Loess is a type of soil that was formed in environments affected by glacial runoff. The soils are light, and have a lot of carbonate in them, giving them structure. The really surprising characteristic is that when a bulldozer cuts a swath through them at an angle, the / surface eroded backwards from the base so the cut becomes vertical. It's a strange thing because most surfaces want to be / or even more tilted (angle of repose). You know that the only way to make straight walls on a sand castle is to wet the sand. Well, if you were carving sandcastles into Loess, , you'd just carve and be done. But because there's lots of loess, some it it gets reworked after it erodes and gets redeposited by streams and rivers. In North America, loess bluffs are on the east side of the Mississippi and even as far south as Mobile Alabams. In Nebraska, I've seen lots of loess in fields...those vertical erosion walls really stand out. And the carbonates in them give them structure and their alkalin nature.

I bought quite a few from ARE and they were fine each time. Will definitely buy from them again. I love the prices at Chamblee's and most of them arrived blooming and in great shape, but for me, it was only a one or two day trip versus Heirloom's which has sometimes taken two weeks on UPS. In fact, I just got a notice that UPS is delayed again but at least it's not 100+! But, my Chamblee's orders arrived with a white coating on them which the nice man on the phone said was a fungicide and not to worry. There is a bit more prickly man there but thankfully he didn't answer the phone, lol! Cotto, I have a feeling that is who you spoke with. I've spent thousands, yikes, with Heirloom and their customer service has been quite good, though they have had some website issues. Theirs arrive defoliated so look like little sticks versus Chamblees with blooms but fungicide and limited selection. I usually can't find what I need in stock at A Reverence for Roses but the bands arrived quickly with the plants big and in great shape. They are organic I believe. I agree with Holly regarding the one not being my first choice. Mine arrived as frail little things, soaking wet, and covered in black patches from the trip. Maybe it was just the packing but there was no comparison in the size also. Love their selection though. I just started preparing an order a few days ago for Northland so excited to try them!

Home Depot sells an 8 lb bag of rose-tone for $10.98. That comes to $1.3725 per pound. The Amazon price of $26.69 for 18 lbs comes to $1.4828 per pound, which is about 8% more expensive. Moral of the story: don't assume that bigger is cheaper, and never assume that Amazon is cheaper. They've got to pay FedEx/UPS/USPS somehow. And besides, both Home Depot and Lowes have a good reputation for the way they treat their employees.

In southern California, there are a few optimal climates. Inland Ventura County -- out of the fog belt -- would be wonderful. Same for Santa Barbara County. Pasadena of course is famous for roses, but in the summer there'll be a lot of crispy critters. I'm in the crispy-critter belt as well in the San Fernando Valley. This area used to be agricultural, and the soil is sandy loam. With drip irrigation, as desertgarden said about Vegas, water doesn't have to be a problem. We always have cool nights. Also, the overcast days in May and June make rose colors "pop;" Wherever you live could be the best place. My dad grew beautiful roses in Staten Island, New York -- had to put up with the JBs, blackspot, etc., in the summer, and mulch like crazy in the winter, but his blooms were huge and mostly perfect. I've seen drop-dead-gorgeous roses in Sweden, Denmark, North Dakota, and along the shores of Lake Superior. Not to mention Louisiana, Mississippi, and - yes - Florida. All that said, I agree: coastal Oregon is probably the best place.