Many of the Barbier bred Wichuranas are not dependably hardy in zone 5/6 as they are crosses with tea roses. 'Francois Juranville' has been very dependable for me in a warm zone 6. It has pretty double pink flowers and long flexible canes to at least 10'. If it survives in zone 5 it would be perfect for a porch pillar. 'Souvenir du Docteur Jamain' has grown OK for me in zone 4, but does not get large enough to climb up a porch pillar. It is cut down each winter and needs to re-grow. 'Variegata di Bologna' is a once blooming Bourbon that has gotten to about a 3' shrub in zone 4; beautiful flowers, the foliage doesn't last long after flowering. 'Mme. Alfred Carriere' survives in zone 6, I wouldn't expect it to do better in zone 5. It makes a 5' shrub with a few flowers; it does repeat in fall with a few more flowers. As with the other Noisettes, it is a spectacular rose in warmer climates, but is not really worth growing in colder climates. 'Excelsa' I have not yet tried in zone 4, but I would be cautiously optomistic that it would do well. It is a very tough rose and able to withstand most any kind of abuse, but I would think that a real zone 5 -20deg winter would probably kill it to the ground, but it would come back from the roots. 'Climbing Cecile Brunner' has done really well for me in zone 6 climbing straight up at least 8' - 10'. It was a complete surprise how hardy this rose is. It does take several years to really take off, but what a spectacular rose! I would definitely put it on a porch pillar or some place where it can be enjoyed up close as the flowers are tiny. 'Alchemist' has been in my zone 4 garden for a good 15 years. It has been cut back by the cold and had all the bark at the base chewed off by rabbits and keeps coming back for more. I thought I has lost this rose several times, but it has continued to return. The flowers are large, very double like an OGR and range from yellow to peachy pink. It can get very large with 8' stout canes, but is usually killed back by the cold, sometimes loosing entire canes to the roots. I have to wonder if 'American Pillar' would survive in zone 5. I think it probably would do well, but would be killed back during cold winters. It has large pink flowers with a white eye that come in clusters on 8' - 10' canes. I know 'Dorothy Perkins' does survive in zone 4 and might be the best bet. It is very Victorian looking with the small double pink flowers most think of when describing a rambler rose. 'New Dawn' is boring but quite hardy in zone 4 most winters.

I've placed an order with them from reading this article. I ordered oxblood lilies, red spider lily, and some jonquils. I'm all for supporting Texas companies. Too many of them are way north, and their stuff struggles to survive down here in Texas.

Lyra, Annie, is it time to share this? Jeff Foxworthy Michigan Jokes (pretty funny and accurate) 1\. If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Michigan. 2\. If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Pellston is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in Michigan . 3\. If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in Michigan . 4\. If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of the year, you might live in Michigan . 5\. If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Michigan . 6\. If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, (or at the top of his ankles) you might live in Michigan . 7\. If you have worn shorts and a coat at the same time, you might live in Michigan . 8\. If your town has an equal number of bars and churches,! you might live in Michigan . 9\. If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Michigan . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2 \- You know you're a true MICHIGANDER when . . . 1\. "Vacation" means going up north on I\-75 2\. You measure distance in hours. 3\. You know several people who have hit a deer more than once. 4\. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day. 5\. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching. 6\. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings). 7\. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked. 8\. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them. 9\. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit. 10\. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow. 11\. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction. 12\. You can identify a southern or eastern accent. 13\. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce. 14\. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age. 15\. Down South to you means Ohio . 16\. A brat is something you eat. 17\. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole barn. 18\. You go out to a fish fry every Friday. 19\. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost. 20\. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car. 21\. You find 0 degrees! "a little chilly." 22\. You drink pop and bake with soda. 23\. Your doctor tells you to drink Vernors and you know it's not medicine. 24\. You can actually drink Vernors without coughing. 25\. You know what a Yooper is. 26\. You think owning a Honda is Un\-American. 27\. You know that UP is a place, not a direction. 28\. You know it's possible to live in a thumb. 29\. You understand that when visiting Detroit, the best thing to wear is a Kevlar vest. 30\. You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Michigan friends.

Fauxchick if you put glue on those fabulous drapes I'll fly down and shoot you myself LOL Having them adjusted profesionally will be quite inexpensive...you're taking the right route there :) Or you could mail them to me and I'll do them...mind you, I may have to hang them for a few years to get the wrinkles out...but when I'm done with them, you can have them right back :oP heh heh I too love this thread...I don't get to play with silk as much as I used to (I used to make quilts that were donated to charities asking my employer for money...in a busy bank, with lenders all around me, you'd see my corner office...Fancy desk, lots of file cabinets, very banker like...but wth? There's a babylock on the table in the corner and several piles of silk on the desk :) I loved being able to sew at work LOL I just pulled baby out of the closet and she's looking at me with great longing...maybe I'll make a drape today...she needs me :) (Unfortunately so does my 3 year old and he's not much help with the fabic!!!)