We usually get enough rain in the wintertime in the south that I don't water. This year may be different if this drought continues unabated. The Noisettes that I grow are pretty much evergreen in the south. Reve d'Or and Crepuscule will keep most of their leaves during the winter and drop them as the new growth pushes them off in the spring. Beautiful, healthy roses here too. Carol

Great thread! We planted a climbing Golden Showers next to an arbor that my husband built in early summer. Because we live along a river near the sound, winds do roar here in the winter. I'm hoping my new rose does well.... it's STILL cranking out flowers and here it is, December 15. Of course, tonight we expect the temp. to plunge. If my yellow rose does bite the dirt, I may look for Climbing Altissmo, Bill. That is one beautiful rose... bold color and shape plus I'm encouraged about its longevity. Bill, how big has it grown? I'm even wondering how that rose would be on the opposite side of my arbor across from Golden Showers. Hmmmm. Time to look in the catalogues. Then again, looking at Claire's pics, I think... yikes! These climbing roses really take off when they are planted in a happy place. Molie

Dandy, If you're in Southern California -- most of the western half of it anyhow -- you can really prune any time between Thanksgiving (which, yes, is past) and maybe Valentine's Day. Lots of range there. If you want to, you can spray the plants BEFORE you prune, and wait a week or so for the leaves to all fall off, and THEN prune. Again -- lots of range, there. Now, if you're off somewhere way inland, like Riverside, or up the Ojai Valley or something, that might be a bit different, for for most of us, there are no hard and fast rules. But even here, near the coast, the bit of cold weather we've had means that many roses are already losing their leaves.

Jmackie, Good lawn fertilizer, Espoma. Compost top dressing....Bravo! Once your turf thickens up, and you mow it at the right height for the breeds of grass in it, weeds will disappear, being choked out. First determine what is growing next door in the root zone of your climbers. If flower beds, I believe you are OK. If a shrub border, I believe the chance of weed killer being applied is slim. If lawn, perhaps recommend a non-herbicide fertlizer, explaining the negativ environmental impact of herbicides. Explain your situation to them with the roses. They should be delighted to see you beautify your property, and cooperate. It raises THEIR property value as well as yours, at your expense, effort, and time. Your neighbors may not even fertilize their lawn, so it could be a non-issue. BTW Milorganite (6-4-0), is better than Espoma (8-0-0), and at considerably less cost. Arnold, my brother's brother in law, used Milorganite on his lawn, 3 times a year: early spring, early summer, and fall, at my recommendation. He blessed me up and down for the rich, green, thick lawn he soon grew, cheaply, and safe for his children and dogs. He also overseeded his original horrible lawn with a blend of modern, improved fescues and perennial rye, no Kentucky blue grass, at my insistence, too. Then mowed it in spring at 2.5" and then for the summer at 3", every year the same. With the improved overseeded grasses and Milorganite, the lawn was the envy of his neighbors who all had professional lawn services, but every July-August their lawns would go dormant, and brown up while Arnold's stayed rich and thick green with no watering other than rainfall. Moses