I was thinking what all of you have said, that this rose just plain doesn't tolerate heat well. But I was hoping that I might be wrong, or that there's some other kind of secret, a secret recipe, perhaps --wait, that's a mini rose, isn't it?-- to magically revive the poor thing. I have to admit I have not done a good job this year so far of keeping up with the fertilizing schedule. I'm going to try to do better (just bought a bag of Rose Tone yesterday), but I also have to be careful not to overdo it. 10-12 years ago when I grew Double Delight, I noticed that rose was super susceptible to chemical burn, and I gave up entirely on rugosas for the same reason. I don't know if that's an issue for DS or not, but other than some use of Bayer tebuconazole spray, and a couple weak, diluted applications of SuperBloom fertilizer, I haven't used anything on it this year. It probably IS the heat. I think I'll take Seil's suggestion and move it to morning sun only. It will be easy. It's in a large thermal-insulated pot, so no digging-up required. Last year was going to be it for DS because of this very problem, but then in late October and November and December, it gave me some beautiful blooms, and healthy foliage started to grow back, so it got a reprieve. Next question is, what is a suitable replacement? i.e. another deep red with impressive fragrance. I already have Chrysler Imperial, which is respectable but not nearly as dark, Papa Meilland,which is certainly dark, and makes larger booms too. But it is such a lanky, lopsided plant that I hide it in the back of the rose garden, and the blooms have been really inconsistent. It makes gorgeous cutting blooms once in a while, but they just shrivel in no time in our summers if left on the bush. Then I have some scentless reds, Olympiad--still a baby plant, Vino Roso--perhaps my favorite already after just 7 months; what gorgeous color and bloom form both, even in the heat; but absolutely scentless. I used to have Erotika, which was super fragrant but even more erratic than Papa M., only rarely producing a shapely bloom and growing super lanky. I also had Veteran's Honor, which I may get again, but it is so robust and spreading that I hesitate to put it in a pot, which is how all my roses must grow. Mr. Lincoln, same story, super tall, plus blooms blow quickly in this climate. There have been others, too, over the years, but most of them without notable fragrance. I'm thinking of getting either Don Juan or Crimson Glory. Any comments on these two? I have a 12 foot long 6 foot wooden fence along my ketchen door where it might do well. It would be 5-6 hours of direct sun, morning only. I don't know if I'd get much for cutting stems from either of those, but might be nice anyway. Some other forum comments from Texans, Floridians, Mississippians, etc, have suggested maybe these two handle the heat well. What do you think? Maryl, thanks for remembering about Daddy Frank. Unfortunately it was a total bust. In my conditions at least, it had horrible form, though it grew ok. The blooms were only semi-double and wavy, uneven shape and faded quickly; nothing like the photos from Rosemania. My favorite red minis or mini-floras remain Caliente, Salute, and Miss Flippins.

These are my choices...some might be more or less correct. 1 Hollyhocks or Malva 2 Cosmos 3 Gaillardia--only because the seeds have that look. 4 Bachelor Buttons 5 Sea Holly 6 Everlasting SweetPea I cannot say it often enough--when you make a flat put a piece of duct tape on the bottom and write the name with a sharpie. It won't blow away and it won't fade.

Forgive me but I don't think many (if any) of the above suggestions meet shannorcal's criteria of 12-18 inches tall. Here's some short stuff: Achillea ÂMoonshine MOONSHINE YARROW Achillea x hybrids HYBRID YARROWS Aloe (many) ALOE Arctotis x hybrida VELDT DAISY Ballota pseudodictamnus BALLOTA MINT Dudleya pulverulenta CHALK LETTUCE Eriogonum crocatum SAFFRON BUCKWHEAT Eriogonum umbellatum RED-FLOWERED BUCKWHEAT Eriophyllum lanatum arachnoideum WOOLLY SUNFLOWER Erodium x variable CRANESBILL Eryngium amethystinum BLUE SEA HOLLY Euphorbia myrsinites BLUE EUPHORBIA Euphorbia rigida MEDITERRANEAN EUPHORBIA Euphorbia x martinii RED EUPHORBIA Gaillardia x grandiflora BLANKET FLOWER Geranium x cantabrigiense HARDY GERANIUMS Geranium x oxonianum HYBRID GERANIUMS Geum chiloense AVENS Helianthemum nummularium SUN ROSE Hemerocallis (dwarves) DAYLILIES Heuchera hybrids CORAL BELLS Heuchera micrantha ALUMROOT Lathyrus latifolius EVERLASTING PEA Mimulus aurantiacus hybrids SHRUBBY MONKEY FLOWER Nepeta racemosa ÂWalkerÂs Low CATMINT Oenothera caespitosa TUFTED EVENING PRIMROSE Origanum species and hybrids ORNAMENTAL OREGANOS Pyrethropsis hosmariense MOROCCAN DAISY Salvia chamaedryoides GERMANDER SAGE Santolina chamaecyparissus LAVENDER COTTON Santolina virens GREEN SANTOLINA Scabiosa columbariae PINCUSHION FLOWER Sisyrinchium bellum BLUE-EYED GRASS Sisyrinchium californicum GOLDEN-EYED GRASS Tanacetum ptarmiciflorum DUSTY MILLER Tulbaghia cominsii EVENING-SCENTED TULBAGHIA Verbena tenuisecta MOSS VERBENA Joe

I will look into creeping red fescue--have never heard of it. Would you happen to know the "proper" name? Will also google it. Will also look for Ohio spiderwort. Also, I'm curious about the rye grass. I've read of that in vegetable garden books. That is a definite attraction to me. Doesn't it also improve the soil? I did hear recently of a couple in Lindsborg, Kansas about 70 miles from here who gave up their traditional lawn for a native grass that is bluish in color and gets 4-6 inches tall. I will try to find a way to get in touch with them. If it is dependent on sun, cannot use it. I had areas of my buffalo reseeded and it is fraught with weeds. My neighbor went to a nursing home, and the nephew who looks after the place is a farmer with no time, and let the lawn go wild, so I am getting the effects--that plus an abundant amount of rain this spring are the two causes, I believe. I have cats who are indoor/outdoor cats and try never to use herbicides, so I have spent hours weeding and nursing the buffalo along. The buffalo area is quite large and is around the sides and old front of our house. The new front is in the back of our house and I have a small area of fescue (forgive me for that!) and many perennial plants. But should the buffalo never recover, I sure would like to find a native grass. Thanks for your replies. Alleycallie