'Variegata di Bologna' is not the most stable of roses. In fact, if you grow VdB long enough, chances are VERY high that your plant eventually will produce solid-colored roses -- a reversion, no doubt, to its immediate progenitor, whatever that may have been . Issues regarding VdB/Victor Emmanuel/Huntington Brocade/Mrs Yamada have been discussed here at various times in the past. Here's a link to one such discussion (which contains links to other such discussions). Anyone who finds roses of a solid red color on their VdB might consider relaxing as they realize that the rose is simply doing what it has done many times in the past in many different locations. We hardly need yet another VdB "sport" with yet another name. Here is a link that might be useful: VdiB Discussion(s)

A sad day not only for David's family and friends but for Hoya lovers across the world! I have through the years ordered a few times in group orders to David and also emailed him with questions about this Hoya or that one. David always emailed back with gorgeous pictures and an in depth answer to my question. Possibly after grieving Iris Marie will feel like continuing with their Hoya dreams.,,,,Debbie

Moved the master bath shower to make the closet bigger , and move the water closet to the back of the bathroom . Since I am recently divorced I don’t need the two closets or two vanity sinks . I’m a hairdresser so I had them use the study as a utility room so I could put my hair station in the same room as the washer and dryer and made a storage closet in the hall that I will use as a workout room . i’m Not sure about the design to make the dining room a guest room , I’m afraid it will make the living space look smaller when you walk in . What do you all think ?

Karen, I'm glad your roses did well! Queen of Sweden is one of my favorites, and Lady of Shallot is newly planted in our gardens. Well -- I did it again. After three months in the hospital I was so revved up to create beauty (and also had a 25% discount code), I ordered a number of David Austin bare roots, mostly own root, and they arrived a few days later. I was still too incapacitated to inspect or plant them myself, but they're leafing out and one has even bloomed -- Princess Alexandra of Kent. They were planted in April with temps in the 90s, and I figured if they failed it would be a learning experience. I had another bout in the hospital last week, and since I didn't get my fingers burned with the first round of roses, I ordered again after I was dishcharged (I suspect David Austin's marketing team has taken control of our hospitals here, and they hypnotize patients into uncontrollably craving their roses). Last night I found the bare roots on my doorstep, and with help, I inspected them and bucketed them in pond water. I thought they looked fantastic -- lots of green canes, good, long root systems. I'll post a picture later if I can. At Humpty Dumpty House we get donations of plants other people don't want -- roses that don't bloom, puny bare roots, and this year we even got my dream plant -- a bare root David Austin rose tree with a big greenstick fracture. So I'm used to looking at things that don't look so good. Our philosophy is to take take things (and people) that are considered broken and useless, and give them a new life; a chance to be beautiful and to serve a worthy purpose. Not saying that anyone who pays good money should have to accept an inferior plant. But reputable companies will replace it, and you can send the bad one to us (big smiley face symbol) because those ugly ducklings really can become stellar swans. I find the challenge bittersweet, and it makes me love these gardens and plants all the more. Plant donations are tax deductible, and your facebook likes are helping us reopen the gardens in June, after my lengthy hospitalization. Lots of pretty pictures, design ideas, garden advice: https://www.facebook.com/HumptyDumptyHouse http://www.humptydumptyhouse.org . . .