Thanks, Mad, that's what I needed to understand. I'm in zone 6 and it gets pretty darn cold but winter is our driest time of the year so I don't have that problem. Even the snow is dry as weird as that sounds. The thing that is worst for my roses is the fluctuating temperatures. It can be 40 in the daytime and below zero at night. Or we can go a week or ten days in the teens and then have a week in the 30s and 40s. The roses get confused, try to bud out, then freeze, then thaw, back and forth. I've found that they can only do that so many times before the stored energy in the roots and canes just gives out and they die. Mulching them insulates them from that yo-yoing effect to some degree. I look for a hard freeze to get them dormant and then winter protect to try and keep them dormant until I know the temps will stay warm enough for them to start growing. Yes, Natural, you can winter protect pots. I have 30 (it was as high as 60 last winter) in pots that I've been winter protecting for 6 winters now. If you have a garage, and with only two to protect, I'd say put them in the unheated garage for the winter. Put them up on pot trolleys or blocks off the cement floor (Michaelg thinks I'm nuts about that BTW, lol) and remember to give them a little water every month. It's doesn't have to be a lot but they're dormant, not dead, and need some water. Desiccation will kill a rose quick too. A lot of people I know who garage their pots will take a shovel full of snow when they shovel their driveway and put it on the pots to water them. I do that with the one and only rose that will fit inside my shed, the tree rose. It gets the prized spot because I can't winter protect that top graft in the pot ghetto. All the rest of my pots winter outside on the back, south facing, wall of my house. I group them all together, drive in wood stakes, surround the whole thing with burlap and then pack it with leaves. In 6 years I've lost way more roses in the ground than in the pot ghetto. And those were usually sickly going in. And don't do it too early. I don't do mine until after Thanksgiving usually. Like I said you want to make sure they're completely dormant and then keep them dormant until night time temps are consistently above freezing. So don't get itchy in the spring (a bad habit of mine) and pull them out too soon either. Hope all that helps and if you have any other questions, ask away! Through trial and error I've done most everything you can do wrong but eventually figured some things out, lol!

oh gosh....I live here in Brevard County...Kennedy Space Center is great if you've not been there. The MI refuge is good, too, and there is another area with lots and lots of ducks, -well, waterbirds-, usually several gator...you just never know. It's the Viera Wetlands at Wickham and 95. And then there is Rockledge Gardens (a retail nursery) on US 1 in Rockledge...our Brevard Zoo is one of the nicest I've ever visited...lots of beautiful plants and great walkways thru the woods....email me for more info on the area if you'd like...I'll give you my phone number in email. Beth7Happy at cfl dot rr dot com I LOVE this area; we've been here for over 30 years...same little old house...lots more plants! *smile* Be delighted to give you any information that I can.

Gamecock43, If you love Glazed, get it. Offering glaze for free is only free if you really want it. Visit a few more cabinet makers and get a feel for what makes your heart sing. Get what you love and you will be able to negogiate a free something or a discount. In fact start thinking about free upgraded plywood drawers. You are so wise to check out the options for yourself. I am not an IKEA fan. Oh dear, I just unleashed the hounds who love IKEA. IKEA looks beautiful and IKEA is rated high in consumers reports but like your husband I have found the service to be unhelpful. The warehoue mentality. If you are close to an IKEA (I am not) you can get exactly what you want IKEA can be awesome. I truly believe your husband was not ill tempered or even the cause of the poor service at IKEA. I have felt the poor service and I consider myself to be a kind person so assume others will be too. Not the case for my DH and I at IKEA. I urge people to look for a cabinet maker or woodworker who can help you make any brand cabinets look great in your space. Someone to make the trim, edges and help fit those cabinets into a space to make a kitchen. Crystal cabs are my favorite but next for me Thomasville, Kraftmade, Yorktowne, Schuler or Medallion ( I think are the same company), ...In time you will find the ones you like. Oh here is a quick post from GW Glaze and Thomasville by Kpaquette http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0313103320923.html AKChicago gave super advice. POST your floor plan here. Let the gurus at GW help you make your space functional, beautiful and exactly what you want. I truly believe GW has helped 1000s on their kitchens. A few interesting links to help you on your way... Reality check--cabinet prices per linear foot? http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1209113023064.html Beautiful glazed Kraftmade cabs http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg071624012734.html Show me your cream glazed cabinets GW http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0214201222913.html And some nice glaze looks if this is truly what you love. ~boxerpups Natural Roca Wilsonart counter top Chadelier Luxury Kitchens NH presea CDX Kitchens AZ Kitchens Fivestar faux painting Fabulous Finishes Co. Kinley Cabinets Here is a link that might be useful: cabinet comparisons GW

keep it warm and humid. They'll probably need some shade, they're understory plants. And they hate wind. good luck!