I realized that I didn't really answer the original question of the thread. I'm zone 9-10, SW 18. hot and dry summers, mild winters! Apologies as this is NOT the OGR forum and some of my faves are OGRs or old HTs. :) :) :) Ones I really liked this year: Lavender Lassie - I saw a charming specimin of this at Descanso Gardens that I feel in love with. It was absolutely wonderful. I bought a 2 gallon from ARE and planted at the end of 2010. She's put up at least two 5' or so canes with such beautiful clusters of blooms at the end. She seems really strong and vigorous. I can't wait to see what she does next year. La France Cl. - Just gets more beautiful and beautiful. It has some little bit of something that makes it more romantic than a typical hybrid tea to me. Mme Berard - So beautiful. Growing fast and blooming frequently. Tipsy Imperial Concubine Just a baby but keeps blooming! The blooms are such a lovely mix of colors. Sombrieul now in it's 2nd year it's really starting to throw up huge canes,... like 6 feet. I'm in love with it. It's blooms are so beautiful. They have it growing up a huge arbor at Descanso, it's to die for. So many petals... ! Duftendes Weisskirchen Planted 8/10 as a band... it's just a charming little thing. It's blooms are such a vibrant purplish hot pink. It wants to bloom all the time and just is very happy. Eden Cl. and James Galway cl both put on a LOT of growth and bloom this year (they were planted early '10) The Faun (Bossa Nova) this blooms more than anything in my yard and I love the fully double old-style blooms on it. I love the low shape of the bush. Great for a border plant so far. Archduke Charles I love you, Archduke! The blooms change color and even though it's perported to be a slow grower, I'm still getting some growth on mine. Such a charming thing. Madame Joseph Bonnaire the most beautiful creature. Threw out a couple big canes and a big root down through the pot and into the ground. A vigorous thing! Bounced back after I repotted it and I can't wait to see what it does next year after I get it in the ground. The blooms are GORGEOUS. Madame Alfred Carriere Despite being in partial shade, throwing up huge canes... can't wait to see what it does next year. Delicate beautiful flowers,... such strong growth! Dissappointments: Tiffany - an own-root since late '09... still super tiny and rather upset. Might replace it with a grafted one. William Shakespeare 2000 1 of 2 died and the 2nd one hasn't grown (both put in the ground early '10). I'll see what it does next year. Yves Paiget Had to pot because the bed wasn't ready and it outright died, almost immediately after getting it. :\

Oh, Ingrid, I discovered that I told you the wrong Buck rose. Earth Song was very nice, but the one I was so impressed with was Hawkeye Belle. She has huge flowers. I don't remember fragrance. My new roses are Mister Lincoln on Fort, a beautiful, fragrance red NOID on Fort, Iridecent Pink, Curly Pinky, Rugosa Alba, Lady of Megginch, Tradescant, Darcey Bussell, Jude the Obscure, Rhodologue Jules Gravereaux, Colette, The Charletan, Stephen's Big Purple, Vanity & Fourth of July. Plus Bonica, Green Ice & Cracker Pink (a tiny found China) will go in pots. Belinda's Dream is coming, too. Yes, several have left or are leaving the garden. Our Festival of Roses earlier this month changed my perspective on roses. I learned there are beautiful roses other than OGRs that are healthy here, so I'm giving them a shot. Some roses after 3 years just were not appealing to me, so they're gone. Anything that was struggling and some that I had multiples of are leaving. There are Buck roses I'd like to try but unless they will grow in pots on the driveway they won't fit. Sherry Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

Toolbelt, what a neat idea. I may find a quiet corner somewhere and do just that. I do need to put in some trees for shade in the pastures...and this is not much more work at all to do. Hmmmm. Thanks! Thegarden, thanks for the welcome back. It's been a while, and I'm glad to be here for sure. I just am so excited about what I can see for this place...indeed a bit of heaven. I absolutely have photos, and will be taking more as things progress.first priority is the shop conversion into a barn for my horses...indeed want them home ASAP. But that is about half done, and spring is looming...so I've been dreaming about getting the front yard done. And the veggie garden too. Diane, it got pretty bad in Los Angeles for me. I acquired a dangerous stalker on top of everything else, and it was always the plan to come to Oregon eventually...and the housing market did very well by me...so here I am. Btw...please forgive the occasional typo and strange wording...I'm on my phone and its both difficult to type on as well as autocorrect believes it knows the words I'm using. Sigh. It's going to be my little bit of heaven...My nieces and nephew are nearby and its been just wonderful to be close to family and be part of their lives. Nephews basketball team just won their division championship and I was there. Oldest niece is taking riding lessons with my new trainer, and my littlest niece loves to come to the farm and go wandering...attended by the dogs. Brother, nephew and I are doing the renovations ourselves...and Sister in law loves the peace and quiet when I have her family here. Lol. In re New Dawn, yes I'm aware she might take the fence down. She'll be in a place where that is acceptable if it happens...but I'm hoping I will be able to keep on top of it/her to prevent that. And that's the reason she's not at the corner of the house or garage or barn...lol. Have a great day! Best Herding Cats

Well, I advanced two purchases and just picked up a Pinata and Calico Gal from High Country Roses. I picked them both with a bud each so I could see a flower this year. Pinata was the only rose I found that in several descriptions people said it "preferred" shade, not "tolerated" shade. So we shall see.... It isn't the color/size I would have chosen if I had all the colors to choose from in the world but shade performance had to take priority. Calico Gal captivated me one time and I keep eye balling it. Since the stock is so reduced in the fall there wasn't alot to distract me so I decided to just get it and stop wishing for it. It was about 100 degrees here today. But it was hot at the green houses also so I think we'll just pop them in the ground with out hardening them off. I feel like they are likely already hardened. I talked to Matt about Zephirine Drouhin , which he loves, but he said it was like an accordion in Colorado. Some years it was up on his roof and some years, after a bad winter, it had alot of die back. So I'm giving up on it. So my new 2020 wish list is: Love Song maybe Gentle Persuasian (my light colors - Sally Holmes and Golden wings are Japanese Beetle magnets so I really have to think about adding more light roses, Iceberg is not though. Very odd.) maybe Westerland - I have to see the blooms in person first. Tangerine Skies. Looks so beautiful. Would love to see the blooms first. I suspect in the spring I'm going to be back to wanting really hardy roses and trying to not be swayed by gorgeous greenhouse blooms.