You have mail. Marg

It probably would be fine, assuming we don't have a heat wave kicking temps up into the upper 90s, which is not real likely based on the cooler-than-average weather so far this year. (I know both our counties have had a few warm days already this year, but they have tended to be the exception and not the rule.) Also, your "little" plants HAVE been in the ground for a while and should have pretty good root systems by the time you go on vacation. You can help prepare them for your absence by watering them very deeply (to a depth of 6") less often as opposed to watering more shallowly more often. That will send their roots down deep to where more moisture resides in the soil. Finally, don't feed them any fertilizer in the week to ten days before you leave. Fertilizing them at that point would give them new growth that might get thirsty more easily than older growth. If you are really worried about it and don't have anyone in your neighborhood that you can rely upon to check on your plants, you can buy a timer and put a soaker hose on a timer and put it in the bed with the plants. You can set the timer to water briefly every day or every other day or whatever will give you peace of mind. Having 2" to 3" of mulch on the ground will also keep the soil moist by slowing the evaporation of moisture from the soil. Being gone a week in May is not going to be too detrimental to your garden, especially if we receive anything close to our average May rainfall. Being gone a week in July or August would be a lot worse for the garden. Dawn

The top rose looks like Spectra. I grow it in a well protected area. Tried to grow it in the open and I could not overwinter it here in Iowa in a regular rose bed. I love Spectra, which it blooms in so many different colors, is scented, and has excellent form.

Oh, droooooooooooooooool!!! So beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!I love Momoka (HT of perfection!), Ispahan, Jacques Cartier, and yes, your Climbing America brings all the memories why I love this rose so much. Yes, it can sometimes BS, and yes, in zone 5 it is fragile and probably won't ever climb, but I would never be without this rose either.