Thanks for the recommendation re the book. I got a hummingbird book on somebody's recommendation and too tired to read it. I thought the colors (purple and yellow) would be nice. Well, let's see what it does this season. I am trying to layer my out-of-control Rooguchi which shouldn't be quite as rampant as this one might get, and it is a beautiful blue with just a hint of purple. If the layering works, I could put the Polish Spirit where? I'm out of room! I'll figure out something, just don't want to lose it even if it was only $10. I'd better get that book and at least skim through it. Michelle, been thinking about your post all day, have been pooped the last couple of days, been pushing pretty hard for me. Delphinium - I ordered some seeds, been hanging out on the winter sowing forum and am going to try those next winter. In the meantime, I've got some blue larkspur in the fridge soaking in peat but don't want to bother with it now. I winter sowed some huge white foxglove, and I guess that handles part shade. Well the front bed is adequately sunny, but here's the problem with that. Roof overhang. The roof is angled the other way so there's just a faint drip line, not like on the sides and garage, so I really don't think that will be a problem. But when it rains, the back part gets no water unless it's windy. Once foxgloves get established, I think they can tolerate dryness, so can Harison, don't know about delphs, but I thought about that, too. I was so hung up on pink, I'm branching out into blues, whites, purples, etc., and always yellows, my favorite color. Coatrack - I saw a pretty wooden one at Restore Habitat but didn't let myself get it, I think they wanted $25 for it which was a little pricey but prob an antique. That would have been nice, but I already had this thing. People have been walking by and looking at it lol. Like what is she doing now? I'd love to see the photos of your arbor/gate. If I stumbled across something like that, I'd grab it, but I'm noted for planning projects and not finishing them, so it's a wonder I made myself get that thing finally set up. I forced myself because I had that clem that was going to grab something if I didn't get it set in the ground lol. Ann may be right that it may be too big. Why can't I prune the thing if it gets unwieldy? I'm going to have to whack the top off the Roos or rig up some rebar teepees (which I'm not looking forward dragging out to get more stuff). The arbor, I was sick about it. That was my dream ever since I've lived here and to find that particular one that I saw a pic on a calendar 3 years B4, thought I could have something really nice at last. There is slight damage, could probably patch it up myself, can't remember what. It's those darn concrete footings. It has to be done all over and staked on rebar or something stronger. I will have to hire it done and hope to get somebody better this time. But now I'm wondering if the lattice will support both a rose and that Roo, that thing puts up some strong, heavy stems. The drain, glad that is over with, thought I only partially succeeded but reasoned thusly. Now that I've got the water chanelled pretty deep underground, it is going to have to go somewhere, so it might carve out a channel then my front yard will collapse lol. Anyway, nothing wants to grow there, read that monarda likes damp, so planted two white ones. If it's really heavy rain, it still pools a little, but nothing like what I had before. I need to do something similar here in the back, but that will be a lot more digging. It's bugging me because I don't remember ever having this problem there before in all the years I've lived here, overflow from the gutter, even when it had fallen off and didn't have one for years, don't know. Had somebody climb up there and check, no leaves accumulated. It's driving me nuts as I have to set buckets out to catch it when it rains or it makes a pond but does soak in after not too long after it stops, but I don't want that soppy mess there. I guess I don't need a Morden, but if you have a photo, would love to see it. You've got acres if I remember correctly, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can manage it all as garden space, your state has so many different kinds of terrain and elevations. I know near Ft. Collins, I think, there is farming or ranching. Can't do a whole lot in those mountains though, haven't been out that way since I was young. Oh and the cold frame. I read your post about when you built yours. I was a little envious! If I really put my mind to it, I could do it, but more digging and dirt to get rid of, nowhere to dump it, low on my priorities right now. Father Hugo is what got me started on this yellow China rose kick as a kid, lady across the street had one on an arbor. Then I collected some seeds where the people said I could but didn't know what to do with them. Then I saw Helen's Harison and that did it. At first I thought I've nowhere to put two, then thought either the bed in the front or on my cat's grave. The latter gets sun part of the day but is dappled shade mostly, at the end of the long strip I started this year. So it would be stupid to turn down such a generous offer. How much trouble would it be to ship; of course, I'll pay shipping and then some, don't know what I might have you'd want? So if you could email me after the holiday weekend, aglessREMOVETHIS@earthlink.net, maybe we can work something out. I called Helen a little bit ago, she's 80 now, and I don't want to bug her for more stuff right now because she had a bladder infection that got so bad she had to have dialysis. She sounded good, but needs more help now, and I can't even get my own stuff done. She has kids to help, luckily. I'm just going over in a couple days for a short visit and to see Harison blooming. Mine has buds but not blooming yet. Hers is in total full sun, and mine is about 6 hours, maybe that is why, plus mine's still a baby. Hers are huge, several separate ones, been there for years and years since she bought that place. Taking you up on your offer would give me a jump start on getting more going, and I don't really care, but it might not look exactly the same as the one I have; roses do vary. For all I know, maybe it will be better. When I get the energy, if necessary, I can rig up a soaker hose for in front. Now that the two strips lining the front walk are more established with planting, I don't think I'll have to water as much but will when it gets hot & no rain. Sorry went on so long. Lots to talk about and hard to explain. I feel bogged down with all the problems but have the hardest planting done but lots of little stuff coming along to fill in here and there. I've got several kinds of salvia started, 2 jugs of rudbeckia Prairie Sun, 3 jugs of purple poppies (go in that front bed with the Becky daisies and blue alliums), set out White Wedding zinnias in six packs waiting for them to get bigger. Also planted three ? dragon lilies in the front bed on the far left away from Harison on far right, the kind that get 8' tall, hang down, burgundy or maroon w/white border. What is so discouraging is that I tilled twice, amended to expand that bed to set in a bunch of bulbs for the front of it, figuring to overplant. Well this gorgeous grass pops up anyway. I'm waiting for the tulip leaves & others to die back so I can try to smother it under something. I've tried pulling it but what a job. It's not that nasty kind of grass either. This post is over the top. Sorry. So much to talk about once I get to talking.

I didn't winter protect mine, and it died back quite a bit; I'd say 75%. I was thinking of SP'ing it, but then I saw a new basal coming up from the ground; luckily it is an own-root. I was training it but lost half the bush. It shot up one enormous leader last summer once it had established itself. I'm not sure how to winter protect. The canes get too stiff to lay on the ground, and I doubt wrapping in burlap would be sufficient. A six-inch mound of soil or something might have helped a little more, but not enough to protect the taller canes. I was hoping to get mine to climb about 6' like they say and mix with a clematis, but it would really be better in our zone to grow them as bushes. Mine has bark almost like a tree on the bottom. Another new shoot is coming out of that, but like I said, the other side is dead and I need to saw it off; it's too thick for pruning shears. They really aren't suitable for my zone, like some others, no matter what it says on the zone info. I fear no matter how well you care for them, the winters will take a toll and they might lose their vigor and die or languish. Maybe next year will be better because it was a baby last summer, and when I first set it out, had wilting problems so put a lawn chair in front of it during the heat of the afternoon. It is shaded by a neighbor's tree later in the day which may help whereas normally you wouldn't want that. Last year a poster in Michigan said he didn't winter protect his Austins, and they seemed to come through fine. Mine don't look too bad now considering what they've been through, but I don't know how they'll perform long term. They were pathetic when I first assessed them in early spring I will winter protect the ones worth saving this year. I got the others grafted from Pickering. My Geo. Hamilton shot up about a 7' cane with one bloom on the top of it which I think is strange. It shot up 2 canes like that. I pruned them down to 2' earlier this spring. My 2 Charlottes which did the best because they get the most sun died back badly but seem to be springing back. They really got too big for where I had them. I thought Pat Austin was a goner because it hardly did anything last year. Now it looks much better with healthier growth. I know you just asked about Graham. Maybe someone more knowledgeable in our zone can help.

Yes you are correct, you need to protect the graft. Frankly, I dont bother asking most nusery workers about anything.. they either give terrible advice, or dont have a clue. Most NUSERY owners are different. if they are there they are usually more knowledagle and plant lovers.. but they have to take what help they can get for the summer months.. sometimes college kids or high schoolers as well. They dont have time to train them about most plants, just the job function before they are gone. Graham Thomas died for me in my zone.. Ive never tried Darcy here.. im suprised you found a newer one! i wouldve picked it up if I saw it locally. Not all DAs are created equal of course, you probably know that.. some are hardier, some healthier, some dont work for all climates. Most DAs are hardy to zone 5ish.. most work ok , with some getting massive dieback, some barely at all. Silverkelt

Our son participated in this two years ago, I think. Very interesting....We are very Northern European, German, Scandinavian, Swiss and Scots. His information came back that his paternal ancestry is African... recently (like 1700-1800) from the west coast of Africa. We assume the slave trade. He was/is so thrilled, as he has always had best friends, since 3-4th grade that were black, and this explained to him why he had such a "kinship" with those friends. So facinating. DH husbands' father was adopted by a Swiss; our name is quite unusual... and yet his heritage there is African. Oh, the things we are going to learn in the future.