Just to be safe, I would propagate several each by rooting cuttings as soon as they are ripe enough--I am not an expert on propagation but many on here are. If you are not equipped to provide greenhouse conditions for the rootlings, I would enlist the aide of a sympathetic nurseryman, who might be able to provide some suggestions as to how to see that the rooted cuttings can get to reliable growers who will make a concerted effort to grow them on. If you have a property that new rose plantlings would be safe on, definitely you should also plant up some of them yourself. They would probably initially be safer in pots, if you can water them regularly--or surrounded by fencing to protect from rabbits. You may find that you have own-root plants that are no longer in production, and not even covered by patent. The families of those buried near the roses may be able to give you more information about them, if they can be located. It would probably do no harm to remove dead branches that are visible at the surface of the plant, among the live greenery, as long as you do not break off any of the newly emerging sprouts or cut into live wood. There are sealants that can be applied to cuts into live wood, but this is difficult to do when the plant is already in leaf. Additionally, some say that such cuts should be at a slant, and at a certain distance from the leaf axils, in order to maximize growth and also minimize the ability of rain droplets to sit on the cut ends. If and when you do cut into live wood--to obtain a cutting, for example--make certain to sterilize your pruning implement/s well with alcohol or, even better, chlorine, in order to avoid transmitting any plant viruses to the elderly shrubs. When the plant is dormant again, you can look more closely at the nature and placement of the other dead branches. Since the roses are so old, I personally would recommend a gradual thinning out of the truly dead branches, starting with those that are obviously diseased or affected by fungus. Those are the ones that will present the most risk to the plant. The dead, thorny branches of older roses can sometimes be of help to the plant, in that they give the newer growth a support, producing a fountain-like shape. To remove all of that support at once on a truly aged plant could possibly put a strain on the elderly branches that are still producing new foliage each season. Lighter pruning will gradually open up the plant enough to encourage new sprouting from the base, which hopefully will be own root and the same rose that you are trying to preserve. In an area with rabbits and possibly even deer, the old branches can also act as a sort of barbed-wire-like barrier to protect the new spring shoots, which most browsing animals find delectable--another reason to go slowly on the pruning, especially in an unprotected environment. An additional consideration is the shade cast on the ground by the plants, if they never receive watering; if you diminish the size of the plants drastically, it could change their drought tolerance, especially if the elderly root system has to simultaneously provide for more tender new growth than usual. I would approach the person in charge of the cemetary, if there still is one, to discover their preferences in the matter as well. You may find that if you diminish the size of the shrubs too drastically, they might be eliminated entirely, by people who have tired of mowing around them but never bothered to remove a shrub when it presented a daunting task. :o( I am certain that others much more knowledgeable than me will be along to give you additional guidance.

Strawberry, You're absolutely right, I'm very lucky to have my husband. The garden as it is would be impossible without him. Why is the stable spooky? I was out later defying our heat wave and pulling weeds, though always staying in the shade. I have decided to regard bindweed, Bermuda grass, wild mint, nettles, and other villains I don't know the names of, as useful mulch, mine to be had merely for the work of pulling them. I have this dream that eventually the trees and shrubs will get big enough to begin discouraging them through their shade and root competition. Summer here can be defined as the season when the only things growing are the weeds. It's very dry, but the roses at least mostly look cheerful. Catsrose, I was thinking of photos, we'll see if I get around to it. DH still needs to cut up most of the locust, including the main trunk which is under the pergola, and we have to put in the steps under the pergola, which is on a steep slope. DH currently is recovering from two cracked ribs and a haemotoma, so he may have to wait a bit before firing up the chain saw.

Thanks for the validation, Andrew. My family just rolls their eyes when I get going on this subject. I'm at the point where I'm thinking I might start selling the worms and/or compost, but want to check the forums and such to see if there are any laws or regs I need to be aware of. There are a lot of farmer's markets, nurseries, and eco-aware organizations around my area, so I thought I'd start looking around. I get all googly eyed at the idea of vermicomposting all the scraps from all of the cafes and restaurants along my walk (there are at least 15, at last count). In my area, the city will take your kitchen scraps from private homes, but not from apartment buildings or businesses. And thanks for the heads up on the bins - I was at the hardware store today looking at the different ones, but couldn't decide. However, I did get two ten-gallon buckets to transport the scraps from the cafe.

Granjan sent me the newspaper section that inspired her swap items for me, and I read through it with great interest. Some of these places have tea tastings in little mini cups, there's a photo of one guy who's just had a sip, and he has his eyes closed, assessing the differing qualities of the tea! Too cute! I'm nowhere near that fanatical about tea, but I can tell you we're certainly making good work of the stash from Granjan! Lovely idea and theme. Thanks again, Granjan! Catherine