Will, I just hope to open a new window to a conifer world, which we went by till now. It's long ago known, that a lot of Abies species with their vertical root system are more tolerable for droughts, as any other conifers. If they tolerate hard frosts too, the success may come. Last years Abies selections (and some NOT forgotten old cultivars) Abies concolor Argentea Published Detrichée 1903 as Abies concolor var. candicans Breeder/Found Niemetz 1903, Temesvár HUN, now ROM Introduced Description Photo documentation Abies concolor Argentea Photo author Jiri Holata CZ Abies concolor Bella Published 1995 Mesterházy Zsolt in the Conifer Treasury Breeder/Found 1975 Barabits E. HUN Introduced 1991 Zwijnenburg Nurs., into HOL as Biella Description A nice conical dwarf blue selection. Some specimen exported to Holland. Photo documentation Abies concolor Bella Photo author me at Orlóci, László Abies concolor Bella Photo author me Abies concolor Globosa Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Tresury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 1905 Niemetz, Temesvár HUN, now ROM Introduced Description as to be seen Photo documentation Abies concolor Globosa Photo author me Abies concolor Globosa Photo author me Abies concolor Globosa Photo author me Abies concolor Hordó Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 2009 Mesterházy Zsolt in the cemetery of Pécs HUN Introduced 2010 Mesterházy Pinetum HUN Description A dense upright blue dick clon, grows as usual Photo documentation Abies concolor Hordó Photo author me Abies equi-trojani Akseki Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 2004 Hódi Tóth József HUN from sport of Irmasan Gecidi, 1600 m Toros Mts., TUR Introduced Arizonica Nursery, Csákvár, HUN Description A hardy, conical habited, well shaped, long needle clone. Photo documentation Abies equi-trojani Akseki Photo author me Abies equi-trojani Irmasan Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 2004 Hódi Tóth József HUN from sport of Irmasan Gecidi in Toros Mts., 1600 m, TUR Introduced Arizonica Nursery, Csákvár, HUN Description A hardy, conical habited, bright darkgreen, long needle clone. Photo documentation Abies equi-trojani Irmasan Photo author me in Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies grandis Citromkoktél Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 1986 of seed by Mesterházy Zsolt HUN Introduced 2010 Mesterházy Pinetum, Erdõtarcsa HUN Description Light lemon-green leaved, slow growing seedling, 1,5 m in 23 years Selected for droughts, heat and hard frosts up to -30 Celsius Photo documentation Abies grandis Citromkoktél Photo author me in the Mesterházy Pinetum Abies grandis Citromkoktél Photo author author me in the Mesterházy Pinetum Abies grandis Citromkoktél Photo author author me in the Mesterházy Pinetum Abies lasiocarpa Florin Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 1998 Hódi Tóth József HUN of seed of Sheffields Seed, USA Introduced Arizonica Nursery, Csákvár, HUN Description Quite slow growing, blueish foliage, regular conical habit. White-gray bark, soft cork. Drought tolerant, needs place in a greater rock-garden. Photo documentation Abies lasiocarpa Florin Photo author me in the Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies lasiocarpa Florin Photo author me in the Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies nordica x - A. nordmanniana x A. pinsapo Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 2009 Hódi Tóth József HUN from sport of a garden in Budapest, HUN Introduced Arizonica Nursery, Csákvár, HUN Description A fast growing clone between two parents with gray shoots and very deep green needles, nearly around the axis, very little buds. A. nordmanniana x A. pinsapo Photo documentation Abies nordica x - A. nordmanniana x A. pinsapo Photo author me in the Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies nordica x - A. nordmanniana x A. pinsapo Photo author me in the Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies pinsapo Bell Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 2004 Hódi Tóth József from sport in Pesthidegkút, HUN Introduced Arizonica Nursery, Csákvár, HUN Description A regular habit with quite long, soft needles, deep green with a blueish touch", slow growing. Photo documentation Abies pinsapo Bell Photo author me in the Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies pinsapo Névtelen Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 2004 Hódi Tóth József HUN from sport of a garden in Pesthidegkút, HUN Introduced Arizonica Nursery, Csákvár, HUN Description A regular habit with quite long needles, fast growing, insignis-like". Photo documentation Abies pinsapo Névtelen Photo author me in the Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies pinsapo Zöldike Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 2004 Hódi Tóth József HUN from sport of a public park in Budakeszi, HUN Introduced Arizonica Nursery, Csákvár, HUN Description 1 cm long grassgreen needles, bright, green-yellow buds, growth as usual. Photo documentation Abies pinsapo Zöldike Photo author me in the Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies pinsapo Vax Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 2004 Hódi Tóth József HUN from sport of a public park in Budakeszi, HUN Introduced Arizonica Nursery, Csákvár, HUN Description Glauca-like, however short and tight needles, slow growing. Photo documentation Abies pinsapo Vax Photo author me in the Arizonica Arboretum HUN Abies pinsapo Zrínyi Ilona Published 2010 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury of Hungary 1.0 Breeder/Found 1983 received as a seedling by Mesterházy Zsolt HUN Introduced 2010 Mesterházy Pinetum, Erdõtarcsa HUN 2011 Tóth Gyula Nursery Gödöllõ, HUN Description A lemon shaded blue conical compact fir, 2,5 m in 23 years Photo documentation Abies pinsapo Zrínyi Ilona Photo author me Abies pinsapo Zrínyi Ilona Photo author me Abies savonlinnensis x Abies alba x Abies lasiocarpa Published 2005 Mesterházy in Conifer Treasury 2.0 Breeder/Found 1991 Mesterházy wild found in Savonlinna, Finland Introduced 2010 Mesterházy Pinetum, Erdõtarcsa HUN Description A short leaved narrow, conical tree, 2 m in 18 years. Cones reminding more to Abies lasiocarpa. Photo documentation Abies savonlinnensis x Abies alba x Abies lasiocarpa Photo author me Abies savonlinnensis x Abies alba x Abies lasiocarpa Photo author me Abies savonlinnensis x Abies alba x Abies lasiocarpa Photo author me Zsolt

I was in southwest Germany (Freiburg) in April of 2010. There were fig trees growing in that region, as it is one of the mildest parts of Germany. By the cathedral there is a market. One of the vendors was selling potted herbs and other plants. I asked her if she sold fig trees. She said that at her nursery they only sell one kind of fig and to her knowledge it was the only variety grown in that area. She said the name of it is "Bauer" (which means "farmer" in German). She said that it had to be protected the first few winters and then is ok after that. Not sure if it is the same variety being grown near Munich, but it might be. Joe

More pictures are coming! Casey - a few thoughts about Paris. Walking is an excellent way to get the real flavor of Paris, but don't forget to also take the Metro. DH and I walked some distance to museums, etc. and were very tired by the time we got to our destinations. So take the Metro at times and save your energy for exploring museums, etc. Have a proper map of Paris. We used a map from the hotel but it was a "skeleton" map, not showing all streets. We had a little difficulty finding locations and needed to retrace our steps more than once. And with a proper map, you can "map out" your route to a destination ahead of time. Hopefully it will also include a Metro map. If I went to Paris again, I would learn some French ahead of time. We got by on not much more than "bonjour" and "merci" and people were very nice to us, but I would have enjoyed being able to address people a bit better in the country's language. It also seems the polite thing to do. If you go to the Louvre or any other very large attraction, do some Internet or library research ahead of time to pinpoint what collections, etc. you want to see. The Louvre is huge and pre-planning means that you won't be spending precious time in seeing art works that are of no interest. The next time I go to the Louvre will not be with a tour group, just for that very reason, to see art that is of particular interest to me. Take some toilet tissue along as you are touring Paris. All the restrooms I encountered were well supplied, until I went into a Starbucks to use their facilities. They were out of paper and I was grateful that I had my own supply. Beware of potential theft. There are signs at the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower warning of pickpockets. There are people who use different strategies to distract a tourist so that their co-thieves can swoop in and lift a wallet or bag. There were several such attempts on members of our group, but none of the thefts were successful. On one of these attempts, as we walked along, a man approached my DH with a gold ring, supposedly found on the sidewalk. DH knew about the scam so wasn't going to linger with the man. Familiarize yourself from the Internet with the typical scams used, hold your purse in front of your body and keep your wits about you. How long will you be in Paris?

Mtnwomanbc, it was the hotel St. Louis-Marais. The staircase in their picture looks wide, but it's actually very narrow and kinda slanted. The carpet on it was filthy. We weren't too far from the river and Notre Dame. Danielle, that was the girl's room. Three of us stayed in there. The boys had their own room on the main floor. The only rooms in Europe that accomadate 4 people are the youth hostels. They occationally had triple rooms, like this one so to make it cheaper, Judy, my co-worker shared with me and Lauren. I don't ever plan on going back. The whole area where we stayed smelled like urine. It was gross.