fuckin country make our so feel disaster

you that our country if have good development may be can increase that our economic too but if the government so stupid to develop it its very imposible for make it.fuckin country happend because our leader so stupid for manage all our human resources.they not care with person ability who so fuckin smart but can to use their ability to be good weapon for make our country development.they just want for americas government to help him for make their econoic grow up but they don't expect that it make their country become slave of american government so their decision with another country is influence by that fuckin government who feel as police of the world.

Back to Rugosa origins

26-09-04, Parentage: 'Hansa' X "Magseed". Appearance-wise this is a completely unremarkable hybrid, but I value what it represents genetically. The pollen parent was given to me by it's creator Ralph Moore years ago; a cross of 'Anytime' and 'Rugosa Magnifica'. By crossing it back to an older "purebred" Rugosa I hoped to regain some of the Rugosa strength, character and, hopefully, health while infusing some of the modern miniature traits like generosity of bloom.

Clearly this seedling is not just a selfing of 'Hansa' since it has that odd "antler" pubescence often seen in Rugosa/modern hybrids. It has yet to be seen if this cultivar has merit as a garden shrub, but I plan on working it forward with other diploid breeding lines. I see a marriage with 'Therese Bugnet' in it's future.

Dear Mr. Google, you and I need to have a little chat.

How tedious. Yesterday I discovered that Apuldram Roses in the UK was using my photo of Austin's 'Teasing Georgia' to flog the rose on their web site. (This happens dozens of times every year, and more and more often, the offending party is a nursery using the images to sell their product! The same image was also found on the web site of Bay State Perennial Farm, who has likely by now deleted the photo, after I contacted them by phone. The attitude I got from them was five different flavors of pass-the-buck)

I sent a message to Apuldram Roses requesting the removal of the photo, as it was copyrighted work and I did not authorize their use of it. Here is the response I got from an Apuldram rep:

"Dear Paul When in need of an image (if we don't have one of our own) we regularly go to Google images. This is where we got the image and there is no mention of copyright. Perhaps you should review the uploading of your images to the internet. Apologies for the obvious distress this has caused you and we will remove the image straight away." (emphasis mine)



Did you catch that, the part about me reviewing how and what I upload to the Web??! In no uncertain terms this suggests that I am to blame for the misuse of my photo! Outrageous. Note also the remark about the apparent lack of a copyright statement in connection with the photo as presented in the Google images browser.



Google has a clear policy about the terms of use of the Google Images feature:



"Image use permissions

The images displayed in a Google Image Search may be protected by copyright, so we can't grant you the right to use them for any purpose other than viewing them on the web. If you'd like to use images from our image search, we suggest contacting the site's webmaster to obtain permission. To learn how to find the webmaster of a site, please visit http://www.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=910"



From the URL: http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?&&answer=9299



Prior to the Internet, it would have been inconceivable for a company to assemble a catalog using content that was not acquired legally and by paying for the rights to use it for marketing. Sadly, it appears that ethics are no longer regarded as an obstacle to acquiring advertising content. Here's the long and short of it: If you did not create the content, or if you did not obtain permission to use it and/or pay a fee for that usage, then its not yours to take. If you want to use it, ask. If you can't be bothered to ask, then hands off my work.



Period.

Sabbatical

I am announcing my decision to take a sabbatical from rose hybridizing. This may in fact lead to "retirement" from the work in time; I am open to that possibility. Right now, I have ceased generating new seedlings will and spend the next two seasons evaluating what I already have. After that, who knows.

This "hobby" (for surely that is what I must call it since it doesn't pay for itself; it is a drain on my resources, both monetary and emotional) has reached a scale that is unmanageable and so I have to look very hard at what there is here and be ruthless in removing anything that does not approach perfection. (and since perfection is so very conspicuous by its absence from most roses, that ought to be easy enough) With any luck, this approach will reduce the volume of plants, and the associated work load, to a fraction of its current state. Then, and only then, will I consider resuming the making of new crosses and raising more seedlings. I may not resume at all. Only time will tell.

As regards this blog; I make no promises that I will continue to post information. I will if the mood hits me, but for the most part I will focus my energy on the work at hand: reducing my work load and hard culling of materials. Wish me luck. And thanks for reading and contributing to this blog for the past two years. It has been a pleasure engaging my readers.

Paul Barden
June 27, 2011.

Grapey surprise.

27-09-02: 'Midnight Blue' X "MORsoul". The latter is an unreleased Moore hybrid from 'Anytime' X R. soulieana. It was one parent of Ralph's lovely little 'Baby Austin'.

This was a huge surprise, color wise. I selected 'Midnight Blue' knowing that if anything could add color to a cross that might bleach out to pale pinks or peaches using most any other parent, 'Midnight Blue' could. I guess I wasn't wrong! This is the second selection that has bloomed in a very dark color. Much darker than anything I imagined possible. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that R. soulieana is represented on both sides of the parentage equation? Hmmm.

Bloom form is a bit disorganized, but that might right itself in time. It is already forming the next blooms just as the first is opening, and lots of new growth is appearing from the base, indicating a potentially shrubby, compact habit. Oh, and yes....it has a fragrance too. Fun, eh wot?

Moore's 'My Stars' as pollen parent

My Stars passes on thornlessness to most of it's offspring, apparently. Good color too!

107-09-03

Parentage: 42-03-02 X R. foliolosa.

This is a strikingly pretty red single, presumably a diploid, selected for further breeding. It appears very eager to set seed and hopefully I will start to see repeaters in the next gen. Very healthy plant! This is making me very pleased to have started over at the species level.

R. wichurana variegata seedlings

2010 was the first time I had seen seeds form on R. wichurana variegata, aka 'Curiosity'. Needless to say, I gathered these promptly and set them in the fridge to stratify. What you see here is the result: green. No variegation of any kind; not even a hint. While disappointed, I can't exactly feign surprise, since the odds were good that the variegation, although genetic in origin, would not be inheritable. This suggests the factor is a sport/mutation that does not extend into the reproductive tissue layer, and so it won't get passed on to offspring.

Anyone interested in R. wichurana seedlings?! ;-)

87-09-01, an update

Pictured here is 87-09-01, a seedling from the 2009 cross of two species; R. soulieana and R. foliolosa. Both of my specimens are, I presume, diploids, and so I expect my seedlings are also. The cross was made with the idea of combining two very hardy, very healthy species while remaining strictly within the diploid realm.

The foliage, as I have noted in a post last year, is fragrant: somewhat like Raspberry and Pine combined. The plant has been immune to mildew and I would expect it to be similarly resistant to blackspot. (I won't know till later this year) The blooms, while unremarkable, are already being borne in large clusters on this 2 foot tall arching plant. Some panicles have over a dozen buds. Not surprising, given the parentage, the color is a soft "apple blossom pink" hue, and there is a modest scent.

For me, this is far from being a "finished" rose, but represents an avenue to make new hybrids that might escape many of the pitfalls all too easily inheritable from the standard Hybrid Tea/Floribunda class that currently dominate the marketplace. I think that the new garden shrub roses are going to have to be nearly indestructible compared to their predecessors; easy shrubs that provide four season interest. (interesting canes and architecture in winter, lots of bloom in the spring/summer, and colorful fall foliage, perhaps with bright hips as well) This seedling has already shown itself capable of providing colorful fall foliage, as have many of my R. foliolosa hybrids. Perhaps integration with Rugosa hybrids like 'Will Alderman' or 'Therese Bugnet' and repeat bloom will be reintroduced as well. I will also make crosses with David Zlesak's lovely red diploid 'Candy Oh Vivid Red', which has shown itself capable of breeding good rich reds when crossed with other diploids. (David's rose is also remarkably winter hardy and disease free in most climates. Well done David!)

Once there are more blooms of 87-09-01 open I might offer pollen to my colleagues, if interested. R. soulieana imparts great health, vigor and beauty to its offspring and this could be of value to other hybridizers.

Seedling 87-09-02, while seemingly as healthy and vigorous as 01 last year, has not been as nonchalant about our long, cold spring; its foliage has been "troubled" and the first round yellowed and dropped off. A sign of something I don't want to bring into a breeding line? Perhaps. I will watch it as the season develops. Many roses I grow here struggle to produce normal foliage until the weather settles into a warming trend.

106-09-01, looking for a way to breed useful Rugosas.

Once in a while you happen upon a seedling that is willing to do some neat tricks for you. Serendipity plays a huge role in choosing which seedlings I save for evaluation. I don't dare think about all the thousands of seedlings I have discarded that may have harbored secret capabilities. Alas, we work with the ones we feel have potential and let the proverbial chips fall where they may.

I've often pondered Ralph Moore's work with the Rugosas. 'Rugosa Magnifica' (van Fleet) was once Ralph used often, as well as 'Belle Poitvine' and various selections of R. rugosa rubra. I am aware that Ralph often disregarded ploidy when choosing what crosses to make and I have come to feel that there are definitely occasions when matching ploidy is potentially beneficial. For instance, this year I am flowering out a group of diploid hybrids made with 'Therese Bugnet', most of which involve R. foliolosa or one of its hybrids. These were created with attention to matching diploid-to-diploid. More on these in a coming update.

One of the lucky choices I made was in selecting a self-pollinated seedling from 0-47-19 (Moore, 1947: R. wichurana X 'Floradora'), code number 42-03-02. I am presuming (and undoubtedly correctly so) that it is a diploid, like its parent. So, making the same assumption about 'Rugosa Magnifica', I put the latter's pollen on 42-03-02 in 2009. I got only two seedlings, both growing like dwarf Rugosas, with Rugosa character in every way. Neither flowered in 2010, both are in bloom right now. The second seedling, 106-09-02, isn't quite "right"; the blooms are like miniatures of the Rugosa pollen parent, but very muddled in form, not opening correctly at times. The one I do like is 106-09-01 pictured here. The photo barely conveys its luminous purple-magenta coloring and the shimmery texture of the petals. The blooms are not large; about 1.5 to 2.0" across. Every one has been a simple five-petaled bloom and there is plenty of pollen available. (Needless to say I am using the pollen on a wide variety of other diploids and more)

I hope this little shrub (it is still only 15" by 15") will grow up to be something pretty, because I think a 3 by 3 foot mature specimen loaded with flushes of these richly colored blooms would be remarkable. With its parentage, I would expect superior disease resistance as well. We'll see!

155-10-01: Roxburghii, are you in there??

For years there has been much discussion about the pedigree of a number of roses that list the species R. roxburghii as a parent. The Tantau Floribunda 'Floradora' (1944, Germany), for example, lists 'Baby Château' as the seed parent and R. roxburghii as the pollen parent.

Now, at a glance, there isn't the slightest hint of the species parent in the look of 'Floradora', which has led many to doubt its listed parentage. I myself doubted Tantau's pedigree for the longest time, at least unbtil I had some experience in using certain species and near-species hybrids in breeding, especially when they were employed as pollen parents. Let me elaborate.

I frequently use certain seed parents in making crosses that might be impossible on many other parents. After a while, you start to recognize which of your seed parents are likely to be "door openers" when planning iffy crosses. Introducing certain species can be especially difficult; sometimes the chromosome counts don't match, or the two varieties are simply too distant from one another in the family. I believe there are other unknown factors that play a role in fertility. Whatever the case, I found that even when using very willing seed parents, certain pollens would result in seed that, once germinated, turned out to be the result of apomixis*.

Apomixis is what happens when pollen initiates the fertilization response in a plant, but once the pollen tubes grow into the ovary, the genes prove unusable. So, in an effort to salvage the seed making process, the plant instead duplicates its own genes, in effect cloning itself. In roses, I suspect there is some recombinant action occurring as well, since some of the individuals arising from such crosses are not identical to the parent plant, but appear to be highly similar. In some cases undoubtedly some selfing may also occur, perhaps the result of insect activity, or simply incomplete emasculation.

The seedling you see pictured here was an experiment designed to see what happens when a (supposed) second generation R. roxburghii hybrid (in this instance, Moore's 0-47-19 was used) was crossed once again with the species R. roxburghii. And so, what we have here is:

[R. wichurana X ('Baby Château' X R. roxburghii)] X R. roxburghii normalis. Clearly, assuming the Tantau parentage is correct, we have a lot of species genes in this plant. Now, when I made this cross I expected one of three possible scenarios: total rejection of the pollen, apomixis, or self-pollination by insect vectors. As it happens, I got only a few hips from the 40 plus pollinations, leading me to believe they were likely the result if insect fiddling. From the approximately 20 seeds I sowed I got two seedlings. The one illustrated here is the healthier of the two; the other is far less vigorous, but it is trying to build up steam. (Maybe our cold, prolonged spring isn't to its liking; I know its not making me feel great!)

Until this individual reached a certain size I was unwilling to make many assumptions about its pedigree. But now, I look at it and I come to the conclusion that this is actually, for real, a R. roxburghii hybrid. Look closely: the most recent leaves are now composed of nine leaflets, surely a sign that roxburghii is influencing its development. I don't expect to see flowers this year, which is fine. Right now I am just fascinated to see its vegetative development. I doubt this is any kind of proof of the presence of R. roxburghii in its ancestor, 'Floradora', but it does show that when using the species, the resulting seedlings can show clear evidence of roxburghii traits. Fascinating.

*For more on apomixis, see the Wikipedia article here.

170-09-02

17-09-02 = R. arkansana X 'Carlin's Rhythm'.

I'm determined to obtain a seedling from the delicate-looking-but-unbelievably-tough R. arkansana, a North American native. The species has richly scented single candy pink blooms, and certain select clones sometimes have subtle stripes or streaks of darker color on the petals. Mine doesn't, but mine does do something I hope to capitalize on; it blooms at least three times in the growing season: late May, again in July or early Augustm then again in late September or October.

My specimen of R. arkansana is a reluctant seed setter, rarely accepting pollen from anything but itself. However, I did manage to get two seedlings from a cross using Kim Rupert's beautiful 'Carlin's Rhythm'. This is the second of the two (the first was paler and not as nice) and displays large-ish blooms (about 2.5") in a deeper than average rose pink. The scent is rich and pure "old rose". Now, the trick is to try it in breeding to see if I can make the next step. It will have one copy of the modern hybrid remontancy gene, and at least once copy of the gene that makes my arkansana repeat, which may or may not be distinct from other forms of remontancy. As both parents are (at least in principle) tetraploids, I would expect this seedling to be a tetraploid also.

220-09-02

Apparently the striping is a fixed trait; the next bloom to open is identical. Excellent.

220-09-02

220-09-02: "A supposed tetraploid form of R. rugosa" X Basye's Blueberry.

The seed parent is a rose shared with me by Joan Monteith about a decade ago. Joan did an experiment in which she treated a select form of R. rugosa with the chemical Colchicine with the hopes of doubling the plant's gene count from 2X to 4X, making it more compatible with most modern tetraploid hybrids. It has not been determined with any certainty that this Rugosa is in fact a Colchicine-induced tetraploid; measurements of pollen diameter has been inconclusive. However, I have pursued breeding concepts that presume it a tetraploid and I will simply evaluate the results as I proceed.

Case in point; today's seedling. 220-09-02 is the first seedling from this "presumed tetra Rugosa" X 'Basye's Blueberry' cross. Of the dozen or so seedlings I got from the cross, remarkably not a one has the classic Rugosa foliage. In fact, most all lean heavily towards the look of the Basye parent, which comes as a huge surprise. (Most R. rugosa hybrids in the first generation show strong Rugosa influence, often obliterating all of the other parent's qualities)

The flower is small, at just under 2", quite heavily Clove-scented, thick of petal and most remarkably, each petal has a strong white streak down the middle. Don't ask me where this trait came from. I do know that Ralph Moore once showed me a Rugosa hybrid with about 15 petals that showed the same petal streak, and it was striking. Pollen has been gathered from this seedling and will be placed on a number of tetraploid seed parents I have assigned for the purpose of testing pollen fertility. In the meantime, I look forward to evaluating this plant for sturdiness and disease resistance. I am hopeful, given its pedigree, that Blackspot resistance might be superb.

165-09-03

165-09-03: another approach to working with R. foliolosa. Click on the photo to view a larger version.

A few days ago I mentioned 44-09-13, one of my Foliolosa/Therese Bugnet hybrids. In the case of 44-09-13, the seed parent was a second generation R. foliolosa hybrid, whereas with today's seedling, 165-09-03, R. foliolosa itself plays that role. Both crosses utilize Therese Bugnet as the pollen donor. The idea was simply to make some Therese Bugnet crosses using any/all diploids I had on hand and which I knew to be decent seed bearers. The R. foliolosa approach was, to me, particularly appealing since it was such a healthy, Winter hardy individual. R. foliolosa also imparts on its progeny Fall foliage coloring to make the most dramatic of Maples and Sumacs envious; fiery oranges, yellows overlaid with flame red. I have come to think that modern roses ought to have some degree of "four season appeal".

I consider the seedling pictured here to be pretty much intermediate between its parents, although the flower itself leans more towards Therese Bugnet in size and petal count. The bloom has a moderately intense Rugosa scent; a welcome trait, to be sure. (The weather has been abysmally cold this Spring, so maybe when/if it warms up, the fragrance will be more intense.) The foliage could easily be said to resemble either parent, since both have fern-like feathery foliage that is narrow of leaflet and pleasantly matte in texture.

Pollen has been collected from both this seedling and its relative, 44-09-13, to be tested for fertility this year. I will try to limit myself to working it on other diploids and maybe a triploid or two, but I might just dust a few blooms of Midnight Blue while I'm at it. I won't let the creation of triploids (and their potential for sterility) stop me from making a cross once I have a few foundation plants established in the confines of a given ploidy. As Ralph so often said, "The rose will find a way."

Tilda Swinton says birth is 'violent'

Tilda Swinton claims Hollywood glamorises childbirth, when in fact it is a ''violent'' experience for women.

Tilda Swinton thinks childbirth is "violent"

The 50-year-old actress - who has 13-year-old twins Honor and Xavier with partner John Byrne - believes Hollywood glamorises birth, which is actually a "murderous" experience.

She said: "In movies, and particularly in television films, when people have babies they are sitting in a hospital room and there are flowers everywhere.

"They are made up, magically, and they have a baby in their arms and it's all really lovely. They start getting pink baby clothes. It's a truly, truly murderous business. It's violent."

The Oscar-winning actress - who portrays a mother who fails to bond with her son in forthcoming movie 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' - thinks women who are unable to "embrace" the nature of child birth may find themselves "up a gum tree" because of how hard it is.

Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, she said: "If one doesn't embrace that [violence], if one can't embrace it - and it's really tough to do that - then you're up a gum tree because it means you're going to be cutting off a whole part of yourself."

Tags: Tilda Swinton, Violent, Glamorises, Television films, Mouderous, Embrace

44-09-13

44-09-13 = (R. foliolosa X 'Little Chief') X 'Therese Bugnet'

This is the first of this group of seedlings to bloom. Hardly an exciting flower, really, but not a surprising result, really, considering how significant a role R. rugosa plays in its pedigree. The fragrance, in fact, is pure Rugosa: richly Clove-like. The foliage is pure 'Therese Bugnet'; ferny, with narrow leaflets, and that odd matte texture. The foliage has been impermeable to the standard diseases so far, but testing in earnest for Blackspot won't happen till the selections are planted out in the open garden.

For now, I am collecting pollen from some of these selections to test as breeders. I don't consider these individuals as "finished" works, but as potential stepping stones towards improved cold climate-friendly plants.

You can view info about the seed parent here.

Aamir attaches Delhi Belly to Ragini MMS

Ekta Kapoor must be shocked when she got a call from Aamir Khan for two reasons. Firstly, Aamir is her idol. Secondly, the actor wanted to attach his home production Delhi Belly to her film Ragini MMS, which has been dogged by controversies.

It is said that Aamir called Ekta Kapoor, requesting her to attach the first theatrical promo of his film Delhi Belly with Ragini MMS, which is releasing this Friday (May 13). The actor has chosen Ekta's film to promote Delhi Belly, as he thinks that both belong to same genre.

It is said that Ekta felt honoured by the call from her idol and agreed to release Delhi Belly promo with Ragini MMS.

Tags: Amir Khan, Ekta Kapoor, Ragini MMS, Socked, Controversies

Rihanna Video Ruled Too Racy for Daytime Brits

Rihanna has sparked a backlash in Britain after TV censors ruled her S&M video is too racy for daytime viewers.

The promo caused controversy earlier this year (11) with its raunchy imagery as the singer appeared semi-naked, tying a man to a bed, and suggestively sucking a banana.

Bosses at the Wtf TV channel aired the clip during a morning slot, prompting a viewer to complain to TV watchdog committee Ofcom that it was "completely unsuitable for daytime broadcast".

Ofcom chiefs ruled the promo "clearly and repeatedly focused on sex, bondage and sadomasochistic sexual practices as a theme" and that certain scenes "could have potentially dangerous consequences if imitated by children".

Now they are calling a meeting with several top TV executives to discuss their policies on racy music videos.

A statement from Ofcom reads, "We will... be requesting that broadcasters who transmit such programming attend a meeting at Ofcom to discuss the compliance of such material. "(We will) shortly be issuing new guidance about the acceptability of material in music videos broadcast before the watershed".

Tags: Rihanna, Videos, Wtf Tv Channel

121-06-14: impressions in year five.

Breeding roses is not a game for the "instant gratification" crowd. Patience, for us, is not a virtue, it is a requirement.

Cross #121-06 was created in Spring 2006; that is when I selected pollen from Austin's 'Tradescant' and placed it on blooms of my own seedling, 174-02-17 ('Sheri Anne' X 'Out of Yesteryear'). The foloowing year, probably April 2007, this seedling first appeared in a tray of seed mix topped with a generous layer of Perlite (for Damping Off suppression, did you know?) Although I do not have any notes to indicate when I first saw it flower, chances are it bloomed for the first time in June or July of 2007. The first bloom probably did little more than hint at bloom color and form, but apparently it was enough to make me select it for potting on for further observation.

In later Winter 2008, however, this seedling was almost destroyed by a week's worth of hard freezes that went down into the low teens every night. It was still in a 5 gallon container and rose roots don't like freezing solid while in pots. Long story short, it did survive, although it took more than a year to recover its vigor. 2010 showed me what a potential jewel this seedling was, with its deep garnet/purple swirls of petals, reminding me sometimes of 'Charles de Mills' or some such anachronistic creature. But unlike its Gallic brethren, this lad blooms in flushes through the growing season; pretty much a requirement for modern hybrids. (Although I am often found arguing for the merits of the elegant once bloomers)

I'm not done passing judgement on this seedling; it has yet to tell me much about ease of propagation, or its ultimate disease resistance out in the open test bed. It isn't yet as big as it will get when fully matured, and so I need to be quite sure this dark Swan doesn't turn rabid in year 6 or 7 and produce all manner of rank growth, breaking from its compact grace and going all "Audrey" on me. Time, as they say, will tell.

Midnight Blue, just because.

I was documenting seedlings in "number four" yesterday and took the opportunity to photograph one of my favorite moderns, 'Midnight Blue', by Tom Carruth. Echoing a recent comment by Jim Sproul, it is one of the few named varieties I still use in breeding. (I mostly use my own proprietary hybrids nowadays)

'Midnight Blue' is a truly amazing shrub. What color! It is also a very willing and capable seed/pollen parent; it is one of the few roses I can expect consistently good numbers of fertile seeds from, regardless of what the pollen parent placed on it.

Busy day, off to work!

Taylor Swift sings for tornadoes victims

Country singer Taylor Swift is doing her bit for the victims of the recent tornadoes that devastated the Southeastern US. She is letting fans watch her rehearse in order to raise money for US tornado victims.

The “You Belong With Me” singer is selling tickets to the impromptu 'Speak Now...Help Now!' show on May 21. The show would allow her 13,000 fans to watch her rehearse for her upcoming US tour.

People like Taylor have business managers to manage their careers. If you are interested in the business side of entertainment, learn about online business degrees

“I was watching the coverage of the tornadoes backstage at rehearsals, and I wanted to do something for the families affected by the damage. I've never opened a rehearsal to the public before, but I felt that inviting my fans to the last rehearsal for the Speak Now Tour would be a great way to raise money,” she said in a statement.

Taylor Swift is giving all the proceeds of the show towards the relief funds for victims of the recent US tornadoes.

Tags: Taylor Swift, Tornado Victims, Families

Olivia Wilde says she is not starring in Tomb Raider reboot

Actress Olivia Wilde has revealed that she is not going to act in the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot, which will have the script of Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby. Recently, it was rumored that the actress would reprise the role of Lara Croft in the untitled reboot. She says that she is happy because people think that she deserves the role.

Fascinated by the business and negotiation side of Hollywood? Consider taking online college classes

Tomb Raider is an action-adventure game, centring around the adventures of the fictional British archaeologist Lara Croft. Earlier, Angelina Jolie played the character in the 2001 and 2003 movies. The recent reports suggested that Jolie may not be returning to the role of Lara Croft.

Meanwhile, the reports also indicated that Olivia Wilde would essay the role of Lara Croft in the film. But in a recent interview with MTV, the actress has denied the reports. She said, “As far as I know right now, I'm not playing Lara Croft. No. That's really cool that people think I should play her. That's nice of them."

However, with the hiring of Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby as script writers, the Tomb Raider reboot is moving an inch closer to realization. Graham King's GK Films acquired the film rights. King has planned produce the movie with Tim Headington and release it in 2013.

Tags: Olivia Wilde, Angelina jolie, Mark Fergus, Tom Raider, Hawk Ostby

Proving fertility of the R. fedtschenkoana hybrids.

A few years back, Kim Rupert graciously shared with me one of his experimental hybrids, 'Orangeade' X R. fedtschenkoana, a white flowered species-like hybrid designed to be used as a breeder plant. It took a while for my plant to settle into its invironment, but settle in it did! It is now a thicket (ever-spreading, I might add) about 8 feet across and 10 feet high. Contrary to expectations for such a cross, it does rebloom, although only modestly. Mine does not set seed, but offers potently fertile pollen.

The cross 54-08, made in 2008, combined this fedtschenkoana hybrid with 'Midnight Blue', a marvelous Carruth hybrid with a deliciously mixed pedigree. (I look at hybrids with widely varied genetic backgrounds as an indicator of potential health and vigor; stirring the same old pot of genes is deadly)

54-08-03 was one of the first of about ten seedlings to bloom, and one of about four that I have selected for further breeding. Blooms are actually more lavender than they appear in photos. I recently germinated the first seedlings of crosses using this seedling, and some of its siblings. I don't know where this breeding line is going to end up taking me, but the R. fedtschenkoana genes are proving to be capable of imparting unique foliage, architecture and vigor traits to offspring. Seedlings also tend to hold on to the unusual "linseed oil" scent of the species parent. Not everyone is going to appreciate this fragrance, but I like its uniqueness. The foliage also tends to have a Pine-Cedar scent to it.

Busy day ahead; breeding has begun in earnest in the past 24 hours, as the main stud house explodes into bloom. I must go attend!

Cole Reps Deny She's Back With Ex-Husband

Representatives for British singer Cheryl Cole have dismissed a report she's set to announce she has reconciled with her ex-husband.

The Girls Aloud star filed for divorce from England international soccer ace Ashley last year (10) following allegations he had cheated on her with several women.

Their four-year marriage officially ended in September (10) and Cole later told of her heartache during a tearful TV interview with Piers Morgan.

On Tuesday (03May11), a British magazine reported the pair reunited several months ago and is preparing to go public after deciding to give the failed romance another chance.

But a spokesman for the Fight For This Love singer moved swiftly to deny the claims, posting a link to the article on Twitter.com with the message "It's bulls**t Tuesday. Again".

Tags: Cheryl Cole, Magazine, Divorce

Actual conversation while packing:

Me: "Wait! You can't put the books in like that! The SPINES have to be showing."

Him: "Wut? Okay, but why?"

Me: "Because I need to be able to read them."

Him: "Um, but they'll only be in boxes for a month or two until you settle someplace."

Me: "I don't care. I NEED access to them in the meantime."

Him (picking up a random book): "You need access to... Garfield?"

Me: "YES. Don't judge."

L83 in bloom

L83, the AgCan Kordesii breeder is in bloom now. Pollen available upon request, for the hybridizers reading this.

Prince Harry flirts with Kate's sister

Prince Harry switched on to his flirty best when he leaned over to whisper to his new sister-in-law Pippa Middleton about how beautiful she looked at the royal wedding.

“You do look very beautiful today – seriously,” he told her.

The dazzled best man, 26, voiced the nation's thoughts as he led Kate's radiant chief bridesmaid back up the aisle after their siblings' vows, reports the Sun.

Later the pair seemed to make a perfect couple themselves, as they stood side-by-side on the balcony of Buckingham Palace gazing down on the ecstatic crowds.

It also got many tongues wagging with suggestions that the pair looked such a good match that they might be the next royal romance.

Incidentally, Harry's on and off flame Chelsy Davy was also there.

Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan jokingly took to Twitter to urge: "Make a move this afternoon, Harry."

Comedienne Katy Brand wrote: "Harry and Pippa whispering dirty, flirty little asides to each other."

Unluckily for Harry, she is seeing former England cricketer Alex Loudon.

Tags: Prince Harry, Michael Vaughan, Alex Loudon, Royal Romance

Streep Sang Abba Songs on Movie Set

Meryl Streep struggles to shake off her role in Abba musical Mamma Mia! -she entertained actor Richard E.

GRANT by singing the band's songs on a movie set.

The Hollywood veteran takes the role of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in upcoming film Iron Lady, opposite Grant as politician Michael Heseltine.

And the With nail and I star got a taste of Streep's fun side when she serenaded him with the Swedish band's hits.

He tells Britain's Daily Mail, "We were doing a scene in which Mrs Thatcher walks down a corridor with a group of ministers. Between shots, Meryl, still suited and bewigged as Mrs T, sang the Abba hits. "It was so incongruous and hilarious and it sums up her humour and sense of mischief.

It's naff (cliched) to say it, but Meryl makes you feel better about yourself". Streep showed off her vocal skills in the 2008 movie version of the hit Abba stage musical.

Tags: Meryl Streep

Michael Jackson getting Vegas attraction

Michael Jackson is getting his own tribute attraction in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino, which will include a recreation of his Neverland Ranch.

Cirque du Soleil are to recreate Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch in Las Vegas.

The Canadian entertainment company plan to turn the Mandalay Bay resort into a tribute attraction to the late 'King of Pop' which will include a lounge inspired by the singer, a museum of memorabilia and a theatre which will be a replicate of the pop legend's famous home.

In an announcement made at the hotel and casino on Wednesday (28.04.11) - which was attended by Michael's brother Jackie - Cirque du Soleil President Daniel Lamarre said: "This place, Mandalay Bay, is going to become the home of Michael Jackson in many, many ways."

John Branca, co-executor of the Jackson estate, has also revealed the attraction will contain items from the star's home.

He said: "Very few fans would ever get to visit Michael's Neverland Ranch because of its remote location. Now they can."

The Las Vegas tribute to the 'Billie Jean' hitmaker is set to open in 2013, and is the latest collaboration between the circus troupe and the Jackson estate.

Cirque du Soleil's new show, 'Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour' - which cost $57 million to create - is set to open in Montreal, Canada, in October and will then tour 30 cities across North America, including New York, Miami, Denver, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

When the show hits the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in December it will coincide with a fan convention which will launch the permanent tribute to Michael.

'Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour' contains many of Michael's greatest hits, clips of his iconic music videos and several as-yet-unreleased songs.

Tags: Michael Jackson, Theatre, Famous home, Tribute

Consistently beautiful; 25-07-07

You must be getting bored of photos of this one. *laughs* I just wish you could see it in person. The photo barely does it justice, especially since you have to inhale the perfectly suitable fragrance that it possesses. (It smells purple!) Parentage: 'Midnight Blue' X 'Pinstripe'. Here is an older post about it.

This seedling is in line for commercial release in the next year or two, pending propagation of sufficient quantities.

Another busy morning; I need to get out and start potting up the hundreds of new seedlings into 3" pots. I am pleasantly surprised by the number of 'Belle Poitvine' hybrids I got from a cross with one of my old R. foliolosa hybrids. I need to use that thing more often, I think.

Marriage not important for Eva Mendes

Actress Eva Mendes thinks marriage is not as necessary what society makes it out to be, and has called the institution a "very old tradition".

Although the "Last Night" actress has been dating Peruvian filmmaker George Augusto for almost a decade, she has never felt the need to walk down the aisle, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I just don't think marriage is necessary, as necessary as society makes it. And I don't have a negative point of view on it. I just think it's a very old tradition and if you look back to what marriage symbolises in the first place ... it has nothing to do with why we get married today," she said.

The 37-year-old beauty also revealed she feels no pressure to become a mother.

"I don't know if I want children, but the idea of marriage sounds very boring to me. I have to be honest," she said.

Tags: Eva Mendes, Marriage, Children

Dead bodies at LA morgue await Lindsay

Lindsay Lohan is set to have a tough time working with dead bodies at the L.A. County Department of Coroner’s facility.

The ‘Mean Girls’ actress, who has been sentenced for violation of her probation terms, will be picking up trash, emptying trash bins, mopping floors and cleaning windows and restrooms over there.

“She’ll be doing basic janitorial work,” the People Magazine quoted Coroner Assistant Chief, Ed Winter as saying. “She won’t be handling any dead bodies but she’ll certainly see them,” he added.

Lohan, 24, has been ordered to do 120 hours of community service at the morgue and 360 hours of service at the Downtown Women’s Center, a homeless shelter situated in L.A.’s Skid Row.

However, this grueling punishment is in addition to a four-month jail term, which the actress faces.

Lohan will have to enroll in the two community service programs within a week, with a year in hand to complete them.

Textures everywhere I look.

Busy morning, collecting pollen, cleaning up last year's selections, etc, etc., so I will be brief.

A great photo of Ralph Moore's experimental seedling "C-04", bred from 'Crested Jewel'. It was hoped to be a useful link to creating better crested Floribunda-style roses, but it was a flop as a breeder: the offspring were duds. But it remains in my collection of curious novelties where it is appreciated regularly for its unique parsley-like sepals.

Fergie 'i Won't Be Judging the X Factor'

Black Eyed Peas star Fergie has removed her name from the potential judges on Simon Cowell's new U.S. TV talent search the X Factor, insisting shewas never considering a permanent role on the show.

Recent reports have suggested Fergie, Mariah Carey and Jessica Simpson were in the mix to join music mogul Antonio 'L.A.' Reid on The X Factor panel; Carey will be a part of the show and Simpson has confirmed she is interested, but Fergie insists she won't be a judge when it launches in America this autumn (Sep11).

She says, "I think that it's a very committed job that you have to put your time into and I don't think I'm gonna have that much time, but I love Simon and I would love to do something like that. "It's right down my alley, but I just don't think I have enough time to give and I would want to give everything to those contestants".

Tags: Fergie fegh, Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey

Helen Mirren to skip William-Kate’s wedding

Hollywood actress Dame Helen Mirren has planned to skip the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The wedding will be held at London's Westminster Abbey on Friday. The Queen actress has revealed that she has no interest in attending the highly-anticipated wedding ceremony. So she would prefer to fly off to some remote place on the day.

Talking to the Daily Mail, Helen Mirren has expressed her disinterest in the royal wedding. "I'll probably be in a little Italian bar somewhere and the football will be on. I'll ask, Can you switch it over to the Royal Wedding? and they will say, What wedding?" the Daily Mail quoted Mirren as telling.

Meanwhile, Mirren feels sorry for the young royal couple. "I know this sounds ridiculous, but I think people getting married should be a private thing. I hope they will also do an absolutely private wedding just for them," the Daily Express quoted her as telling Britain's Mail.

Tags: Helen Mirren, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Wedding Ceremony

A Ralph Moore gem

It's the last week in April, and like clockwork, Ralph's old moss hybrid "Orange Moss" is in bloom once again. (Ralph often referred to it as simply "OM") It is one of the first roses to bloom in the stud house and it never fails to enthuse me when it opens that first half dozen intensely pigmented blooms. It seems so perfectly right to me that the richly fragrant blooms have a scent much like the "orange juice" fragrance of 'Soleil d'Or'. Undoubtedly this is not a coincidence, as the latter can be found in the pedigree of Orange Moss. Parentage is 'Mark Sullivan' X 'Golden Moss'. The moss pollen parent is a Pedro Dot hybrid. Dot, in many ways, shared a great deal with Moore, creatively, pursuing all manner of offbeat breeding lines, daring to invent what no-one else had imagined possible.

Although this is an awkward grower with wiry long canes that leap out ten feet in all the wrong directions, it is a noteworthy footnote in Moore's development of the yellow and orange toned mini-mosses that followed in the subsequent forty years.

When used in breeding, Orange Moss is a difficult plant at best; it won't set seed with foreign pollen, and the offspring are often uniformly dreadful. (Ralph insisted that he never got viable seed of any kind from it, although in 2010 I germinated three open pollinated seeds from it) Indeed, it must have been that one lucky seedling in 500 that showed any promise. It is a testament to Moore that he was able to coerce this unruly once-bloomer to sire anything of value at all.

By the way, pollen will be available upon request, for those brave enough to make use of it.

Shahid finds solace in Genelia after break up

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor seems to be feeling lonely like never before after the break up with Priyanka Chopra. It is said that he is trying to forget the bitter past and move on by hanging out with his close friend. And the friend happens to be Genelia D’Souza, who was linked to him in the past.

Yes, news is doing the rounds that Shahid has found solace in Genelia’s company after reportedly parting ways with Priyanka. It is said that he is spending a lot of time with her of late, trying to come to terms with the break up.

It may be recalled that Shahid was earlier linked to Genelia before getting close to Priyanka. However, they are just friends like they have always said. This time around, his good friend has come to his rescue.

Well, Shahid and Genelia are living the old adage ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’!

Tags: Shahid Kapur, Priyanka Chopra, Bollywood, Genelia D'Souza

Lindsay Lohan sentenced to 120 days in jail

Troubled star Lindsay Lohan has reportedly been jailed for four-months in the 2,500 dollars necklace theft case.

The 'Mean Girls' star however scored a legal victory when her felony grand theft charge was reduced to a misdemeanour.

However in less than an hour after downgrading the offence, Judge Stephanie Sautner threw the book at the actress and sentenced her to a four-month jail term, reports the Daily Mail.

The decision came after the Judge had heard testimonies against her in the necklace theft case and declared that there was sufficient evidence that she had violated her probation, which stems from a 2007 DUI.

Lohan's lawyer filed an immediate appeal and Lohan's camp scrambled to post $75,000 bail and secure her release from custody pending an appeal hearing. The 24-year-old showed little reaction when she was handed down the ruling and was swiftly led away from court by bailiffs.

The judge also ordered Lohan to serve more than 480 hours of community service at a women's centre and the Los Angeles County Morgue.

Tags: Lindsay Lohan, Necklace

Mislabeled seedling.

130-06-21

It happens: seedlings get mislabeled. This one was from a batch identified as 'Old Blush' x self, which it clearly is not. Sometimes a few seeds stray into the adjacent row of another cross during sowing, and sometimes a seedling drops onto the work bench during repotting and loses its identity that way. There are numerous ways for an individual to become misidentified. Myriad are the tribulations for the hybridizer attempting to document (accurately?) his work. Alas.

Since I did a lot of work with 'Midnight Blue' in 2006, I am assuming this is one of its progeny. What the other parent might have been is up for debate. Could have been 'Tradescant', 'Dragon's Blood', 'Arthur Bell', or 'Brown Velvet'; all four were used in 2006. I could guess, but that would be pointless, since I have seen similar seedlings result from a wide variety of crosses. Ah well, its a decent individual, and has earned a spot out in the final test garden. Its all fun and games, ain't it? *laughs*

Jude Law, Uma Thurman on Cannes jury

Actors Jude Law and Uma Thurman have been included as jury members at the Cannes Film Festival.

Other members of the Robert De Niro's jury, announced on Tuesday, include Chinese filmmaker Nansun Shi, Argentine actress Martina Gusman and Norwegian author and journalist Linn Ullmann, reports the BBC.

The jury is completed by film directors Johnny To from Hong Kong, Chadian Mahamat Saleh Haroun and France's Olivier Assayas.

The festival runs from 11 to 22 May.

Tags: Jude Law, Uma THurman, Chinese Filmmaker, Nansun Shi

Lindsay Lohan signs to play John Gotti's wife

Actress Lindsay Lohan has officially signed to star in the movie Gotti: Three Generations, which has the script of Leo Ross. Earlier, it was reported that she was in talks to play John Gotti's daughter Victoria in the movie. But the producers have selected the Mean Girl star to reprise the role of John Gotti Jr.'s wife Kim.

Marc Fiore, the executive producer of Gotti: Three Generations, has confirmed her selection in a statement released to the US Weekly. He has also announced that Lindsay Lohan would be a part of the other production Mob Street, for which Chazz Palminteri is writing the screenplay.

"We're very pleased to have Lindsay on-board for both of these films. She has been very enthusiastic about the Gotti project, and after resuming discussions with her, we were impressed by her commitment to the film and felt she would be a perfect Kim Gotti," the US Weekly quotes Fiore's statement.

However, it was reported on 20th April that Lindsay Lohan was out of the project's negotiations. But the actress was out of the talks to play Victoria. "I'm really excited to be back on set and clear up all the misinterpretations about me and show this is what I love to do. I think it's such an iconic story. I'm honored to be working with John Travolta and Joe Pesci," The Associated Press reports Lohan telling.

Tags: Lindsay Lohan, Marc Fiore, John Travolta, Kim Gotti

Angelina Jolie - Brad Pitt nanny job is no easy task

Getting a nanny job for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's brood, for which the couple spend 1million dollars every year, is not an easy task.

According to gossip website Popeater, an applicant for the coveted childcare position should possess no less than a college degree in education or child development, the ability to speak at least two languages, (including the native language of the child) and a penchant for travelling, reports News.com.au.

Each Junior Jolie-Pitt has their own personal nanny, despite the fact that that they are rarely spotted with the children.

The nanny must also love airports and be willing to split their time between California, New Orleans, France and a number of movie sets dotted all over the world.

As all six kids are home-schooled ensuring the lucky applicant is prepared to put on their teacher's hat.

The position reportedly pays between $50,000 and $150,000 on a sliding scale dependant on length of employment.

Emails, texts, tweets drain your brain

A new study has shown emails, texts, tweets and status updates could be detrimental to our mental health.

It suggested that modern technology could be damaging our minds by bombarding us with too much information.

The development of smart phones means that we are becoming more adept at multi-tasking our way through life, as we switch between texts, emails and tweets.

But evidence suggests that the constant demand to deal with multiple sources of information is weakening our ability to screen out irrelevant data and prioritise what is important, reports the Daily Mail.

Researchers at Stanford University in California have already discovered that persistent multi-tasking can impede long-term memory.

Now a team from University of California (San Francisco) has concluded that multi-tasking can also hamper short-term memory performance, especially among older adults.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, scientists found that multi-taskers performed worse in tests where they had to jump from one task to another - suggesting that they were easily distracted by irrelevant information.

There are also concerns of possible technology addiction - with frequent users unable to stop checking their messages or sending out updates at every opportunity.

The newspaper quoted other research that shows we are spending more time connected to a keyboard.

Youngsters now spend an average of seven hours and 38 minutes on entertainment media per day, but because they are often using more than one medium at any one time, they actually absorb about 10 hours and 45 minutes of content in 24 hours.

The lethal combination has forced some scientists to call for a 'technology diet' in a bid to prevent information overload.

Tags: Email, Texts, Tweets, Brain, University of California, Technology

26-09-14, a few days later.

For a rose hybridizer, that sudden rush of seedlings flowering for the first time is a lot like Christmas: each one a gift that nobody has ever seen before, the product of much patience and tender cultivation. Such anticipation. Except its a kind if alternate reality Christmas where Tim Burton has made the rules: most of the presents are lumps of coal, with the occasional utilitarian pair of socks in grey or white. Nothing offensive, nothing exciting......and so many lumps of coal. We all aim, us hybridizers, to create diamonds. Lots of 'em. But the reality is that most of what we get is dull chunks of carbon by the bushel. So be it. The diamonds do appear, if only rarely.

A couple of days ago I posted a photo of a bud of a 'Hansa' hybrid I had been anticipating. This is what I got:

A throwback to its species origin. Ah well. Perhaps it has a trick or two up its sleeve yet. After all, genetically it has an infusion on both sides of its ancestry of non-Rugosa genes. It might look like an ordinary R. rugosa, but what about its genotype? Maybe it will breed something more interesting. Maybe its not a lump of coal at all, maybe it is a sock after all: a sock with a purpose.

0-47-19 poised to bloom

Remember this earlier photo?

Cookies, delivered by a benevolent and droll universe

So, I'm getting ready to move. While packing today, I glanced out the window while carrying one particularly heavy object across the room and my eyes settled immediately on the one oddity in the environment: a youngster, about 12 years old, hunched over in my driveway, thumbs hooked in pants, slowly undressing. I leaned forward and put down the box: wha--? There is a complete stranger in the driveway, and omg, is he going to PEE on my car??

I ran outside. "Excuse me, can I help you?"

He whirled around and looked at me blankly while fussing with his pants.

I stopped beating around the bush. "Um, what are you doing?"

He blinked. "My jeans are ripped really bad and I can't wear them anymore. I'm part of the youth non-incarceration project and we are selling cookies to raise money to help kids stay off the streets." He showed me a probably-bogus flyer.

My first thought: not undressing in stranger's driveways is a good first step away from future incarcerations. Second thought: can they use this money to buy you some new pants?

I started to say these things but then I noticed he was selling CHOCOLATE CHIP cookies.

My brain went blank.

The transformation was instantaneous: my entire cerebrum shifted into one giant food-acquiring lobe. It only took one cocoa-seduced blink for me to turn completely into Homer Simpson.

Obviously, this shift has serious implications for the self-preservation instinct: the brain cannot calculate risk at the same time as entertaining the fantasy of chocolatey goodness gliding down the throat, and so I bought an unmarked bag of cookies.

For $10.

From a half-naked 12-year old undressing in my driveway.

(He WAS wearing shorts, or at least boxers that passed for shorts....)

The cookies could have been glazed with arsenic, dipped in iridium, baked with hepatitis-A contaminated water and lovingly swiped between the ass cracks of multiple 'tween thugs before being bagged and yet I didn't care. I needed cookies. And I needed them immediately.

And so I had them. I had been dreaming of something sweet all day (disappointed yet relieved that the kitchen's only contents consisted of a bag of brussels sprouts, an expired box of raisins, some balsamic vinegar, and calcium pills). It's like the universe heard my cry and delivered, but not without a hearty laugh.

Hopefully the rips were not iridium-induced.

Christina Aguilera legally divorced

Singer Christina Aguilera's marriage to music executive Jordan Bratman has legally ended.

The pop star got a divorce Friday after the required six-month waiting period from the date of filing divorce papers elapsed, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The former couple had finalised a settlement in February and agreed to share custody of their three-year-old son Max.

It is believed they divided their assets according to their prenuptial agreement.

Aguilera is now dating 25-year-old Matt Rutler, whom she met while working in her film "Burlesque".

"In light of the past year, there have been obvious setbacks. I've gone through a really hard divorce, and anyone who has gone through a divorce will speak about how hard the journey is from start to finish," she said.

Tags: Christina Aguilera, Jordan Bratman, Divorced, Singer, Agreement, Matt Rutler, Custody

Miley Cyrus & Joan Jett Duet on 'Oprah'

Miley Cyrus and Joan Jett take the stage and perform together on The Oprah Winfrey Show on Wednesday (April 13).

The 18-year-old teen queen did a medley of the rock legend’s biggest hits including: “Bad Reputation,” “Cherry Bomb,” and “I Hate Myself.”

The Oprah episode was dedicated to the Rock Goddesses of the ’70s and ’80s and featured appearances from Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, Pat Benatar, and Avril Lavigne.

Tags: Miley Cyrus, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, Pat Benatar, Avril Lavigne

It's Lord and lady Beckham

DAVID and Victoria Beckham are house-hunting for a mansion in her home county, say her pals.

Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham is desperate to be close to her parents’ home in Hertfordshire when she and husband David Beckham move back to the UK later this year.

The pair are searching for a “substantial but secure” country pile after becoming convinced their current home, Beckingham Palace near Sawbridgeworth, isn’t private enough.

Posh, 36, who is expecting the couple’s fourth child, wants a grand mansion fit for her status as Queen of WAGS, and is keen to buy near her parents place in Goff’s Oak.

Friends of the couple claim they are looking for suitable properties around the Hatfield and Wheathampstead areas of the county – with money no object.

Estate agents in Herts are said to be desperately trying to come up with a Downton Abbey-style manor, pictured above, in and around the leafy commuter belt less than 30 miles from London.

One old friend said: “Basically they feel their current property just isn’t secure enough. Victoria wants to move closer to her parents and quite likes the area around Hatfield as it is close to some decent schools and is her old stomping ground.”

The couple, who will return to England when footballer David’s contract with LA Galaxy expires, spent the winter in Herts, enjoying family trips to the ice skating rink in Hatfield and Hemel Snow Centre. Victoria also enjoyed shopping in Hatfield’s Galleria centre.

“Victoria knows this area well and likes what it has to offer,” added the friend.

“She considers it home. This is even more important now she’s having another baby.”

Tags: Victoria Beckham, David Beckham

Halle Berry named Hollywood's hottest mum

Actress Halle Berry has been voted the hottest mother in Hollywood in a new poll.

The Oscar winner, who has three-year-old daughter Nahla with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, topped the Hollywood's hottest mum poll with 24 percent votes, reports dailystar.co.uk.

The second place, with 20 percent votes, went to actress Angelina Jolie who raises six kids with partner Brad Pitt. She was followed by Britney Spears at the third spot with 15 percent votes.

Actress Salma Hayek and Jessica Alba wrapped up the top five.

The top 10 ­Hollywood hottest moms are:
1. Halle Berry
2. Angelina Jolie
3. Britney Spears
4. Salma Hayek
5. Jessica Alba
6. Jennifer Lopez
7. Kate Beckinsale
8. Christina Aguilera
9. Teri Hatcher
10. Monica Bellucci

Tags: Angelina jolie, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Kate Beckinsale, Monica Bellucci, Salma Hayek, Teri Hatcher