Don't be sorry, what a beautiful way for me to start my day viewing your gorgeous roses. Up early hoping to get a lot more done in the garden and it's pouring :o(. All beauties in their own right but the second picture took my breath away, Are they all D. Austins? Which ones?
Annette

No need to apologize, just breathtaking. c

Just breath taking. Love them.
Sue

The only thing you should be sorry for is not posting the names of those gorgeous roses! Get back here and give us a list! lol!

Diana

:) Ya'll are all so sweet! I'm originally from Louisiana so maybe that explains some of it!

The roses in the above pictures are:

Tamora (pictures 1 & 2)
Evelyn (picture 3)
Paul Neyron (4)
Eglantyne (5)
Heritage (6)
Abraham Darby (7)

Ah, I have Evelyn and Tamora, too. So lovely. Now I must have Heritage. You enabler, you! lol!

How do your roses do with the japanese beetles? I'm sure there are others on here in your zone that have to battle them. Any tips for them or do you just retreat inside and wait out the slaughter?

Diana

I fight them just like anyone else does, but I will admit I have lots of birds that take care of some of them, I use the traps and just try to catch them and pick them off. No doubt it's a battle but I really try not to do too much spraying for bugs because of all the good bugs around. I do spray for blackspot though, I just can't let that go.

That's good to know that the birds help you and you don't have to spray too much. I would imagine you would have to spray a bit for BS since so many of the Austins are prone to it. I don't get much out here in the dry west. Just a little on GT. And no JPs! OMG, I saw a pic of those nasties on the rose forum! I think I'd rather kill a rattlesnake than have those things all over my roses. lol!

Diana

Now that just does it. I am going to have to move to NJ. Your roses are just unreal. Our summer has arrived and it is 100 with heat index. No rain since Memorial Day and not much then. With this heat and no rain, my poor roses dont have a chance beside yours. Thanks for sharing.
Barb

Roses4ever,

I remember you!!! :)

wow wow wow.. i saw your other post too and I had soo many questions I didnt want to take the time right then to ask.
i wish you were closer to me in NJ but i think you are down south and i'm far north in Morris County. we're a zone away!

Roses4ever- i am so glad to hear your dont spray for the JB's.. but man oh man do they give me the heebeegeebees
Can you tell me your fertilizing routine? do you use any and what kind? and how often?
Your place is like a dream come true. it really is..! i saw that foxglove poking striaght up in your last post and i was sooo wow'd! mine never come back? well it did one year and then not the next?

I am anxiously awaiting my first rose blooms tomorrow.. I have a yellow bed for my passed Doggy "Friend". Iplanted roses for him and yellow roses are for friendship.. SOOO- i planted carefree sunshine, easy going and a david austin i think- and i think you inspird me to get it.. Golden Celebration..? it's finally getting bigger this year.. it was very tiny when i got it.

well these got me hooked on roses and i have a few more now.. but Roses4ever, I defaintely have some bug problems..
I try not to use any pesticides and this year i did ok with those darn sawflies.. or so i thought.. but ONE BUSH is beaing eaten alive.. it's a rather hardy thing so it'll be fine but it looks liek crap now. why is it that only this one bush is being attacked and i am noticing little white moths fly out of it when i spray it in the evening..)( i just try to knock off any aphids or saw fly larvae

so the buds look liek they are gettin holes and the leaves are all holey too..

UGH.. i am so tempted somedays to jsut spray the crap out of everything.. but then yuo see a praying mantid or a lady bug on your rose and you say thank heaven i didnt spray right?

siiighh..

anyway- your are jsut THE #1 rose expert in NJ!! please tell me what to do....!!!

i think my irises got to cray this year and started crowded out a rose too- possible?

ahh- i need help. You need a hotline! haha

everyone is soo right- dont be sorry for posting such inspiration.
sorry i'm so chatty.. jsut frustrated.

Friend, I remember you too and I think we did have a discussion last year about the Golden Celebration - an excellent choice - really a good rose, good repeat, just give it time to get established. I hate to spray my roses for anything other than blackspot, I did trying spraying them one year for the JB's but it really didn't seem to get rid of them and you're right, I see the Praying Mantis, ladybugs, butterflies, bees, etc. and I just hate to do it, so I put out the JB traps and just catch as many as I can. The problems you are talking about with holes in the buds sounds like thrips possibly, which I've had a problem with this year too, but I can either try to enjoy my roses or spend all of my time worrying about which bugs are on them. I'd rather enjoy the roses!

As far as a fertilizing routine, I always start out early in the spring, first to mid-April using Bayer Systemic fertilizer. It contains a systemic insecticide that is taken in by the rose through the root system and I believe it helps, but certainly doesn't eliminate the bugs. Then I followup with Osmocote for a slow-release fertlizer, and then lots of compost and bagged manure that you can pick up at any garden center. That's about it other than lots of watering, they love to be watered.

Good to hear from you.

Don't be sorry for showing off those beautiful roses.

I am glad to hear what your program with them is. I have been pretty much plant and let them alone. I believe your way is better!

One more question please. What do you use for BS? We have had a horrid season for it and my roses are showing the results.

Thank you.

hmmm- yeah i pretty much planted them and i do miracle grow 3 or 4 times a summer.. LOL..what do you do with the manure and compost Rose4ever?? how do you "apply" it? sorry if that is a stupid question. i am nto the expert you are!

and yes- i am enjoying the roses so far.. aphids and all -lol( the aphids dont see to be doign much damage but my one rose bush.. its reallybad. i'll take a pic and show you all)
i dont mind a hole here and there.. just that one bush is upsetting me a bit!!

this is the 3rd summer for the golden celebration and i think it is doign a lot better- bigger and more buds.

Thanks for posting your fertilizer routine. I also use the Bayer systemic. I don't have many roses but have found it's also good for killing spider mites on my conifers and I'm using it on my daylilies to fight Thrips this year. A garden club friend who's into roses told me that she uses the Bayer 3 in 1 that also fights Blackspot. It's a liquid form, as opposed to the granular form of the 2 in 1. Have you tried that and ruled it out in favor of the spray for any particular reason?

I am really wanting to add some more roses besides the Knockouts and New Dawn but I know I'll have to use a fungicide to keep the Blackspot at bay. I was going to try the Bayer 3 in 1 but I'm curious about what you've been using, if you'll share.
Thanks!

I can smell them from here. Just gorgeous! You make me want to put in more roses.

The third photo is excellent in composition, and the subject is lovely. They are all beautiful, but number three is outstanding.
Lorna