Hi, everyone! great news is that the Rosarian couple were very nice. I actually tried calling them last night but couldn't get through because they had their fax machine on. Then tonight they explained that they couldn't return my call because the number I had left them had been cut off by their answering machine. They too have not grown tree roses because like Karl had feared, rose trees do terrible in Kansas. Stupid me should also have thought far ahead about our tornado problems as well. I didn't think about this issue before the terrible winds this past weekend. Flower2sew, in Overland Park we got hit real bad. There is still debris from knocked over light poles on Hwy 69 from people crashing from the ice... But the snow lasted just one terrible day, it was very thick snow,and we were blasted with both ice and snow at once and in some parts of Overland Park, the cable lines and phone lines were down ...then argh, it shot up to near 60 degree warmth right the following day, then dropped down again the following evening. The rosarian couple agreed that they would never leave out the tree roses at this point because of last weekend's extreme swing of temperature (including this week) but they too felt I really needed to speak to a Master Rosarian, so they gave me the emergency helpline for the Rose Society. The nice rosarian couple I spoke to explained that they themselves have never grown tree roses because of how erratic Kansas weather can be in the spring and they said that the people they know who had rose trees all had either greenhouses or would go to a nursery and "rent" out a space for the winter. In other words they wouldn't know how to advise me on how to keep my roses indoors in my particular situation. They did feel that since my rose trees still have buds sprouting, that keeping them in a completely dark, cold, poorly insulated garage at this point is a question that only a master rosarian could answer. It is a tough call because no sane person/gardener would ever be in the crazy predicament that I am in now... I am doing crazy stuff like lightly spraying my roses with warm water in the morning and when I come home, then again before going to bed to keep them as close to a greenhouse effect and reducing my house temperature from 68 degrees to 65 so that I don't shock the roses when I bring them outside to 58 degree sunshine (but that makes me super cold indoors and I end up having to wear a few layers of clothing in the house and shivering under the covers when I try to sleep LOL). So hopefully I can reach the helpline before I get "outta control" and do more crazy outta control guesswork. Anyway, thank you EVERY One and All for your help and ongoing support! Hugs to each of you... P.S. forgot to say that to me the membership dues for the American Rose Society is very reasonable, and wouldnt have hesitated for a second had I not been so broke from all the training with Eluane and house payments but in due time if I can just make the baby steps and get both trees to survive.

I was browsing the internet for reviews and/or comments about Wild Swan and this thread came up. So I'll ask here. I planted mine in the Spring of 2015 and still no blooms. The foliage seems healthy, hasn't wilted despite this past hot summer, but not as full as I see in photos posted here. There is even new growth coming from the center. However, no blooms. It is in semi shade until 2pm. and then gets full sun for several hours. Good soil with leaf mulch. I'm wondering if I should move it and try again somewhere else, but I'd hate to lose it altogether. I don't even think nurseries here are carrying it anymore, perhaps other gardeners did not have success with it here in NE Ohio.

PeeGee Hydrangeas can take full sun, even in the South. In fact, they NEED at LEAST 5 hours of full sun. I would suggest never using Miracle Gro on a shrub (or anything for that matter) that is planted in the ground. Use an organic fertilizer for perennials, trees and shrub beds. Never fertilize in extreme heat, when a plant is very dry or stressed in any manner. Chemical fertilizers, like Miracle Gro, will build up around your plants. The molecules are held together with salts that, when built up, will eventually burn your plants. These fertilizers also tend to make plants shoot leggy growth that is not cold tolerant, so never fertilize after August 1st. Use a fertilizer that is organic. I am not a purist about organic fertilizers - I use Miracle Gro in all of my containers (pots, flower boxes, etc.) that contain annuals. In fact, I use it every time I water them. Use a product like Bumper Crop, Pay Dirt, or composted manure.

The root system is not mature enough to support the blooms hence the browning and premature dropping. You might even consider cutting off the inflo so the cutting can send more energy into the root system which at this point is more important to the overall health of the plant. Jeff.