Ah too bad I did not wait a few days more. I just received my mail order two days ago...

Should be some great deals there. I'm planning on going over tomorrow.

Indu, I don't think the sale prices applies to mail orders, but rather items at the retail locations so don't feel bad. And nowdays with the price of gasoline so high we have to figure if it really is economical to drive any great distance to a percentage off sale. Of course, ARE is always a delight to visit -- price reductions or not.

Have fun Shirley and tell us what you got :-)

Okay, need advice here. I finally have a spot for a nice rose and looked over the list and Natchitoches Noisette caught my attention.

I'm looking for a big bloom for cutting and bright color with variations. Is this what I should look for tomorrow? I don't know noisettes from bourbons and so on.

Here is a link that might be useful: Natchitoches Noisette

Of all the antique roses I've grown none is better for cutting than Mrs. B. R. Cant. It's blooms are large and frequently occuring. To my nose it's very fragrant and it's among the healthiest roses out there in terms of disease resistance. The only downside is that the bush can get very large.

I grow Natchitoches and dearly love it, but the blooms are small and not long lasting. Plus the color shown on ARE is not accurate. It's a light pink, blooms continually, its clusters of blooms are held high above the foliage, it's healthy, will take some shade, but for cutting ... no. Plus I don't get a fragrance.

Of course, it's hard to beat Belinda's Dream for a big pink rose. If you don't have it, go with that one first. The size is more manageable.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mrs. B. R. Cant on HelpMeFind

Wow, thanks so much for the excellent and timely advice. I'll see if they have Belinda's Dream first. The ARE description of NN made it sound a lot different than your real experience. Belinda's Dream is also a Texas Superstar and recommended by Calvin Finch so that means it works well here.

Shirley, you definitely need Belinda's Dream (everybody does :-) but for your next rose this one with color variations might fit the bill. Look it up on HelpMeFind also. Unfortunately, Chamblees is out of it right now. I wouldn't mind having it myself!

Here is a link that might be useful: Buck's Golden Princess on the Rose Forum

Belinda's Dream!

and White Duranta, Emerald Lace Potato Vine, Euphorbia "Hip Hop", Fiber Optic grass, and White Gomphrena.

They had lots of plants and pots including some fresh stock. Some of the herbs and vegs were past prime, but they had spruced the place up a bit since I was there last so everything looked good. The main courtyard was amazingly full although I wonder if visitors would appreciate it as much. We were in Dallas over the past weekend and it rained twice! More rain than we have seen all year here.

Thanks for the report! Your plants sound so interesting that it's tempting me to go, but "I don't need any more plants."

Wow, Buck's Golden Princess is beautiful. I'll want add some more interesting roses as I develop the new area into a garden.

LOL, I didn't "need" any more plants which is why I came home with only six!

Roselee, glad to know that the special was not for internet deals :) Heart of hearts no regrets at all, so glad I got them online before they closed shipping for this year. I bought Archduke Charles, Mrs. Dudley cross, Carefree beaty and NN (after reading the charleston horticulture book on Noisette's). I just told myself I am buying no more and a local nursery announced a sale on native plants... well I had to buy some, so I got some companion plants ;)
Belinda's dream is my all time favorite.

Roselee, how are you getting sale notices from ARE? I tried to sign up, but couldn't find a link for sign up.

Shirley, I signed up to get notices when I was at ARE. Maybe you, and anyone else who wants to receive them, could call out there and ask.