>already on my short list (Gruss an achen Hi Nicole, I have the impression that more than one cultivar for Gruss An Aachen is available, and I'd like to recommend the cultivar of Gruss An Aachen sold by Chamblee's Roses (www.chambleeroses.com/). We had three healthy Gruss An Aachens from there and when we replace them (they were lost to Rose Rosette Disease) I'm going to get them from Chamblee's again. The particular cultivar from Chamblees did particularly well here. >Mary, Old Blush looks really great too... I know chinas don't do so well here but I might try her anyway. It is a shame they don't like our climate- many have such a lovely, elegant bush shape. I have actually seen a big bush of Old Blush growing in Asheville, Nicole. It was 1995, before I was really into roses, but you couldn't miss this large beauty. It looked splendid and healthy. I don't know whether it's still there or not, but if you want to visit the botanical gardens at 151 WT Weaver Blvd., adjacent to the campus of UNV-Asheville, you can look for it. When there, go through the entrance building and take the path to the right at the building exit to enter the grounds. The rose is about 20 feet off to the right after you've walked just a short distance up that path. As for spraying or not spraying, I'd suggest you get started with roses that don't require spraying to look good most of the time. A little blackspot isn't a big deal, but a total loss of leaves isn't too attractive if there's nothing in front of the rose to hide the leafless plant. I'd also suggest that once you do get started with spraying, if you do, then roses that otherwise could have developed good disease resistance on their own (it can take up to three years) will either never have the processes stimulated to make that happen or will have much more difficulty making it happen. Amy Padgett in Eastern NC has a website with a large section on roses. Not every variety she can grow there is necessarily good for your spot, but some of her observations on the amount of disease resistance of different roses in an organically oriented yard might be. I'll attach that address. The thing about Old Blush that gives me pause isn't that I think we couldn't grow it successfully here in this no-spray yard--we have never used poison chemicals at all and I feel sure that if others can grow it no-spray, we can too--but that the rose is a little thornier than the impression I've gotten from many different internet comments. I actually wrote Michael Shroup regarding the thorniness of Old Blush and he said that it's average, a 5 out of 10. >Connie, I've been reading your blog for a while... I almost mentioned Ducher and Duchesse de Brabant to you too, but when I saw a zone 7 listing at HMF decided not to mention them. But if they grow well for Connie... I really think they might grow for you too. Because of family, I've often kept up with the weather in Connie's area. And the same for Asheville. Usually the temp differences with us here are similar-- usually 3 or 4 degrees difference, at the most, with Asheville and 3-5 degrees difference for northern Virginia. I do think perhaps Connie's location might have had a rougher winter there than you did in Asheville in this last particular winter. Do consider your topography in figuring out how the low temperatures in your own yard relate to the official lows at the airport. Your yard can be warmer than most if it has some slope on it and doesn't sit at the very bottom of hills. Proximity to pavement can help too. Anyway, both Ducher and Duchesse de Brabant went into the ground here last fall as a healthy one-gallon plant (Chamblee's) and wintered over with no special protection other then a few leaves as mulch. They were planted a bit more deeply than when they arrived, so that might have helped some too. Ducher and Duchesse de Brabant made it through the winter evergreen, not losing any leaves (Ducher), or many (Duchesse de Brabant). It didn't seem too wise to me to keep their leaves, but we let the plants decide on it. :) We had a pretty good spring here--no amazingly wide temperature flucuations bringing the worst of winter in April or anything like that--so it might not have been the best of years to judge how winter hardy those two roses are for here (in the Piedmont). But anyway, Ducher incautiously took off growing at the first sign of warming in February and didn't let any of the intervening frosts slow her down much. Duchesse took maybe 3 weeks longer to get going in the spring and she looked less perky in her foliage overall at the end of winter, but once she started growing she was off to the races. Both roses are sizable, full four-foot high plants now, with a strong tendancy to bloom, bloom, bloom... and bloom some more. Absolutely no blackspot or powdery mildew on either rose. Both look really good as a shrub with an attractive shape and attractive foliage. You might say that there are plenty of good hardy pink roses, but I don't know of any offhand with that particular wonderful scent on a fairly low-thorns rose. If you are up to trying a questionable thing in terms of winter hardiness, Duchesse de Brabant would be a really good choice. It lasts reasonably well in a vase, better than some of our other tea roses. I thought of one other pink rose: Mortimer Sackler. Healthy, healthy, healthy. Great beauty, and nicely fragrant too. Almost no thorns! Best wishes, Mary Here is a link that might be useful: Amy Padgett's rose website

Monica-GORGEOUS DR!! I adore your vase-but I think Candice (Divine Design) suggests a chandelier should have 40" from the tabletop to the bottom of your lighting fixture. If that is so-you'd only have 15" of space in which to display florals, etc. I think I'd get a pedestal and place it in the corner by the window and you see the 'curlycews' in the design on the vase? Forget what they're called at the craft store, but they're tall. I'd put them along with a big bunch of long stemmed branches that have gold berries on them-to lighten & brighten that corner, as well as it'll tie in the golden color in the vase.. Is there gold in the lovely fabric on the chairs?

I've made so many exciting changes. I love my new colors, greens, browns, accenting with rust, and will post pictures soon. Sorry,furniture arrangement remains the same. I bought two round oversized wood tables,and a matching oval coffee table, painted walls Old Salem Gray, added a couple area rugs,living and entryway, finished sewing interlined plaid drapes last night,now I am trying to decide how to hang them, added a couple embroidered flowery pillows, seems like the list goes on and on. I need to paint fireplace brown yet, buy new lamps, a picture, and accessories. Do you like either of these ideas...built in shelves with , cabinet doors possibly painted Whitall Brown, same color I plan to use behind the tv or the Floating Shelves painted brown. I don't really like the paneling look on the builtins but I thought the brown cabinets below to match the brown above the fireplace would work ?? These are the shelving /bookcases INSPIRATIONAL pictures I think will work. Do you like them?? Thank you so much for inspiring me to make CHANGES...I've been waiting to move, and now I love my "new home"..well not really, but I'm feeling in style now with painted walls!! Will post entry, living and kitchen pics soon. Today I am sewing my patio door drapes, in a fabulous multi colored stripe. Also loved my kitchen chairs slipcovered in beige tapestry print, so BB&B here I come for 5 more of those bargains $5.99 each plus coupons!! Michelle

Oh my gosh I didn't think I'd get this many responses so quickly! Her room is a south west facing window, but she has big wooden blinds and a sheer curtain over the window so the room is always bright, but not from direct sun. We live in southern Pennsylvania so it's going to start to get cold here pretty soon (I've started moving all the plants away from any sort of draft). I really like almost all of the ones you guys suggested! I was pleasantly surprised that you all found so many nice looking plants in the size I was looking for. I was afraid of suggesting any sort of tree to her for fear it would get too big. The Rubber Tree and Dracaena species look great, I think she'll like those. The parlor palm is nice too, very short and leafy. Thanks for the suggestions! I appreciate it :)