Here they're considered an environmental weed, very difficult to get rid of. Even if digging up the roots you leave a bit behind it comes back. A neighbour cut a lot away and dumped the branches. A month or two later a lot of the branches were growing again. I'd say it's pretty tough, but it depends on why the plant died back in the first place. Best to wait and see. But if you didn't find any live wood when you cut it back you can't be sure how far it died back. Good luck with it, they are a beautiful plant if well grown.

GreenDreamhome, I got my MS to brighten up a spot that is a bit too shady for most roses to bloom well, and it does the trick for that purpose, but I really wouldn't call it a true orange. My best true orange rose is Livin' Easy. You might want to check that one out. It's an absolute bloom machine and very carefree here. The bright gold flowers (and the white ones) around the MS rose are narrow leaf zinnias...they prefer full sun, but bloom well for me in part shade, too, and produce plenty of seeds in the fall to replant for the next season. Livin' Easy

What a B_E_A_U_T_I_F_U_L nightmare! I love seaside flowers. What a spectacular view! My grandmother's family was originally from old Devonshire and moved to Wexford, Ireland. In the late 18th century, they came to America and settled in Virginia and Maryland. My branch ended up in California by the early 1850s, and hence, that is my native state. One of the grand-Aunts had tons of Crocosmias and I have always loved them since my childhood. The soil there was rich and deep with the leaf mold from the live oaks and sycamores. Awesome soil. I have a little bungalow style country cottage in Oklahoma now. It is situated upon a high ridge of sandstone and the only moist places I have are right up against my Koi pond and around the two smaller "reflecting pools". They wouldn't spread far on my arid, sandy soil. That is where I hope to establish them with my yellow flags. That would be a great combo of color. I bought some bulbs several years back, but they were too dried out by the time I got them planted, and did not grow. I will try again. Jim, perhaps you could make some of those twig wickets to set over them or perhaps make a hurdle (wattle) basket to set around them to keep them from flopping over. It would be a shame to remove such beauties from your garden. You could even use an old (or new) natural wicker basket with the bottom removed as a substitute. Secure it to the ground with some sturdy sticks. I think it would look really lovely. ~ just an idea. :) I was working outside yesterday, having one of our warms spells in midwinter, and discovered dozens of Bread Seed Poppies are already up. Just the tiniest plants now, but they will grow into tall plants and produce huge Red-Orange poppy flowers in mid-to-late spring. I love them. I transplanted some of the Black and Blue Salvia back there this fall, and that will look awesome when they are both in bloom this spring. I love ORANGE and red-orange flowers with blue flowers. It is a great color combination. Monet-style. Annie

I looked all these latest suggestions up and Foxtail Lily is almost exactly what I saw! I remember the leaves as being different but I WAS looking at them as I was driving by. I did get the feeling it was a bulb of some sort. Woo hoo, I think you may have done it Christie!