Thank you for all of your words of encouragement! Well, I held off for as long as possible... Right after I got back from vacation we had a week of temps near 112, and I did nothing but water, mist and pray. Today, I couldn't stand looking at my poor roses any longer, so with the temps back below normal I ventured out into the garden, pruners in hand. The floribundas seem to have survived the best - I only needed to give them a light prune, and I even have a Julia Child in bloom. Not surprisingly perhaps, my David Austins suffered the most. Some of them lost all their leaves, so I trimmed them up, and cut them back by about one third. We'll see what happens now. If there's one thing I've learnt about roses, it's that they're tough little buggers. I just feel bad that they've had to go through such a trauma! Happy Gardening everyone. Provence

My Winter Haven Fl. Hydrangea. I happened back on this post. This pic was taken today. I made a mistake in post above its planted on the north EAST corner. All my north west attempts didn't grow. No worries these transplant easily. I actually rescue these thing about dead by the curb for trash pic up after Mother's Day ect. They come right back. I used a lot of acid hydrangea fertilizer but still pink, some blue, some purple. My potted ones are blue but this is in grove sand and I guess acidic washes right past the roots. After bloom I cut the dried mops off as close as I could to blossom and after winter was getting spider mites (I'm guessing) and dead leaves that looked bad so I noticed the leaves pulled off by grabbing and pulling down each one even the stiff ones I mean it looked bad only leaving a couple of the more healthy leaves. That was a couple months ago and it's back. The only thing I wouldn't do is cut the stems, if you do you'll have no growth on it for a long time or ever but from the stalk you'll get all new it's like you can't kill these things if they are planted in the wrong spot (excluding sun) they'll just get stumped and hard key do anything until you transplant then they take off.I haven't been successful growing them under trees even with the right light at all. On your north east corner you'll want only like 4 hours of sun then shade the rest of the day hopefully you'll have a perfect spot where you can enjoy it

Hi Karen, Yes I have purply black spots on my Pink Singapore and it's caused by some fungi that comes when it's too wet or himidt but it does not seem to harm the plant and I have not seen that it goes to other plants thought I have them standing very close. I think that species is born to have spots. Do you remember the inlay Prob. with evergreen... where Mary-Anne from Australia and I were discussing the problem. She simply ripped off all the leaves and left the inflos and later she cut it down and got nine cuttings that she gave away. I have one that devided into five branches and I took off two and they are putting out leaves right now and look very healthy. I'm not really shure where you are but I guess it's CA. Maybe you should bring your Singapore up very close to your house at a south facing wall and first bring it in when it really gets too cold. One of my Celadines also got black tips this spring and I too thing it was too cold and brought it back in the greenhouse it was set months behind but it recovered and is now putting out at least 10 new branches. Are you able to get a little greenhouse? It would be good if you live a place where it can get too cold at night. I once lived in Anaheim Orange County and the climate there was great for Plumerias and people had big trees I remember and nobody brought them inside during winter. I have friends living near Hemet and they too need to bring the plants inside in the cold season. If my plants are making too much problems in the winter I usually cut off all the leaves "usually January" and order them to go dormant and they go in the basement and they don't seem to mind as it's warm and nice down there it's also very bright with the windows all around.

I doubt moss growing on a limb is the best indicator of the moisture in the soil (it may be a good indicator of humidity and moisture in your region). Transplant shock/wilt can last a full season or more but then I live in GA so our conditions are a lot hotter than you have. My new plants in the ground are watered at least every other day and sometimes every day to get the plant established in its new home. I often have to water them regularly for two to three years to get them on their own and in really hot, dry weather; supplemental watering can make a huge difference between a wilted bush and a lush full growing shrub. You can stick your finger in the first inch or two of the planting hole and see how wet it feels. If you suspect it is too wet, pull the plant out and move it to a new location that has better drainage. Mixing dry soil in a wet hole often results in more wet soil eventually. Do keep some soil over the top of the root ball though as the original root ball exposed to the outer air will wick away a lot of moisture. Mounding is difficult to keep the native soil on top at times as you have found out but is almost necessary for some fussy plants like rhododendrons.