly purchased and trade for seeds from last year and I have waaaaaayyyyy too many to plant this year or next!!!!! Michelle, please don't send anything!!!!!! It would be a waste, I am very choosy at this point in my gardening and it would be a shame for you to send your seeds to me that I won't use anyway. I appreciate the thought but please, think again....lol I think I had under a hundred things on my wish list and they are probably all things that I can swap for next year :> have a great day! Lisa