ok, I'm trying to figure out how to show a picture. Also I checked the leaves, stems, etc. and everything looks the same but bigger, and the thorns have the same shape but bigger and red... I think that the older thorns on the other branches were reddish at some point. About repotting.. 1) how big is too big of a pot, I've been repotting 5 gallons to 15 gallons, but now I'm afraid that the roots aren't big enough on my youngish roses to pick up the water in all that dirt. 2) I've had this one for one year, the container looks smaller than 5, bigger than 1, is there a 3gallon? and if so, what size up to repot? I have the same situation with the Fairy, but that one for sure has outgrown the container. Thank you for your suggestions, and I don't think the pot has any miracle-gro in it, in fact I finally fed it about a week ago in its original container, and the Fairy as well. Also, I've seen dr. huey take over plants before, but those looked different to me, unless it wasn't dr. huey. The reason they are all in pots is that I don't know if we will be moving in a couple years, so I'm afraid to put in the ground for the next two years. Is it better to keep in pots, or to plant, dig up, and replant if we move? Sorry for the long post, but I'm so relieved to have found some kindred spirits.

Lynn, Cynthia and Luxrosa, I so appreciate your encouraging and also practically informative posts. The support I've received has been so heartwarming, and with all your encouragement, how could I possibly give up? Lynn, I've been really happy with how well my crape myrtles have handled the heat. They look good all the time and the bright green leaves make the garden at least look cooler. Luxrosa, I have the feeling that even though you may not be getting much rain the fogs carry so much moisture that your environment is actually quite different from mine. If I watered my roses in the summer only twice a week many would not survive. I know that's difficult to believe but the strength of the sun here on the side of a hill with so much open area on which nothing is planted is tremendous. My skin begins to hurt and burn in five minutes. Sometimes I'm amazed that the roses can survive at all. Cynthia, I have no plans to ever leave here, especially since I now believe that, for at least the foreseeable future, I'll have at least some roses. Roses are not all created equal, and I'm finding that some are amazingly resilient while others are weak sisters. It's going to be my job to research which are best and to find the most advantageous places to place them. I'm going to move Souvenir du President Carnot to a shadier position tomorrow. Last year it bloomed beautifully and did well in the heat and this year it's had two blooms and is mildewed, in spite of lots of water and mulch. If that doesn't help it will be gone. It's all going to be a learning process, and I'm happy that I won't have to do it alone. Ingrid

lolauren, it's difficult to determine anything from your photos, yet, but your statement that it is strongly fragrant and totally thornless leads me to believe it might be Zephirine Drouhin. Though the photos of the blooms look more modern, because it was sold to you as a climber (and Zephirine is grown as a climber), the color is in the appropriate range, the fragrance is strong and it's totally thornless, these clues point to this rose. Please take a look and see if the photos (you'll have to look at all of them because they look different from location to location) remind you of what you have. Kim Here is a link that might be useful: Zephirine Drouhin

In my garden everything is pinker than advertised. I see stunning photos of Mustead Wood appearing velvety crimson, nearly purple. I get the occasional crimson blooms from MW, generally in the autumn in cooler temps and less direct sun. Here's what I usually get: I believe my soil accounts for this, and according to your profile you're in MA, so I'm guessing you're growing in similar soil. I forget my soil's pH, but it's acidic, loamy, and as I understand, loaded with granite. For me, Darcey at her best is light red, in shaded, cool conditions almost crimson. My Darcey B: Here's a Young Lycidas (L) and Sophy (R). I took this photo to show a petal comparison, it's a poor example of bloom size. YL's blooms are much larger than Sophy. In the garden Sophy is very bright, fades considerably. Some other deep pinks on the cool side: Princess Anne is a deep dusty cool rose. Sir John Betjeman, similar, slightly darker. John Clare is clear magenta, great bloomer, kind of boring. Noble Anthony between magenta and rose, compact, hardy. I have Charlotte, can't find any pics, but ditto what others says: buttery yellow, fades to creamy white. Very hardy and reliable, mine got tall last year, quite surprised. I no longer grow the Pilgrim. It' a pure clear light yellow, exquisitely shaped blooms. I wish I could give it the room, but not worth it for me for the infrequency of the blooms. And it wants to climb. For me Molineaux was slightly apricot. It wasn't hardy enough, died to the soil over the 2 winters I attempted it. Here's lesser known yellow, Buttercup (which I adore). I think you can still get this from DA.