A rose I've often seen sold on a wooden trellis at Home Depot is New Dawn, and I think I've also seen a Lady Banks Rose on a trellis there. Did she tell you what color the blooms are or how often it blooms? Yes, you can plant it, just make sure to water it really well. Maybe you could go to a bookstore or Home Depot and buy a book on rose care. Ortho makes a nice one. Here is a link to a site that can help you identify roses. If you can post a picture maybe someone can identify it for you; if not, try this link to help you figure out what it might be. New Dawn has thorns and pale pink blooms. It blooms several times during the summer, usually. Lady Banks is a once bloomer and doesn't have thorns. That's not to say your rose is either one of these; it's just a guess based on what I've seen at Home Depot before. Here is a link that might be useful: help me find

As I'm sure you know, the bulbs are already primed to bloom. I would pot them up, let them do their thing, and then begin treating them normally, allowing them to rest and grow as they see fit. They will resume a natural schedule as they get used to the seasons and changing light. That's how I grow mine, anyway... I treat them like I would a regular houseplant, and with proper care, they bloom every spring.

Gardengal, didn't realize we were discussing transitioning a plant from greenhouse to garden. Delia didn't mention how the shrub was treated for the 2 weeks in her care prior to planting, nor whether steps were taken to acclimate it to open garden conditions. Completely agree on the importance of hardening off for the health & success of the plant! (See Jujujojo's thread "Two pots of hydrangea ready for spring" for one method.) Figured that horse was already out of the barn, since cold damage prompted the post. Even if the hydrangea had been adequately conditioned, the response to frost would have likely been the same, as it was unprotected. This often happens with even well-established plants in natural growth nipped by Spring frost & freeze if left to fend for themselves. An experienced gardener would have dodged this bullet. Counting the boards in the fence behind the hydrangea, I'm guessing the plant is already 2-3 years old by its size. Also guessing it was grown potted outdoors for the first year or two & brought into a greenhouse midwinter to force growth & bloom for sales ahead of this season. My guesstimate presumes there was no root damage from the cold, nor damage to the older wooded canes, and the plant has the resources to fully recover & put out new growth, given good soil preparation, good siting & good care. Cold, like water, flows downhill. Given the slight slope where it's planted & the barrier of the solid fence behind & to the side, the cold probably pooled & settled there, doing more damage than if it had flowed by unrestricted. For future reference, you may want to reserve that location for perennials that leaf out after last frost is past, those known to shrug off temperature swings, or evergreens hardy a zone or two colder than yours in that frost pocket. Because of the downward slope, it's also natural for moisture to drain and accumulate there, so it will likely stay damper than higher ground as well. Having gardened in two different zones within both VA & NJ, find them very similar in climate. Both states mainly range from 6a-7b, a 20 degree typical low variance in 5 degree increments, with a relatively small area in eastern Virginia along the NC border 8a. So each warms up later, cools off earlier, and stays colder longer. Like most gardens, there are microclimates within this one that vary as much as 10 degrees high & low on any given day. That's where cold & heat hardiness come into play, along with wind & sun exposure. Though the cold never fell below 0 this Winter, the unusual extended freezes were tough on the garden. Even though I hedge my bets by using only plants rated 2 zones colder than mine, a few of the broadleafed evergreens freeze-burned. Heard the same from many on these forums even in the deep South, so many of us are reevaluatng our concepts of cold hardiness in practical terms. Agree hydrangeas should be protected, especially in their early years. Since Delia's variety is currently unknown, good idea to plan to do so. Interesting that many of the newer hydrangea introductions seem to have originated as florist's cut flowers & pot plants. Suspect we're all providing practical info by growing them in our gardens. The link is to one example of this. Only note one cited for blooming from both old and new wood, a characteristic which seems to have fired up a hydrangea revival of sorts. Although most hydrangeas sold as gift plants are not tagged by name, guessing that many growers who buy them at the plug stage & grow them on for market know what they're ordering. Delia, how exciting to have a new home & garden! Sure you've been busy as any new homeowner with so much to do & learn. Like all of us, you add to your knowledge by picking the brains of those further on down the track, sifting through their reports, and adapting the info to yourself & your garden. We all learn by doing, often by investigating what went wrong & trying another tack. If you decide to transplant your hydrangea to another location, or have any other questions, come back & ask for advice, and keep us updated on your & your plant's progress. I'm sure you'll reward your mother's thoughtfulness of this beautiful housewarming gift with TLC so it may become a sentimental first in your garden. Spring is calling - grow on! Here is a link that might be useful: Gift-to-Garden

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