Roses move pretty much like any other perennial, just fine. So it shouldn't be any problem for you. It depends on how long you think you're going to have them out of the bed for revamping whether you want to pot them or plant them. If you feel it will only be a short time and before the high heat of summer sets in then you can go ahead and pot them up short term. If it's going to take a good part of the summer then I'd plant them in the holding bed until next spring. I've grown roses in pots as permanent places and I've moved roses in July when it was very hot and they've survived fine but those aren't the best of conditions. Prepare the new holes before you dig them out. If the rose is very large or very tall you can prune it back some before moving it so it will be easier to handle. Try to dig as much root ball as you can and disturb it as little as possible. You can put it in a wheel barrow or on a tarp to drag it if it's very large and heavy. Get it planted into it's new place quickly and keep it well watered but not soggy and don't fertilize it for the first week or so until you begin to see new growth. Then you can go to a regular feeding and watering schedule. When you replant them into the finished bed you do the same thing. If you decide to pot them get big pots, make sure there are lots of drainage holes in them and take off any trays that are on the bottom of the pots. Only use good quality potting soil, not garden soil, in the pots. Regular dirt is too heavy and will not drain properly in a pot. Which means you'll have to pretty much bare root the roses. Do this by digging out the root ball and then very gently rinsing them with a hose until most of the soil is gone and then potting them up. Then do the same thing as with the ground planted ones, keep watered and wait to see new growth before fertilizing. If you are going to use anykind of herbicide on those weeds and grasses I'd plant them and wait until next year to put them back so that the herbicide is completely gone from that new bed. Herbicides do nasty things to roses. Good luck and I look forward to seeing pictures of your new beds and beautiful roses!

I'd insert my shovel to the hilt in a circle all the way around it about the same size as the pot you'll be moving it in. Then I'd prune it back about 1/3 and water it well. Then pick it up with a shovel and get as much of the roots as possible and put it in the pot. Have the hole dug in your sister's place, drive it over and stick it in the hole. Water every day and you should be good. I've never lost one doing it this way.

redhairing... I understand how daunting pruning an overgrown fig tree can be. But, you are in luck. There have been a number of recent threads that cover this very topic. Search this forum, and you will see plenty of photos of hard-pruned fig trees. Also, You-Tube has some pruning videos. You will need a good, tree-pruning saw to establish the basic structure of the tree. I would not be too worried about "murdering" this fig tree, as they do with crepe myrtles. But you will have to decide where to make those initial pruning cuts to prevent this. You already know the basics of pruning. If you can, post some photos of the tree, and maybe forum members will suggest places for the pruning cuts. You have plenty of time. Major pruning should be done in the Spring, before tree breaks dormancy. You will also want to do this, gradually, over a number of years. Even if you screw up...and I am sure you will not...the tree will put out so much new wood that you will never know within a few seasons. Figs are one of the few trees that can be drastically pruned back, with few worries. It's done all the time to control rampant growth. Good luck. Frank

Thanks for the info. I also posted in the shrubs forum, and got lots of similar useful advice. The 'sharons are doing well despite our not getting any rain in the past 14 days. I've been watering them every other day and have them wrapped with burlap to minimize any sunburn. vince