If Munstead Wood stays dark most of the time, it would be great, but I have never seen it in real life, so I don't know how good a rose it is--although the description looks very promising. I did a quick google search--several bloggers mentioned that it is lighter during the summer--more pink in it, in other words. It could still be combined with Double Pink KO, but there would be less contrast and the overall effect would be "louder"--which isn't necessarily bad--think of Pappu's famous pics from a couple years ago--that was one loud, beautiful garden. It depends on how comfortable you feel with "loud." If you go with Munstead Wood, I would tone it down a bit by alternating MW with a white bloomer--like I said above, either Green Ice (lots of nice green foliage when it is between bloom cycles) or Gourmet Popcorn (good bloomer). That would give more contrast, but "neutralize" the overall effect to some degree. And in the cooler spring and fall when MW is darker, the white would keep the darker color from receding too much into the background--one of the problems with darker colors on a back fence. I guess by dark wine red, what I really had in mind was mums--they come in some gorgeous shades. How do they grow in MI? They bloom for a long time here in September and October. The alternating plants (Green Ice, let's say) would bloom in the spring and summer. I often like to stagger the bloom times of my garden clusters, but then I also like the bigger splash of everything blooming at one time. Here's a wild idea. My garden center was selling BLACK petunias this year. Get about 3-4 containers of them spread out at the feet of the KOs, and alternate with the Green Ices. That would be really cool. In the spring (before petunias can handle the cold), I'd probably plant a bunch of the darkest pansies I could find. They come a red or purple so dark that they almost look black. For that matter, if it doesn't get too hot during your summers and the pansies can survive therefore your summers (they burn up in July here in Kansas), just go with dark pansie in 3-4 containers alternating with something white like Green Ice. (Yeah--I keep insisting on that white, don't I! : ) ). Or if you really want all roses, conduct that annual search for the blackest rose possible. Good luck. Let us know what you come up with. Interesting project. Kate

Devo, I love your alcantarea sculptures! Great idea, and I agree with your reasoning of success. As the alcantareas grow, the leaves should cascade below their base, and they will look like weird but wonderful miniature palms. I also really like the idea of them being portable, so they can be moved when desired. I also like Japie's suggestion of adding some small neos to the trunk - maybe on a couple, but leave some as is with the brom just on top? I find alcantareas like a fair bit of water in the warmer months, and those ones in the ponga hollows should retain moisture well. Also, thanks so much for your kind words about my brom trees - the nicest description of my gardening style that I have ever had!....:) !!!! Emery, if you look up the topic on previous page entitled "Extravaganza at Home", you will see many great photos of bromeliad gardens around the world, including some of my live bromeliad trees, and info on what I use to attach the broms. Those tree stumps sound ideal, as long as they are hard wood and have some texture to the bark for the roots to attach to. They (the stumps) will eventually rot, but you should have several years of epiphytic sculptures to enjoy. Sydney should be O.K. humidity-wise, but you will need to spray water/hose them maybe twice a week in dry, hot weather - water-restrictions allowing. I have written an extensive article on growing bromeliads epiphytically in the sub-tropical home garden for the BSI Journal, May-June, 2003. I have it on my home computer, but don't know how to attach a word file on this forum. If anybody would like a copy, please send me your email address and I will happily send you one. Cheers, Kerry.

Connie, regarding the plants I rescued from another garden, they are still way back there next to the corn field. I only took ones I really cared about and that would thrive in the main part of my shady yard. That area was beyond the part we mowed and was only planted to beautify the area that had formerly been taken over by thistle and burdock and trash. Those are now considered abandoned by dev. co. and it is my hope that they will continue to thrive. I don't think the development company will bulldoze it as there are many young trees and this is at the very, very back end of a very, very large lot. They would be smart to leave it for any future new owner. That is my hope anyway. Lois, next spring, I will "trespass" and attempt to recover many of my plants within the hosta bed, the most important to me being "Spilt Milk". I did more investigation yesterday and almost all of them are there, waiting for spring. I hid them with leaves and a few wood chips to weigh the leaves down. Big Mama is missing but maybe the crown is down there some where and she'll show up in April/May. Bunnycat, we did find out on Monday night that the land was lost and the lawsuit was dead...so we did have one day's notice. However, I felt it was so late in the season (mid November?) that they'd have a better chance surviving if I waited until spring. We'll be able to test the theory/choice in the spring when we see if the Guacamole they threw aside (the one I grabbed while they were gone to lunch & planted next to the house) survives. If it doesn't, I still have 3 Guacs left. Thank you all for your thoughts and condolences. Thanks again to Ken, Papou, & others who pounded into me the necessity of garden maps. They will be invaluable. Char

swamp whiz, there are a lot of ways to build better walls. there is an insulation company that does a lot of work with my clients. his company installs a glue based rockwool for a R-15 in a 2x4 wall. this combined with a 1" polysi foam board to the exterior of the wall is how we get R-22. if foil faced foam is used it will act as a radaint barrier (not as well as roof install which gets sun all day, walls only get direct sunlight at various times of day)..radiant barriers need a minimum of a 3/4" air space so this wall application works when brick exterior is used. it can also work if furring strips are attached to walls and hardi of vinyl attached to strips. the interior of wall is drywall with air tight drywall approach. keeping air from passing though the insulation is the key. we start from the exterior..foam boards with all seams taped all holes sealed before exterior cladding is installed. then insulation (you can use R-15 batts) the final air sealing is the ADA to interior. most folks mis spend their insulation dollars by using spray foam in walls. the above is a cost effective proven equal. then dollars saved can be used where foam performs most effectively. roofline applicaions (unvented attic no soffit or ridge vents). this is an unvented attic. the benefits are these insulation on roof line keeps ducts in a semi conditioned space, so duct leakage is not an issue. equipement is also in attic seminconditioned which extends the life of the unit. sounds like you are doing a lot of research. there are people who can help you to make the correct decisions for your specific climate. visit www.natresnet.org unbiased third party independent information for hire. 2x's are the weak part of the walls wood has an insulating value of R-1 per inch. a 2x4 stud in the wall is R-3.5 which reduces the overall value of your insulated walls. using foam sheating to exterior reduces thermal bridging. the only way to eliminate thermal bridging is a wall without studs. this is called SIPs Stuructured Insulated Panels. when you build a home with these upgrades it is very important to size the hvac system for the upgraded house. the person who sizes the house has to accurately input these upgrades. the end result for all this is a smaller hvac system ..bigger is not better. efficiency is all about trade offs. better insulation better windows (solar heat coefficients of .35 and u-values of .35 or lower)..smaller hvac system..higher efficiency hvac system. low utility costs, reasonable payback, and the most important to the homeowner... comfort. best of luck. .