I am so used to rose scratches on my arms and legs, I don't even notice them any more. Most of the roses bloom in sprays and I wait and then deadhead the entire cluster when its done. What I actually do is cut back strongly. Not as much as first thing in the spring, but alot. Then I get a second strong rose flush in August. After the August flush I don't cut back, just cut spent blooms and I have roses blooming on and off until it gets very cold and freezes. I have had roses blooming in December if the weather was mild. When the spring flush is in full bloom there in the front yard, I do get lots and lots of lookers. I also get cars stoping as they are driving by.

I Did Injoy, very much.That Janet Benz is gorgeous.I love your garden shot. So pretty.I know you was sad to see How Sweet it is,not looking like what you expected, but, give it some time,It will improve.I have some ruffled ones too, didn't look like they suppose to, but each bloom they have improved a little at a time.We had some cold nights here and cool days,and they didn't open very well at all. Jean

Very nice gardenbed with the daylilies and other flowers. My favorite of the batch here is OUTRAGEOUS because of the wonderful hot color. SWEET SUGAR CANDY has been in my garden for afew years. Its about ML, not particularly late and is blooming now here. Just started.

I sure wish I could send some of our rain your way! We got another inch a couple of days ago, that little amount put standing water in our back yard, we are so saturated. We got a dry day yesterday, but rain is expected again today & tomorrow, with possibilities the rest of the week. How come when you need rain, 20% chance of rain means forget about it. But when you have way too much, you can count on a downpour? Hope rain moves your way soon. Your dove still has his eye on you. Or maybe he just wants you to get his best profile. I always love seeing your garden shots, you have such nice combos. I have a similar looking yarrow, but mine never looks as tidy as yours. I really don't mind the way mine kind of winds through plants, but I really like the way yours look. I have salvias too, flop all over everything. I have to cut them back to get them off other plants. Yours all seem to sit right in place! Wispy Rays looks really nice there, so does Wild One. America the Beautiful is huge! Love the purple of Eye of the Hurricane. Your chipmunk is looking very happy. I have had chipmunks here, but the 2 kittens I got a couple of years ago have turned into killers. I've always heard kittens need their mother to teach them to hunt. Don't believe it! These were very young kittens, 4 or 5 weeks old, they taught themselves quickly. Mostly they get the small field mice, but occasionally they get something bigger.