Hi PrincessKaitlyn, My guess is that those brown marks could be cold damage, considering you live in N.S.W. and we had such a cold winter this year. Yours have fared much better than mine - I also live in N.S.W., north of Lismore (near Nimbin). The new inner leaves are unmarked, suggesting they are now growing healthily in the warmer weather. See how those marks are all at a particular growth area, around the plant, now growing out? Probably happened in mid to late July when the temperature reached record-breaking lows. You seem to be doing everything right - I don't think you are killing them! Sun 'til 11am sounds ideal - and your Neo. kautskyi could take even more, and will turn more golden yellow, with the red patterns becoming more prominent. Neo. Gee Whiz also colours best in good strong light. However, if you don't want to be a slave to your broms, then watering 3 times per week is probably unnecessary. Watering once (or twice in hot, dry weather) per week should be adequate. Hope this helps. Cheers, Kerry

Hi Esther, I can't think of any bicolored varieties that are anywhere near as Blackspot free as the ones I have noted. However, there is a possibility that 'Magic Carousel' might do well in your region. The climate conditions that affect severity of Blackspot infection is different in NY then it is in coastal OR, so 'Magic Carousel' might be great in your area. Here, it does lose some foliage from disease, but many growers report that it is one of their best selections, so it might be worth trying. As I mentioned earlier, the grocery store mini roses were bred for greenhouse cultivation, not the open garden. It is highly unlikely there is anything you can do, cultivation-techniques wise, that will improve their resistance to Blackspot. If you have found that sprays won't control the disease, then you would be best to relegate these plants to a windowsill where they won't get their leaves wet, ever or just chalk it up to a learning experience and toss them out.

Oh, how I LOVE this thread! I can finally say "I HATE housework"! I always felt that my husband compared me to his sister, who is a COMPULSIVE housekeeper. Okay, I read somewhere that people like that are motivated to take constant care of the house to make up for some other shortcoming. I don't know how true that is, but it makes me feel better. My husband has passed and his sister is now in an assisted living home, due to Alzheimer's. She is a really good person and I wish the best for her, but it was sure difficult to keep up with her example, no matter what her reason. My husband and myself didn't get along all that well, so I don't consider myself "the grieving widow". I do feel much more relaxed now, even though I can't afford to hire all the help I would like. I have someone who cuts the grass every two weeks, but that's it. If it snows, my daughter's boyfriend plows my driveway, as it is over 200' long. I'm very thankful for that. I have to say, my husband ALWAYS worked and took care of the yard, the cars, and any necessary repairs, while I did the housework, the bills, and managed his business (he was in the fence installation business)--he just wasn't very good at any of that. I live in a big, old house and it is loaded with our "stuff". My daughter and her autistic son live with me in an apartment over the garage (she is divorced for quite a while now) and we can't even think of moving because of all the stuff we have accumulated. I think a housekeeper would just give up, it's THAT BAD! I'm 68 years old, so it's difficult for me to tackle this mess, but I keep on working on it. We plan on having a HUGE garage sale in the spring and I hope we get rid of a lot of things--the problem is, I'm a real collector and I don't feel like parting with a lot--I'm glad my daughter appreciates my things, as they are (or at least, have become) very expensive. Many things are definitely not garage sale items. I also own a house about 8 miles from here that gives me a rental income. But living on Long Island, NY, that means a lot more property taxes to pay so I don't wind up with too much extra. So I still can't afford a housekeeper! I guess you could say I'm "property poor". And I know someone mentioned that someone stole from them, but I have so much stuff, I don't think I would even realize if something was missing! Having too much "stuff" is a drawback for several reasons!

I have antique ironstone, antique hutches and English/Irish pine tables found at fleamarkets and antique stores, as well as many CL finds that I've refinished/reupholstered. They're all mixed in with newer PB and RH pieces and Hubbardton Forge lighting that may be considered trendy but aren't to me because they suit my style. DD's changing table was an early American drysink that I loved but unfortunately no longer have a home for, so it was given to a family member to use in her new baby's nursery. An antique dresser that DH modified with a copper vessel sink is now a vanity in my powder room. My favorite piece of furniture is DD's antique iron bed from the 1800's, which is exactly what I would have loved to have had as a child. My second fav piece is my RH reclaimed pine dining table. I'll probably keep most of the items in my home as long as they last. Not making any effort to be unique - I try to buy only what I love. Rarely does anything leave my house after it comes in! My sister is the opposite - she gets bored with her furniture after a few years so she isn't as inclined to spend the effort refinishing furniture or spending extra on quality hardware. She has a beautiful home!