I had poor luck with BDdC whenever it was wet - ugly soiled tissue look, and with those thorns, hard work deadheading. But great luck with Hansa, Polareis, and Therese Bugnet. I lost Topaz Jewel because it was in a bad spot by top of hilly driveway, too vulnerable to winter salt. TB was the very first rose I ever bought, from Wayside Gardens back in late 80's. It survived rose cane borers, being shunted to a neglected garden, and generally being ignored until a few years ago. I found that it had rooted itself AND sent out a daughter (it had been a graft, but being so ignored, the natural accretion of dead weeds etc must have given it the opportunity). Anyway, I gave away the daughter about 15 years ago to a friend who has to prune it to keep it from eating her whole garden. The original was joined by a second daughter a few years later. Four years ago I moved them both, pruned hard, to the center piece of the new rose garden I put in on south side of house. It is impossible to tell which was which at this point, and I regularly pot up new ones that shoot up every year, for the church and library plant sales on Mother's Day weekend. TB is absolutely clean, all the time. Usually the first to bloom, long huge first flush can go on for over three weeks. Another flush, smaller, mid summer, but never without a few blossoms here and there. And fragrant. Can you tell I love TB?

Michelle, I haven't tried digging up a sucker (I've only had suckering roses for two years, now). Theoretically, you should be able to dig it up, but perhaps someone with experience will answer. The new plant is sprouting off an underground stem. I suppose that until the root system of the new plant has developed a little, the plant might suffer when transplanted. (I don't know when the root system develops -- before, after, simultaneously with the above ground part?) Unless it's really close to the mother plant, the mother plant wouldn't be harmed. Use a sharp spade. Hopefully someone will tell us it's easy! I don't fertilize much -- a small amount of 10-10-10 in the spring, for all my roses and wildflowers. Sometimes again in late summer for a fall flush, unless we have drought, which we often do. I don't have a long experience with rugosas yet to know if I should be doing something else. Mike

Here's a link with some info on the "ditch lily daylily", that shows pics of some of the variations with names of them. Claire, Carl, there is something kind to be said about the so called "ditch lily". I guess unless you are a purist with daylilies, it has it's place in the garden and I'm far from a purist with my daylily bed. Carl, that is a perfect name and description for them. "ditch lily with an attitude". They are a work horse in the gardens, never fail to come back, never fail to bloom, never fail to please the eye with it's several varieties. given the right location, they will spread to their heart's content; and in my opinion, are a beautiful variety, in their own right, and don't deserve the harsh words that the daylily pros give it. I wouldn't be without mine, lovingly given to me about 26 years ago from a neighbor to start my daylily bed. They are prominently in the bed and surprisingly enough, and I know I shouldn't say this, but they have not really taken over the bed either. Fran My daylily bed from this year. pics taken from early June through 7/28 mid June when the first of the ditch lilies start to bloom along with the yellow in the front called happy returns, daylily bed taken 7/28 single "ditch lily" double "ditch lily" hyperion scents the gardens beautifully 7/12 ruffled hyperion, also scents beautifully happy returns, 7/28. blooms from early June and repeat blooms till the frost takes it away in early to mid Oct. pandora's box 7/24 siloam uri winford 7/25 red pinocchio, a really scarlet red that the pic doesn't show 7/27 Catherine Woodbury 7/27 a burgundy, no ID, didn't keep the tag 7/12 a cream but looks more white in the pic. no id, didnt' keep the tag purple d'oro, been blooming since 7/10 and still is These are the results of a purchase of bare roots in a bag that where labeled "hybrid daylilies" and marked down to $.25 at a big box store in mid August 5 years ago. Been able to identify a few of them only rocket city 7/26. been blooming since 7/12 and still has about 75 buds left of it's original 220 buds. Yup the math genius, engineer, DH decided to count them all. franz hals 7/12 and still blooming away autumn red 7/24 and these from the same bag with no id to them but just beautiful Salmon pink 7/12 and 7/24 still blooming away gold, 7/25 pale pink 7/26 bicolor 7/26 This beauty 7/12 and 7/27 still blooming

Thank you Ingrid! Yes I am always amazed that these roses continue to survive and thrive on a busy, industrial street. During snowy winters we and our neighbors have to use salt to reduce the ice on the sidewalks and streets. and still the roses pull through. You are right on the money Melissa! I think the warehouse workers and artists who rent studio spaces around here do appreciate them! I'd like to think they help the wildlife as well. ;))