My huge ancient rose that Cass named Grand Ave.Giant is really Le Vesuve, we think. I posted a few months ago that it had died back, and appeared to be really dying completely (after almost 100 years, not strange at all).

Anyway, the baby LV that I rooted from it is healthy, and of course has kept all of its leaves and is a large green bush at the moment, thinking about the Spring bloom. The old old one is totally bare of any leaves, and what is left of it after we cut out the dead parts looked dead too......until 2 days ago, when I noticed some new growth on part of it! It is difficult to tell, because the Duchesse de Brabant next to it has intertwined some of its canes throughout the old LV, and most of the new growth I saw was actually DdB. However, after staring at it for 5 minutes I was able (it makes you dizzy because all of the canes go around in circles several times) to trace some of the areas showing new growth back to the base of the LV.

Our current plan is to wait about a month, and then see where there is new growth and where there is not, and then we will try and prune out more of the dead stuff. Maybe separate the DdB canes out of it too, and put them on the low fence in front of it, or somewhere that they won't be intertwined with it. I am hoping that by then I can get out into the garden without snow gear on!

Just wanted to tell you guys - it may survive for another while yet - tea & china roses (experts disagree on which this is) are amazing!

Jackie