Hey, Kippy, believe it or not, we have a burgeoning wine growing industry here in the UK. I think much depends on the variety of grape (we tend to grow sparkling whites here in the UK, often very similar to German wines). Not even the most optimistic weather-watcher could claim we have long hot summers but there are varietals which will do well in the cool and damp english climate. We can certainly manage outdoor dessert grapes too (Boskoop Glory is a good one for me) so why not have a go? There is a lot of fun to be had training the vines - the major fiddly bit is thinning out the bunches of grapes - and they look quite fabulous over a pergola too (although mine is on a couple of posts and wire). Mind, the growing of them is easy - the making a good wine is likely to be beyond me. I had a period, years ago, of making horrid brews such as nettle wine, parsnip wine and so on - I still drank them though - after the first few gulps, they slipped down OK and they were certainly poky (shudder)....but anyway, I prefer beer (ale, NOT lager). I too wondered if Kim was going to write a book. He should. Failing miserably with my Meyer lemon (and I had wanted one for ages) - looking sad, pallid and completely growthless - sulks in the greenhouse, weighing me down with guilt and bafflement. Swinish fruit.

Favorites....all, but if I had to pick one it would be Prairie Star. A very full hybrid tea form white blush. Favorite red is Quadra for it's old garden rose look. Cuthbert Grant for it's colouring.(CB is a purplely red) Alexander Mackenzie and Champlain for the continious blooms. Favorite pink is Lambert Closse for the hybrid tea form and the smell. Frontenac and Winnipeg Parks for their colouring (Frontenac is a bright glowing pink and Winnipeg Parks is the colour of watermelon flesh.) Prairie Joy and Morden Belle for their continious blooms. Marie Victorin strikes me also. It has peach buds that open to pink with yellow in the centre. Once opened the flower becomes quite loose and reminds me of peonies. Favorite yellow is Morden Sunrise. It's colour is quite unique and it is also a continous bloomer. JP Connell for the hybrid tea flower form. Favorite climbing is John Cabot for the vigor and continious blooms. America for the hybrid tea form and coral colouring. My older favorites were Adalaide Hoodless and Morden Blush. But with the last couple of summers being wet, they have become Black spot magnets. Even with spraying they continue to almost become out of control. They still have bloomed unbelievably well. But if I have another year of fighting with them to stay healthy then I think that I have to shovel prune them. 15 favorites out of 33 varieties that I have grown. It is hard to pick. I have 63 roses now with another 30 on order of 18 new varieties. I'll let you know what I think of these new babies later on.

Cindy, it will, it will. Your new bed that you are doing the smart way will be lovely rich soil by next fall and be a joy to plant in :-) I don't know how high you have pilled your layers but remember you should go higher than the blocks that contain the bed as it will compost down in volume. Beautiful fall pictures of the lake and your garden. Such a pretty view no matter were one looks. Your trees look so lovely in the fall colors. Trees here have not even started to turn. It is great to see all the kitties again, they all look like they are enjoying the fall garden. Babe really is a cutie and my how he has grown.

Hi Everyone, Sounds like a great day for our plant swap! I will be bringing some hand-crafted things for the doorprizes - an autumn welcome slate, a candleholder with a scarecrow painted on it, a hand painted concrete stepping stone (painted with outdoor safe paint), and I plan on picking up 2 pots of mums. If Heather would like, we could use her crafts as well, for door prizes. I wish she would contact me. I am bringing pickled beets and eggs as my dish. I also promised to bring some trash bags, so I will bring those. So far, I have potted up a lavender (Lady is the variety), a Blue Boy Garden Phlox, some pots of a shorter variety of Shata Daisy called Silver Angel that I started this year from seed, some pots of rooted cutting of Coral Carpet Rose, and like Cathy, I will be bringing some named daylilies and irises in plastic grocery bags...will be digging them tomorrow. I may have a few more things too. Hope to see you all there. Linda