This is an awesome thread! Thanks for starting it Andrea (Andreark)! It just goes to show that we can bloom just about anywhere where we are planted. ;o) One of the things I love about living in semi-arid, semi-rural Spokane, Washington is that I don't have to contend with blackspot pressures, japanese beetles, and exorbitantly high water bills. I live on 3/4 of an acre and my water bill was $25 a month every month for 15 years. But *gasp* lol, it skyrocketed to $30 a month just this year. But there are always pluses and minuses in every situation. I can't grow the ethereal tea or china roses that Paparoseman can grow in Western Washington. And he has good advice "just grow what YOU want and don't worry about what anyone else thinks". The people all up and down my block are "lawn people." But I'm content with my rose addiction, lol. And I have seen and met many rosy folks here with the same mindset. They aren't "lawn people" either, and it is so fun to meet them and admire their gardens. Talking roses seems to bridge many gaps we otherwise might have with folks in our areas. Jaspermplants, I was born within walking distance of the ocean in southern Oregon (in Gold Beach, Oregon as a matter of fact). Oh how lush and green it was, and is, there! And sometimes I can almost hear the ocean calling my name. Do I miss it? Yes, sometimes, but I had to grow up with webbed feet. They don't call Oregonians "Ducks" for nothing! Rain, rain, rain and fog and wind! Walking to school was often turned into a run! Yep, there's that pluses and minuses factor, again. ;-) I also lived in Arizona for a while (in Mesa, just outside of Phoenix) so I completly understand your longing for green. But on the plus side you have those roadrunners (beep, beep). And in the evening when those desert colors are cast up into the sky it's truly awesome!!! And, Jaspermplants, I sooo agree with you about California. I LOVED spending some time growing up just outside of HOLLYWOOD. It's no wonder that one of my VERY favorite roses is CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'. It's a beautiful rose, and I have it planted 'neath my bedroom window. And as I drift off to sleep at night you can imagine what I'm oft' dreamin' of. But I think I might have to be a multimillionaire to live there (which reminds me, has anyone heard from our BELOVED Cliff Orent?) And of course it truly is in the "wild, wild west", but not the type of "wild, wild west I prefer. And in my youth those days spent there were in an Entirely different era. The BELOVED retro-era as it were. :-) Jim1961, thanks for letting us know how our Karl is doing. Yes, yes, yes God Bless good ol' Karl!!! And hugs to you, your wife and kitties. And if there are oodles of typos in my typing this, as I imagine there are, pleases excuse them. My kitties have been...er...um...helping me as I type at the computer. And I spent entirely too late of an evening and early morning on another addiction of mine...a wonderful cat forum. Peace, my friend. :-) And to everyone else, may God bless us all, each and EVERY SINGLE ONE!!! Peace out... :-) This post was edited by dove_song on Fri, Sep 20, 13 at 19:15

I just went through this list the other day (difficult in the format it was in) and I have a question. The revision says 2004 - are there not more names that should be added? If so, does anyone know what they would be?

In order from left to right Soumbreuil, heavenly ascent, delta gamma heritage, Big Ben climbing rose, Gruaud Larose, Rosenfazination, Courage, Kosmos, The Pride, Anastasia, Meine rose, Sonnenwelt, Cream veranda, Adam, Tranquility (a gift from my friend Jen “lilyfinch” 😄 Guislaine de Feligonde, Marianne, Belinda’s blush, Belinda’s dream, Bliss, Being me sunshine, Coquette des Blanches, Easy Spirit, Cloud 10, Golden Opportunity, Snow Pavement, Franziska Kruger, Mel’s Heritage. Sorry I hope I got them all correct and the typos aren’t to terrible.

The Great Awakening is hitting my far north-eastern corner of Spain, although way behind some of you guys in the warmer states. A selection of blooms over the last week.. Spotlight, a new selection from Kordes, light fragrance: Flamenco Rosita: The Poet’s Wife, a new (to me) Austin, fragrance matches the colour, a zingy lemon: Boscobel: Munstead Wood has skipped the early blackberry phase and gone straight to fuchsia: Cramoisi Superieur blooms fully open to reveal the stamens, but I do like this stage: