I'm glad that Setzer Noisette might work, Jeri. hoovb- It's about a mile and a quarter inland from the beach. Besides a jackmanii in relatively sunny conditions that does well, all recent attempts at Clematis in full sun just haven't gone well there. Henryi (One of the few cultivar names I can recall) was on the verge of death till I finally moved it to a shady spot. Perhaps our care has been less perfect and the sample size is fairly small, but I'm somewhat hesitant to plant a Clematis in a spot in the front yard if it's going to perform as other Clems have in similar conditions. She actually already grows a few of the recent suggestions elsewhere (Reine des Violettes, Cornelia, and Night Owl). As for Pax, we're both big fans of the Hybrid Musks. Penelope, Prosperity, and possibly Pax would all offer lovely light tones, but of those three I have only seen Prosperity grown in a way that might work. Penelope strikes me as more of a shrubby rose and Pax as perhaps too much rose. Though more apricot, Nymphenburg is intriguing. It doesn't seem to be a widely grown rose so I don't expect much feedback on it. I have mostly seen it as a shrub, but it's grown as a pillar rose at the Huntington so perhaps it could be applied to an obelisk. It is quite pretty. I've previously thought about getting it for myself, but seeing it at the Huntington made me reconsider. Perhaps this is a good opportunity for vicarious gardening. Jay

Okay, before I was at the Honda dealership getting the oil changed in my Civic Hybrid. The support for Petit Faucon, Medley, and Integrifolia Rosea. Rusty obelisks that used to house Andante (still a no show from this spring), ochroleuca, and integrifolia the species. Durandi grows up this wire fencing cage attached to the birdhouse pole. Integrifolia alba grows up and throught the pineapple. Hakuree in a tomato cage. Rusty chair with Roguchi. Arabella is down lower on the chair. Alionushka grows up a japanese maple tree.

Check out the "Florida Weave" for trellising toms. This is a super easy and cheap way to trellis rows of whatever. Make sure you don't use sisal twine as it stretches. I use tomato tape...it doesn't cut into the plants. Down south (well, I'm in FL, so I mean zone 10, lol, we just used the oak branches from the Feb. pruning. You can get several very long, very sturdy branches and just use them! I've used bamboo, but find that it's not nearly as sturdy as the oak, which can be used for at least 3 years before they start to rot at the bottom. I only trellis my heirlooms because of their massive size..the rest I let do what they will...I have huge harvests every year and I have the space for it) The Weave is a favorite for doing rows (even in raised beds) and keeping them spaced just right and takes very little effort. I'd prune any indeterminates you decide to grow upright...not so much for fruit production, which you'll get either way, but because it opens them up a bit and it's easier to spot problems before they become real problems. On a personal note: I'm going to try "red mulch" this year on my Roma's because I don't stake them at all. I'll let ya'll know how that works out! Here is a link that might be useful: How do I use the Florida Weave?

I grew 18 tomato plants last year in ground and one in a big pot (for comparison). I was almost sold on making CRW cages, but the mesh around here was not cheap and it was only 5' and ... just didn't appeal to me. I bought 20 seven foot steel stakes that were painted green at around $2 per. Should've bought 8 foot ones, but shipping was much higher and by the time I found a coupon on the internet for a flat shipping fee from that company, they already shipped them. I pounded them in the ground about a foot and a half deep in two rows (row of 11 and a row of 9). I had some 22 gauge steel wire laying around so I cut that up, had enough to make bottom set of rings. Then I bought a roll of 18 or 19 gauge wire and made two more sets of rings. So I ended up with a cross between tomato cages and those flimsy tomato rings on a stick. Only rings were supported by two sticks and they were all connected to the others in that row. Worked out pretty good. I had a few plants that grew about 12 feet tall, folded over and grew all the way back to the ground. And some of the bottom rings got bent a bit by the end of the season.