Lynn .... You asked, "What is a drought ?" Since I live in a county-of-origin for a lot of water that is sent down to the more southern parts of California, maybe I can give you some perspective as to why we are concerned. In a "dry year", we may get 25" of rain during the winter/spring months. In a "normal year", we get 30 to 40" of rain. In a "wet" year, we get 45 to 50" inches of rain. We get no rain during the summer months and the beginning of the fall. Much of the water in our reservoirs is sent south to provide water for the large agricultural activities in central California, but also for over-developed areas that have no local source of water. The reservoirs are replenished by the snow melt from the higher elevations. This year we got 1" of rain in November. None in December and 1/4th inch so far in January. The reservoir is 50% full. The snow pack is 20% of normal for this time of year. The demand for water for the agricultural industry will be higher and we don't have the water to send south, so everyone living or working down south will have major water restrictions. Also, our own economy will not have enough water for our own agricultural activities and to maintain river levels for the salmon industry. A major source of income up here is water recreation. Those activities will also be impacted which will trickle down to impact small businesses. It is illegal for us to use gray water because the theory is that everything peculates down and lands in the river, so, yes, shortage of water will impact our gardens. I think we all plant gardens that will do well in our normal climates. In my climate, it's normal to have more than enough water for the gardens even in the dry years. My electric bill has already been increased by a 17% surcharge because we have had two "dry years" in a row and won't go down until we get two "normal years" in a row. There is no doubt I am going to have to make some changes in how I garden this year to get my plants through the drought. I plan to mulch heavier with different materials. I won't add new plants and won't transplant the roses I had planned to move. I only have 450 square feet of lawn and I don't care if it dies. I am even going to have to plant less thirsty vegetables instead of my normal crops in order to voluntarily meet the water 20% lower water usage goal. I doubt if our small water district will impose water restrictions, but I want to do my part. Smiles, Lyn

I am originally from the west coast near the red wood forest. Yes, a cut off root knot can produce new trees. In fact you can buy these knots from trees of mystery. If the roots you are speaking of are getting enough water to remain moist year round it will continue to grow in an effort to grow a tree again. My suggestion is to allow your rose bed to dry out a bit... or move them to a different location and allow the bed to dry out to hard earth state.

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.

Princess Charlene is over 10 feet tall right now 9/14/22 in my zone 5a. It's a 4th-year own root. Carding Mill is 2.5' x 2' right now as 11th-year own root. Carding Mill has bush beauty, Princess Charlene does not .. looks very odd with a super tall cane in the middle. Carding Mill always have zillion petals, Princess Charlene has less petals (single or double) in hot summer. Carding Mill loves hot & dry over 90 F. Since it's a small bush, it doesn't demand tons of water and fertilizer like other Austins that throw 4' octopus canes. Carding Mill does best in hot & dry & alkaline region. Its color is deep apricot if soil pH is alkaline. I constantly have to top it with biochar at pH 8.6 to prevent blooms from turning pink. Carding Mill is much smaller than Crown Princess Mag, but gives way more blooms. Carding Mill is a constant bloomer, but CPM is long pause between flushes. Some pics. of Carding Mill, 11th-year own-root in my zone 5a garden in alkaline & rock hard clay. Carding Mill is very small & compact at 2.5' x 2' as 11th-year own root: Carding Mill has the nice apricot color plus zillion of petals for the vase: