I am so used to rose scratches on my arms and legs, I don't even notice them any more. Most of the roses bloom in sprays and I wait and then deadhead the entire cluster when its done. What I actually do is cut back strongly. Not as much as first thing in the spring, but alot. Then I get a second strong rose flush in August. After the August flush I don't cut back, just cut spent blooms and I have roses blooming on and off until it gets very cold and freezes. I have had roses blooming in December if the weather was mild. When the spring flush is in full bloom there in the front yard, I do get lots and lots of lookers. I also get cars stoping as they are driving by.

I don't really know were to put NORTHERN NOCTURN. I guess I could always just switch it with something else. But for now, at least, its going to stay were it is. I bought it over the winter on the lily auction because the picture was just so beautiful. So far, it does not look much like the picture to me. I don't mean that it's the wrong plant. I just mean that it needs lots of improving. No point in moving it until I see if it can make something of itself. If it can't then it goes on the big move, bye bye right out of my garden.

Thank you both very much for the compliment. Lilyfinch I don't remember when I planted most of my roses. I have 23 antique roses and some knockouts, but the oldest I have is Mrs BR Cant which I planted 8 years ago in the spring, I can't remember if Lamarque and Climbing Pinkie were planted the same year or the next. Once I planted my first 2-3 roses I was addicted and bought usually 3-4 roses every year, I haven't planted any new ones in the past 3 years as I just don't have the time to spend in my garden like I did. I have found my climate here (can't speak for anywhere else as this is the only place I have ever gardened before, but Noisettes (which originated here in Charleston), regular tea roses, China roses and hybrid musk roses tend to thrive quite well and can get quite large fairly quickly for some. Peggy Martin (I did a post on the antique rose forum about this fantastic rose) is a found rose so I don't know what background she has but she seriously thrives on neglect and I do very very little to her. She is believe it or not the youngest rose I have! I have a lot of heavy clay soil so working with it is back breaking and slow which is why I haven't added anymore roses as of recently. I have some roses that grow quicker than others and in my garden here are some of my slow growers; Madame Alfred Carrier is one that is always touch and go, Mrs Dudley Cross, Maggie (I threaten to dig her up every year but she is looking for promising this year so we shall see), Cornelia (another touch and go rose that I have threatened to shovel prune but keep giving her a chance and she too looks better this spring)...While Lamarque, The Charlestonian, Peggy Martin, Belinda (not to be confused with Belinda's Dream), Duchesse de Brabant are among the fastest growing then there's Mrs BR Cant who hardly did a thing the first three years and then took off into one monster of a rose. The rest seem to grow at a fairly normal rate. I had to laugh a bit at your saying hoping to stay long enough, I have wanted to move to a bigger home for awhile but my garden keeps me from doing so, I just can't leave her and anytime I tell someone we were thinking of moving they would gasp and say you can't leave your garden what about all the hard work you have done. My daughter laughes at me because in the winter I'm all about moving, that is till spring comes and I'm like I can never leave. Haha I think she right! But I would say in general it will take about 4 years to have them really start filling out again though it just all depends really in end on a particular rose. ;) So I didn't intend for this to be so long lol, but I hope that helps you some. What roses did you plant if you don't mind my asking? I would love to know! All the best of luck and happy gardening to you!~Meghan

This is all just lovely. I really enjoy it when people post tours of their gardens, particularly pullback shots where you can see more than just a couple of plants in combination. I am not in New England but I often read the New England Gardening thread just because of the running photo threads there! Your combos with the astilbe and the eryngium are particularly wonderful.