NickJoseph I definitely am finding that this is a slow late spring, and that rose growth is several weeks behind where it normally would be at this point. As long as your roses have some new growth on them they're fine and they'll catch up to the point you almost wouldn't notice the difference by mid-summer. With the bitter cold, even winter protection like you describe didn't stop the canes from needing to be trimmed almost to the ground, but as long as there's growth they'll rebound. As for when to decide a rose isn't going to come back, in Milwaukee it's waaaay too soon to put a death knell on roses. I'm a full zone warmer than you and I am still finding daily more roses that are JUST starting to sprout from the bases that looked totally dead. Even if all you see is bare woody cane, watch for new growth to sprout up around the base. Just watch that it's not the rootstock sprouting from under the grafted knob, if they're grafted roses. I don't give up on roses in my zone until around the 4th of July - seriously, I have some chronically late risers in my yard that don't put out new growth till other roses are almost ready to bloom. If they're not taking up valuable space in the yard, sit on your shovel for a while and concentrate on something else in the yard for at least a while. Of all the things we cultivate in our yards, patience is the most necessary and among the hardest to grow (smile). Cynthia

This is the time to work on your soil. Add compost, manure and good mulch. Keep the roots in good shape. Roses always do better with rain than hose water. You should see what the drought is doing to my roses in CA. The year it rained and rained was my best year ever. But roses want sun and warmth too. If you have been using chemical fertilizers instead of natural ones then you might want to give your soil some TLC while the roses take a break.

My sympathies for this heartbreaking turn, Nik, and I am glad you are seeking another love. Sissy was beautiful, as is Lara -- I think gold-colored dogs are especially beautiful. Funny about the "wrong color". My late uncle, Bob Zimmerman, among the last of the true cowboys, was renowned for his line of "yellow" McNabs. McNabs are a local (originating at the McNab Ranch) lineage of Scotch collies that are usually black and white, but he got a gold-colored one in one batch of pups ("Gyp"), who went on to father offspring where the occasional pup was that color, too (recessive mutation, I suppose). Gyp was an exceptionally good herder, who won sheepdog trials at the county fair, as were many of his yellow offspring, so rather than being shunned, the yellow pups were highly desired by local ranchers. They seemed to consider them a sure bet for a good dog, as well as being of that relatively rare and novel color that lent prestige. But, as Camps points out, not so practical, considering that most of lower-elevation California is the same color as these dogs in the summer and fall -- Gyp, son Teddy, and grandson Rowdy (the ones I knew best) were hardly visible at a distance, at all, on the range.

sephia Know this is old news but you can be sure NIH is still using animals for testing and find it inhumane in any day and age. If you no longer care to participate, perhaps someone else still worries as do I. Thanks for your comment.