I too tried to grow Anemone coronaria in my garden in England. They would usually grow and flower well the first year, then disappear altogether. Here they grow during winter, which is rainy, chilly, but not frosty. In the summer, they disappear underground and get baked by the sun. There is no rain here at all between May and September. If you can give them similar conditions in a pot Campanula and Cath, it should work. I only moved to this house in 2008 and didn't even start on the garden until 2009. This will be my fourth summer. Because of the long growing season here, everything looks established very quickly. My plants and my husband in autumn 2008. First little border planted 2009. Same border later the same summer. Things just grow quickly here!!! Those are lovely photos of Orange Smith Jeri. Gorgeous nuances of colour. Daisy

5 faves from the China rose class 1. Gloire des Rosomanes' I love those wide red blooms with cheerfulness inducing white streaks, plus that spicy scent! yum... I found a couple blush pink sports on a cane this week. I noticed a couple of white buds on a cane on G. des R. a few days ago and I thought "That's odd" and today one of the buds opened partially and it is a pale blush pink. I was pleased to see that Jeri posted photos of pink sports on a Gloire des Rosomanes on helpmefind.com Jeri, were you ever able to get a stable pink clone from G. des R.? My sports are paler than the photos, but it could be because its still winter and the buds are newly opening and China roses tend to darken when fully opened. I'll check on it through the next few days to see if the blooms stay blush or darkens. another vote for Le Vesuve, though I think of it as more Tea than China, having the shapely blooms of the first class. 3. - a red China at the Berkeley Botanical Garden, I think it was named Rosa chinenis ...semperflorens? its a beauty of a red China, and I've often hoped a hip with fertile seeds from it would fall into my open hands. I do enjoy visiting it, and perhaps my appreciation is all the greater for not owning it. 4. Cramoisi Superieur' I love its' cherry blossom scent. 5. Archduke Charles I wish there were more China roses to choose from their simple blossoms have an artless beauty unique to their class. I do love 'Mutabilis' when I see it in others gardens, its just I don't want to give that much room to the plant as it easily grows to be 8'x8' here, and I'd rather have another Tea. If only Mutabilis were about half that size. Lux.

Wonderful pictures Lynn! I've had my eye on Archduke Charles for a while now. Somehow the transition from pale pink to dark cherry on that rose seems so elegant compared to some other roses with more than one color. SdlM Rouge isn't a rose I've seen referred to often -- is it just like the pink one in fragrance and habit, or is it quite different? Stephanie, that is a brilliant idea for cake decorating! This opens up so many possibilities I had not previously considered. Gorgeous! Chris, I have never seen a better picture of Song of the Stars -- every time I try to photograph this rose I have a difficult time getting the color correct and the speckles contrasty enough. :)

Elsbeth's China is still blooming for me. I'm so glad I got it. You always posting pictures of it is why I got it. It's so beautiful , and stays in bloom! I have the one you have posted as well, but don't think he has bloom on him right now. So glad I figured out where to put the Teas and Chinas at in my yard, for them to live, and prosper. I think the back of my property is more cold then the front. The front is where the Teas and Chinas prosper, and the back is where the Hybrid Chinas and Gallicas do best :) The front of my property is in more sun and is warmer, and the back, even in the sunny spots to me is more colder.