I've been a rose rustler myself(not in Texas)...have two cemetery roses, one of which came from an 1850's gravesite that was in the shade and had a single cane rose for 3 years running till it petered out. I think that one was Konigan von Danemark. Also been to Shoup's nursery and have a picture of my then 4 year old daughter in front of a yellow Lady Bank's rose that's outstanding. Antique Rose Emporium is everything it's said to be. Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Musings

Restoring the bed should begin with the soil. If you have access to horse manure, load up some garbage cans with it and lay 4 inches over the beds, keeping it pulled away from the roses a little. Water from melting snow and winter rains will wash the nutrients into the underlying soil. Next spring work it into the soil. Your roses should show some immediate results from this. Not knowing where in Western NY you are located, go the the site linked below to find a rose society that may be closer than Rochester. A contact e-mail and phone number is listed for each. If you'll e-mail me, I send you a list of New York Consulting Rosarians. One may be close to you and willing to give you instruction on pruning your roses next spring. 'Roses for Dummies' is a good easy to understand book. If neglected for many years, there's a good chance any roses left are hardy or they'd have died long ago. With proper pruning next spring, the roses should bush out and if you get flowers right away, it will indicate they've not reverted to root stock. Here is a link that might be useful: NY rose societies

The news will go out in the January Gold Coast HRG Quarterly, and I've forwarded it to the "Rose Letter" Editor. Anita, it might be worthwhile to try to get an article (with photos of course) in to the ARS Magazine, so more people can be made aware of the event. Jeri

Very lovely! Thanks for sharing! Maybe it's just me, and not that I mind, but I can't spot any roses. The flowering plants appear to be daylilies, hydrangeas, rose of sharon, chaste tree and plenty of annuals (geranium, mandevilla, new guinea impatiens, etc.). These are more typical landscape plants you see in the Hamptons for people who rarely do their own gardening, and are only in the house for certain weekends. -Chris