Deeper watering will encourage larger roots to grow deeper into the soil, which will help prevent some of the suckering. In these parts, "gardeners" love to "cultivate" the rose beds, which breaks roots and always leads to groves of Huey springing up from the broken roots. If that's your practice, you would do well to stop it because of the root damage. It's also possible there were Huey roots where you dug something up. Huey will enthusiastically sprout from a severed root. Having it spring from the soil from roots remaining from a removed plant is common and should always pretty much be expected. The hybrid Wichuranas you have coming will very likely produce the same types of suckers from any roots damaged by cultivation or digging other holes in their root zones. They are also very well known for layering themselves when their canes lay directly on damp soil or damp mulch. It's just what they do and what makes them such persistent roses, and why they frequently are very good root stocks. Kim

Virginia -- You probably know that it takes about 10 years for the rose industry to work up from an original seedling to having material for sale. The original Jesse Hildreth mother plant nearly died this past year -- the victim of drought and cemetery management. A new Heritage Roses group has formed, to care for that plant, and the others in that cemetery, and in the town. We have actually begun to believe that the old rose may survive. For the first time in a decade or more, it was actually allowed to send up new basal shoots. This is what it looked like in 2006: See below, the old plant with a circle of new growth. At present, I can more or less count the existing plants on the fingers of one hand . . . The one in my garden. The one in the Sacramento City Cemetery. The mother plant, in the old cemetery. And what ever Jill Perry has, left over from propagating for the Heritage. No nursery has this rose. Though we surely hope one or two soon WILL. Because, you're right. It is a most extraordinary rose.

I bought my house 11 years ago because I loved the walnut trees in the back. I also love gardening. Walnut trees produce a type of toxin that is not compatible with most garden vegetables. This is what I did and I have had great results. 1. Tilled up the soil 2. Put down a (organic) barrier such as newspaper, could use black gardeners cloth. 3. Put down a layer of charcoal. My thinking was that if it can absorb toxins in the body it could also absorb them from the soil. (DO NOT USE CHARCOAL THAT HAS CHEMICAL ADDITIVES such as "self ignite") 4. Add landscaping timbers or anything else to make a raised bed. Mine has 3 levels that look like long horizontal steps. The low bed the medium bed and the high bed. 5. I got lots of aged sheep manure (few weed seeds)and put that down. 6. Added peat moss and good black dirt. 7. More aged sheep manure (few weed seeds)and put that down. 8. More peat moss and good black dirt. 9. More aged sheep manure. 10 Tilled the soil OPTIONAL Added sand to areas that I would rotate crops needing more sand. Put a rubber maid trash can that I drilled a hole into the bottom. Then inserted a water control device that can be turned on and off at the bottom. Just drill a hole using the correct size drill bit and put a good silicon caulk around the water control device. Cut a hole in the top of the trash can lid for the rain spout to drain into the trash bucket.(Need a tight seal to prevent insects from breeding) Now you have your modern day rain barrel Using a 3 way adapter I was able to attach 3 soaker hoses and use the water run off from the roof when there is no rain. In the fall I cover the garden with old tarps, table cloths etc. to prevent any toxic droppings from the trees to enter my garden. (walnuts, leafs etc)Dark colored plastic or tarps also help warm the soil in the spring. I do not know if there is any correlation but I also use organic, crop rotation, companion planting and plant by the moon signs or Farmers Almanac. Add a little TLC and LOVE and you will have a great garden!

What a fun thread! I'm new to this forum so I feel free to repeat what others have probably said. Campanula, you are a wonderful writer. I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts. Daisy, you too. And, right now the plants I lust for, well, just transplant me to Daisy's place, or anywhere in England. Or anywhere with good soil. A few Julys ago I visited my kids in Portland, Oregon, a place my husband says could substitute for England. The roses and the hydrangeas there were spectacular, as were the Fuchias. I can, so far, still grow roses, but it's only a matter of time before Rose Rosette gets them, as it's getting all the roses in this area. I do my best growing hydrangea, but it's a struggle to grow blue ones, as our soil is alkaline, and trying to turn a hydrangea blue results in more of a grey than a blue. In Portland, they have blue, purple, and yes, even pink hydrangeas that are big and juicy and just plain stunning. And the fuchsias. They are a fleeting, cool season annual here, good for just a few weeks in the short spring we have before the heat gets them. In Portland, I saw fuchsias that looked like bushes. On the other hand, I also love desert plants. On a road trip to California, I loved visiting the desert gardens and parks. All the various agaves, cacti, and other succulents and sticky plants fascinate me. Some of them I can grow here, but mostly in pots, due to our clay soil. Sally