Thank you very much for your help, Karl. I will send you an email... Here are the other pictures: Utigard Fall (rose named after a norway waterfall - the third highest in the world) http://www.daiichi-engei.co.jp/images/goods/0707WAR1.jpg http://www.daiichi-engei.co.jp/images/subimg/0707WAR1sub.jpg Angel Fall (Venezuela waterfall) http://www.daiichi-engei.co.jp/images/goods/0707WAR2.jpg http://www.daiichi-engei.co.jp/images/subimg/0707WAR2sub.jpg Yosemite Fall (USA waterfall) http://www.daiichi-engei.co.jp/images/goods/0707WAR4.jpg http://www.daiichi-engei.co.jp/images/subimg/0707WAR4sub.jpg

Hello, How close to the ocean is your garden? and what is the average day temperature during summer? With no water at all for 3-4 months in summer during our annual California seasonal drought, band sized and many gallon sized plants might die from lack of water if planted right away in your dry garden. Where day temps are more often in the 80's and higher, I would go with Ramblers which the East Bay park department says are drought tolerant in our area, and species and species hybrids. For 20 and more years, in the woodland acreage at the Morcom amphitheatre of roses, in Oaklland , Califorornia grow many R. brunonni outside of the irrigation system, ( many are seedlings from a mother plant) a few R. moschata, and many Banksiae., as well as Alberic Barbier, all do fine with no water at all during our annual summer drought which lasts 3-4 months each year. I volunteered at that park and made a cultiver and rose species database in the late 1900's(crikey that makes me sound old) and early 2000's. Large trees shade these roses for 4-6 hours out of the day, but all but those in the deepest shade bloom normally. My 'Albertine' was lost when moving and found months later crammed between several pots, with no water, and it lived and thrived. Because so many of the Rambler roses are species hybrids, and said to be drought tolerant, here, I would try the re-blooming rose 'Mermaid' in a dry garden after it had grown to be 5-6 feet tall. It reblooms very well and is gorgeous. I imagine a dry hillside planted with Mermaid, with a few Veilchenbleu , Kiftgate, Silver Moon, R. laevigata, Alberic Barbier, Susan Louise and other R. gigantea hybrids. R.californica transplanted after their roots are 3 feet long, or more. . If I never intended to water them. I might plant Califorinia lilac, ceanothus as mounds for the ramblers to ramble over. If I watered deeply once a month as Gregg does, I'd try the same with the largest cultivars of Old Garden Tea roses, and a few Tea-Noisettes. Tea roses seem to be common among the found roses in warm climates, where live and bloom without being watered during summer, in California and the Southern States. I believe that any of the huge roses R. gigantea , for instance, may be drought tolerant to an extent because of the depth to which their roots reach. R. palustris is said to be drought tolerant as well as wet tolerant, and it has a long bloom cycle too. A row of Susan Louise could provide more shade if needed, it is a gorgeous plant, grown on the ground or as a tree shaped rosebush with the lower canes removed. I would add R. californica, I rarely remember to water mine and it is glorious. It grows to be more than 13 feet tall and has a big bloom cycle in June and scattered bloom of c. 15% for 4+ months after wards, I find that the scent of its leaves has an affect of aromatherapy. The eglantine Meg Merrilees has the strongest foliage scent of any of the eglantine hybrids I've smelled, as good as the species. R. primula would be a treat by the edge of a pathway, for its incense scented leaves. Alba Semi Plena is also reported to be drought tolerant where summer temps average in the 70's F. I spoke to a woman at the Old Rose celebration who told me of a large 'Anna Olivier' growing by a highway near Santa Cruz, California. I'd try growing a large plant in a low-water zone. I've documented a 'Grandmothers Hat' and 'Alliance Franco-Russe' both mature plants, in abandoned gardens in Oakland, where they received no water from a hose nor rain for 3-4 months out of the year, for 10 years (g.hat) and 5 years (the Old Garden Tea). the grandmothers hat is a climber of c. 12 feet tall, and growing up a fir tree, the alliance f.russe was c. 8 feet in each direction the last time I visited it. I hope you can use some of this info. Good Luck, Lux

Not a rebate for watering roses, but not charging you for processing the 'gray water' which doesn't go down the drain. The logic is, if you use a gallon, you flush a gallon, so they charge you to clean it. If that gallon isn't being flushed, you shouldn't owe them the money to process it. Water going into the ground isn't being pumped in to the sewage treatment plant, therefore they aren't owed the money to process it. It's the same reasoning why we, on septic, do not pay sewage fees. Ours isn't sent to the treatment facility for processing so we don't pay to have any processed. Your irrigation water isn't being treated as sewage, therefore, should not be subject to sewage charges. Kim

I continue to water right up until they go dormant. You don't want them to go into dormancy dehydrated because that further stresses them over winter. Well hydrated rose canes fair far better over the winter and come out stronger in the spring. My roses are all still green and some of them even trying to put on some new growth so I watered everything Sunday when it was in the 50s and will probably water at least one more time before winter. If yours still have green leaves on them I'd say water them. Once the leaves have dried up they should be dormant and you can stop.