Hope you don't mind the updates. 4 cats so far. One took immediately to the swamp milkweed and is now twice the size of the others. One was hanging out on the moist towel, one was on the side of the container, and one was just hanging out on a leaf, not eating. But everyone is crawling just fine. Assume everything is going well, unless you hear otherwise. Oh, I'm sorry you have trouble with your trumpet vine. They can be very destructive. I saw one yesterday at a patient's home that was incredible! It was growing on the support framework for a windmill, so it was at least 30 get tall. And the thing must have been around for years, because it had a 6 inch woody trunk at the bottom. It was really gorgeous, with thousands of blooms and rich, green foliage, and buzzing with bees and other pollinators. I took pictures with my phone, but the sun was in a bad place and you can't really tell what the pictures are showing. Good luck getting rid of yours. Martha

Gorgeous blooms, Chris! We still haven't had real summer weather in Upstate NY either. I don't mind (I'm not a heat lover), but I'm glad I'm not trying to grow tomatoes or peppers this year! We're having the coolest summer since something like 1918 up here. On the plus side, the things that do bloom are lasting much longer than they would if it were hot. And I think it's giving my transplanted daylilies a better chance to settle in with less stress. Laurel

Sharlene, Aww thanks! I've missed you too and your beautiful roses and yard (and big Mo!) Dan, thanks that was during the first flush last June, hoping for a repeat June 2016! Hans, I can totally relate! I even tell myself 'no more' and then I see another that begs to be in my garden. Cadiarose, sorry you had to get rid of your Angel Face :( I start out strong but always end up with the dreaded blackspot at some point in the summer too. Seil! Yay! Can't wait to hear about your rose show adventures this year and see your beauties. Emrogers, The Fairy in a vintage wheelbarrow sounds delightful! I can't wait to see pictures! I painted ours a soft candy pink last summer :) It was getting rusty and I figured why not?!? You know, I think I got lucky with my Angel Face, as I've seen some not so pretty ones at the nurseries. Anne, nice to meet another Michigan gardener! And Northern Michigan to boot, how wonderful! I've ordered twice from Palatine and get the Nov. delivery but haven't had great luck, I think this year I will order from them and get the delayed until spring delivery, this sounds like the perfect time! What did you get? Carrie, wow, another Michigan gardener! How fun! Good luck with your roses! It is such a rewarding hobby! Molie, thank you for the compliment on Angel Face! Believe it or not this one was a "body bag" or early season bareroot that was from a big box store (can't remember which, possibly Menards/Lowes/Home Depot. I have been very lucky with this one! I have seen Angel Face out this season at Menards (just this week!) so maybe you can pick one up there, and you can't beat the price, they are usually under $10 and sometimes on sale for $3 at Menards! Worth a shot, if I were you I'd get a couple and pot them up to see how they bloom to make sure they are actually Angel Face (since body bags are notorious for being mislabeled) before you plant it in the ground. Sorry about losing your Tiffany! I lost mine to a cold winter and not planting deep enough for our cold zone, it was the first big rose bush I had purchased at a nursery and I was so sad when she didn't come back the next year so I am excited to try her again. Love the soft pink and yellow color combo! Carol, thanks so much! Yeah can't really take too much credit, just got lucky with an Angel Face body bag on that one! On a happy note it looks like my Paradise Found made it through it's first winter in the ground! I always think of you and your positive praise of PF when I look at mine! I love those big gorgeous blooms!

Thanks so much, everyone! Prettypetals you are totally right with the garden always needing pruning and weeding! Grr is right ;) Sharlene, thanks Royal America is a surprise for me this year, the blooms and so old fashioned and enchanting. And Gene Boerner is really being a show off! I adore that shade of bubblegum pink! Thanks thorngrower, love your username btw! Thank you Sara-Ann, I love seeing all of your beautiful rose photos too :) Thanks, Beth! No way I have a rose you don't lol! Irisgal, thanks for your sweet words! Montezuma is a showstopper for me! Also thanks for your help on the iris board ;) Rosecanadian, thank you! I love sharing with my gardenweb friends because you guys really appreciate the love it takes growing roses. Towandaaz, thanks glad you enjoyed!! Jasmine, thanks I am really have fun with the close ups I can take with the phone camera, I can just get lost in the details. Hareball, I think I am just lucky with naturally good soil, I do use Miracle Gro sometimes too. I would like to experiment with fertilizers but just get so busy that they are lucky if the get a dose or two of MG throughout the season.