That little office is bigger than it looks. Paul and I are going to try to set up in there together and see how it goes. The cats WILL NOT be there, too close to the street. We are setting up more space at the back of the property for them. They won't be greeting anyone in the parking lot. I should be able to let them hang out with me in the office as long as they don't go out. I honestly don't think I could get anything done without them anymore! The best news for me is this property is within walking distance from my house! How cool is that? Trish

Thank you both very much for the compliment. Lilyfinch I don't remember when I planted most of my roses. I have 23 antique roses and some knockouts, but the oldest I have is Mrs BR Cant which I planted 8 years ago in the spring, I can't remember if Lamarque and Climbing Pinkie were planted the same year or the next. Once I planted my first 2-3 roses I was addicted and bought usually 3-4 roses every year, I haven't planted any new ones in the past 3 years as I just don't have the time to spend in my garden like I did. I have found my climate here (can't speak for anywhere else as this is the only place I have ever gardened before, but Noisettes (which originated here in Charleston), regular tea roses, China roses and hybrid musk roses tend to thrive quite well and can get quite large fairly quickly for some. Peggy Martin (I did a post on the antique rose forum about this fantastic rose) is a found rose so I don't know what background she has but she seriously thrives on neglect and I do very very little to her. She is believe it or not the youngest rose I have! I have a lot of heavy clay soil so working with it is back breaking and slow which is why I haven't added anymore roses as of recently. I have some roses that grow quicker than others and in my garden here are some of my slow growers; Madame Alfred Carrier is one that is always touch and go, Mrs Dudley Cross, Maggie (I threaten to dig her up every year but she is looking for promising this year so we shall see), Cornelia (another touch and go rose that I have threatened to shovel prune but keep giving her a chance and she too looks better this spring)...While Lamarque, The Charlestonian, Peggy Martin, Belinda (not to be confused with Belinda's Dream), Duchesse de Brabant are among the fastest growing then there's Mrs BR Cant who hardly did a thing the first three years and then took off into one monster of a rose. The rest seem to grow at a fairly normal rate. I had to laugh a bit at your saying hoping to stay long enough, I have wanted to move to a bigger home for awhile but my garden keeps me from doing so, I just can't leave her and anytime I tell someone we were thinking of moving they would gasp and say you can't leave your garden what about all the hard work you have done. My daughter laughes at me because in the winter I'm all about moving, that is till spring comes and I'm like I can never leave. Haha I think she right! But I would say in general it will take about 4 years to have them really start filling out again though it just all depends really in end on a particular rose. ;) So I didn't intend for this to be so long lol, but I hope that helps you some. What roses did you plant if you don't mind my asking? I would love to know! All the best of luck and happy gardening to you!~Meghan

I was tracking down Enchantress, and discovered her more common name is Gartentraume, and she is a garden dream. Sort of like a light pink Augusta Luise. I must have that rose, along with Comtessa, which is like a pale yellow AL. I can just see three of these exquisite roses growing together, AL, Gartentraume, and Comtessa. Aye yi yi. So those three, along with Aquarell are my must haves--along with lots of others, of course. Sorry for this digression, but I'm in the throes of rose lust. Nothing is really getting me excited this spring, except for roses I can't have (yet), and each year in the past, there has been at least one "must have" rose-- or more. But not this year because they are out of reach. Sigh. Diane

Hello Lin Most of what I have read says to wait about 1-2 months before planting another rose in that spot. That info is corroborated by roserosette.org (which has USDA and other backing) here: https://roserosette.org/control/ I share your RRD woes and experience. I had a rose Mohana, that I didn’t care so much about, contract RRD. I pruned the infected cane down to the base. Not only did the RRD re-surface on Mohana, but it also infected one of my prized big climbers next to it, Lavender Crush. A hard lesson learned, but now whenever I see the 1st sight of RRD, I remove the entire plant. Many locals ask me about rose advice , RRD and otherwise, and I unfailing advise them to remove the entire plant ASAP. It’s advice that no one wants to hear and few will follow, unfortunately. I’ve not seen any RRD so far this season in my garden...fingers crossed.