Wow - thanks for reviving this, Sara Ann. You've been so good at posting to give us all chances to show off our roses by colors this year that we got plenty of rose eye candy already this year. I appreciate your warm comments as always, everyone - Trish, Kate, Molly, Diane, Sara Ann, Ingrid, and it's both fun and discouraging to look back at how wonderful the roses were in 2013. Coincidentally, I'd also give a major body part (OK, maybe just a major amount of blood loss) to have any single rose bush whatsoever look that good in my yard this year. Not that this was such a bad year overall, but the rose stars were few and far between. Everything (virtually) got pruned to the ground after winter and it really strikes me how much difference it makes to have surviving cane vs. no surviving cane. The rose puts all its energy into regrowing cane, and forgets to bloom, except for spots of isolated blooms here and there on scattered bushes. For the most part, my better bloomers were the newly planted roses that didn't have to regrow anything and still had the flush of youth. They say it'll be a relatively milder winter in these parts with plenty of snow, so I'm hoping for another year like that one in 2016. Now for the questions - Diane, I still like Ascot and it tends to hover in the 4-5' range for me. It's a reliably healthy bush, but it seems to be one that appreciates some surviving cane, like most of my roses. Here is a closeup from 2013 of Ascot showing those luscious big fat reddish blooms: In contrast, here's the one solitary bloom cycle I caught for Ascot this year (and I went out faithfully every week all summer). Pretty meh - washed out hot pink with more like semi-double blooms. Still rock-solid healthy leaves, just in recovery mode like most of my roses. Nevertheless, it's still a keeper in my world for the sake of the photo above: Ingrid - sorry for being confusing in labeling the medium pink rose in the first picture. Petal Pushers has small mum-sized blooms in regular profusion (it was one of my more reliable bloomers this year) but it's toward the back near the grey shed, obscured by other roses. The prominent one falling over the fence is one I forgot to label - the Delbard rose Dames de Chenonceau. It's a totally reliable rose for me and not bad for blooms this year. I'm sure with your warmer climate it would do more blooming, though I'm not sure if the multiple petals would make it more vulnerable to drought or not. I dearly love this rose, as well as the Champagne Moment/Lions Fairy Tale to its left in that first photo in this thread. Here's a closeup from July this year of Dames de Chenonceau. I think Roses Unlimited carries it if you're tempted, Ingrid (smile) - this looks like your style of lovely subtle colors. It does tend to flop though - I had to lie on the ground to look up for this shot. For comparison, here's Petal Pushers from June of this year. This is what I usually see when I catch this rose, as it's a notorious droopy rose and doesn't climb very high. When I'm motivated to lie on the ground for a photo (not all that often, considering all the stray rose thorns also on the ground), this is what Petal Pushers looks like, also from this year. Yep, this one makes me dizzy and I can't exactly tell which way is up: Anyway, thanks for your comments on this blast from the past, and may our next rose years be good ones this time! Cynthia

Paula, I'm bringing cookies too because when I was at the store this afternoon (likely while you were posting that you picked up a tray of cookies, lol), I was hungry and cookies sounded good. : ) I'm also bringing a big bowl of mixed fresh fruit. I bought red seedless grapes, green seedless grapes, pineapple, strawberries and 3 kinds of melon. Of course, I'm bringing Tim, door prizes, $$ for the potty and a few plants as well. I won't list every type of plant I'm bringing, but there's 8 flats of plants so far, including: -- about 100 tomato plants (representing virtually all the varieties on my 2014 Grow List) --five kinds of sweet bell peppers---mini bell peppers that mature to yellow or red and full-sized bells that mature to red, orange or yellow --the smallest hot pepper plants y'all ever will see but they are only a month old and fully hardened off---just tiny. They are mostly jalapenos (Early Jalapeno, Gigantea, Grande', Big Guy and probably Biker Billy), There might be an Ancho Gigantea plant or two in the flat of hot peppers. --some herbs, including Smokey Bronze Fennel, Florence Fennel, "Vierling" Dill for sure and some sort of basil, I think...and maybe some parsley --some flowers, including Outhouse Hollyhocks (mixed colors), Rose Mallow, Lion's Tail (tall, mint family, orange flowers) and Balsam. --A flower used more like an herb, specifically as a tea plant. It is Hibiscus sabdariffa and the calyx's from its flowers are used in tea--they put the Zing in Red Zinger tea. I mostly grow it just because it is a beautiful plant. I won't know until we load up the car in the morning if there's room for more flats of plants, but if there is room, I'll cram in some more plants. Looking forward to seeing everyone and so happy the severe weather won't start up until the Spring Fling is over! Dawn

Shirley / Brittneysgran ~ ooohhh THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU!! I was soooo excited to see that mailman stop his truck today..lol I have been happily googling pics of everything and ooooh'ing and ahh'ing over it all!! Shirley shared with me: Clematis Nelly Moser Daylily Alpine Snow Daylily Splendid Torch Daylily Caprician Fiesta Bearded Iris Leprechaun's Delight Bearded Iris Spring Butterfly Bearded Iris Champagne Elegance Sedum Clown Sedum Matrona Siberian Iris Rikugi Sakura Siberian Iris Frosted Cranberry Lily of the Valley Crocosmia Emily Mackenzie Bath Salts, Note Pads, Sharpie Markers and Post-it Notes! ohh Thankyou Shirley so very much I am just in awe and so very excited over these! You did a wonderful fantastic FABULOUS job picking out items I just love! Thankyou!! Karen - I was thinking of you yesterday as I was planting out a nice assortment of seeds you sent me once in a sasbe I believe.. I just wanted to say thanks again they will all be a wonderful addition!! Also, I finally received confirmation that my shipment will arrive between May 4th thru 8th. ARGHHH!! Hopefully Karen, that will work for even better for your zone? I'm sorry it's past the deadline but my hands are tied until it's received. *I will be offline starting tomorrow until possibly May 4th. Just wanted to let you all know. Thanks!! Wendy

Yes, Kathleen, they really did brighten my day! Funny how an unexpected box showing up from a friend does that! ;o) I sure hope Jaybird can get her Internet provider to fix whatever problem is keeping her from getting on here, I miss her. I'll have to look for those polishing cloths. Sounds like a good idea! I don't know what made me think to try the toothpaste--probably something I'd read one time or another. I don't know if my teapot is silver or just silverplate but the toothpaste sure made it shine again so I was able to get the picture taken. Thanks again for your thoughtfulness Jaybird. Luvs