Lord Roberts is an older variety that has dropped out of favor since other reds such a Nova Zembla are much more popular in the garden centers in this area. Fall is the best time to plant them if you mulch them enough to prevent frost heaving. Monrovia grows Lord Roberts. They may be able to tell you of one of their customers that stocks it. Another plant you might consider is Francesca. It has very large, very dark red flowers. It is very showy. It is available from Rarefind Nursery

Your double does stand out in your pic as being the biggest flower in the shot. Very pretty indeed! I don't grow Africa but I sure love it. I have one dark one in the garden Night Beacon and I was surprised because when it bloomed it has be- come my very most favorite (for now) I've got about 20 too plant and 14 more on order. Love your daylilies and your garden shots & your box. Rena'

I have enjoyed reading the messages this morning and watch as those who are "up" reach out to those who are "down". I have a friend in Ardmore who always says, "It isn't a serious problem if you can fix it with money". I have laughed at that many times, but find a great deal of truth in his words. When we don't have the money to fix something it seems like there is no way out, but there are a lot of issues that money doesn't fix. When we are dealing with those problems we just have to put our trust in God and keep plugging on. I have had serious health issues in my life but I would rather have had my problems than anyone elses. I would not deal well with a child or husband that had a drug problem, a mental illness, an achohol addiction, a criminal record, an unwanted pregnancy, and many more issues too numerous to mention. I suffered from age 21 to 43 with unbearable headaches that no one could fix. I would sit at my desk and work and sometimes not be aware of how much I hurt until I had to wipe the tears from the papers on my desk. At 43 I was in a one car automobile accident on the back roads near Norman and suffered an unstable back fracture. No laceration, no other broken bones, no blood, etc. I told the ambulance personnel that I had a broken back so they treated me that way, but no one believed me. The emergency staff treated me the same way. When the xray came back EVERYTHING changed. Suddenly the lady who wasn't crying, wasn't yelling and wasn't complaining got all of their attention. I had learned to control pain so well that I frequently didn't get good medical treatment because no one believed me when I said I hurt. The solution to my back problem was to fuse several disk together and then place 9 and one half inch steel rods down both sides of my spine. The rods were to be removed after a couple of years of healing but by this time I had moved, had new insurance, and two doctors that thought they should stay. They stayed, so from the accident forward, my back would never bend again. Guess what? No more headaches. Except for water skiing and riding horses, I still do almost everything I did before. When I garden, I plant everything I can that will climb and for all other things, I use a kneeling stool and work directly in front of my body. If I have to reach out, I can only do it with one hand because the other has to hold on to the stool or I would fall on my face. I very quickly learned not to reach too far to pick up anything since my only bending is from my hips. Very early on I reached for something across a card table and landed on top of the table. Of course, this means that I also can't bend from side to side. Medical personnel told my husband that I would never walk again. I missed 16 days of work and begged the doc until he let me go back to work. A few years ago I was diagnosed with diabetes and that is a true battle to fight. I have had problems with my ears all of my life and every illness seems to go to my ears. I have allergies and also asthma so vertigo was a normal part of my life. A few weeks ago my ear got infected. My shoulder and neck got so sore that I couldn't stand to move but my ear didn't hurt very much. I could feel the swelling around my ear so I knew what was causing it. I not only had infection but a perforated eardrum as well. After injections, drops, and oral meds I began to feel better and went on vacation. I had a great time but somehow hurt my foot. Now the ear thing is happening again and I am waiting for the doctor to call. The nurse practioner laughed at herself and said she didn't recall that she had ever begged anyone else to take pain medication. I never tell anyone ALL of these things, but I guess I just want to make a point today. When times are bad just look around and see who else you would want to trade places with. If you find someone, and you think they have no problems.......you probably just don't know them well enough. As far as gardens go, you can work lots of hours and get little return but it is still great exercise and more fun and cheaper than a gym membership. I love what I pick from my garden but I realize that Heavenly Father is really the gardener and I am just the assistant. He is very much in control. I try not to use chemicals and add problems to His beautiful world. I am so picky that I normally don't plant hybrids because I keep thinking of the following verses. Gen. 1: 11-12 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. I occasionally plant a hybrid, but mostly I take this literally and plant those things that "make seed after their own kind". This winter we had a terrible ice storm. Day one I prayed that my trees would be protected. Day two, I thanked Him that my trees were still standing and ask him again to protect them. At night I would hear trees falling all through my neighborhood be since we had no electricity I couldn't see which ones were falling. Day three, I said, "I thank thee for protecting YOUR trees that are in my yard". I lost only a few limbs, but before I could garden this year, we had to remove my neighbors large tree from my garden, and another neighbors large limbs. Laugh if you want, but I plant what I want, eat what I get, and don't worry a lot about what I don't get this year. That doesn't mean I can't try again next year. Well, since I have been writing this book, Heavenly Father just decided to water His garden again and it is raining hard. Keep planting and keep your chin up. It may get worse....but then it will get better and Heavenly Father never gives us more that we can stand. I love my life.

Dear Friends, Bless you all for your kind and loving words and prayers. We are just doing o.k....trying to take it one day at a time. Sunday was a hard day...one week...and yesterday was a really bad day for me. We got together at my nieces house...like we do every year...we all missed Mom so much. Dad is trying but he is so sad and at times the tears flow. I try to be with him and then try to let him have his time....he told me that being by himself is something he has to do and the Lord will see him thur. We are going this week to look at a headstone....we have gotten so many beautiful cards from friends and family...my boss at the florist shop gave me a beautiful small handpainted trunk to put cards and memories from Mom's funeral in....my daughter will try to help me put Mom's picture on here for you all to see...she was a beautiful lady. At times I have such a hard time going down those stairs....I want my Mom to be there!!! I know many of you understand. Again bless you all for being here for me....keep my sweet Dad in your prayers. Love, Nora