Wow, Anne. I got to check out Dorothy Perkins, a fantastic once-bloomer that occasionally has a tiny bit of rebloom and is zone appropriate 4b and upward. The once-bloomer Turner's Crimson was also very lively. These must be great weepers/standards, I love their photos on HMF. Unfortunately I didn't know at the time that my hybrid tea tree roses I chose were actually zone 7b and they had fragile genes as well. But the great thing was that they bloomed like crazy no matter the condition of their foliage. I think the major difference is that the Burlington tree roses spend the winter in the greenhouse where there is light and warmth and can be carried back & forth. Mine stayed in the dungeon of my garage with no light and they were not carried back and forth if we ever got a warmer break in the weather. Not that this would have helped that much because our winter remained record-breaking cold anyway. But even a little bit of light and fresh air in February through March might have helped the tree roses a lot! Instead I waited until it was "safe" to bring them out. But I also think that non-stop rains are detrimental to my tree roses. The canker always starts right at the bud-union and spreads upwards on the stem or simultaneously down to the bud union and it always occurs when we get slammed with flooding rainstorms. This drives me crazy! If the canker had started on the upper portion of the stems, it would be a piece of cake to solve (you can easily prune and cut). But invading the bud union from the get-go is absolutely maddening! Next year when I restart my tree roses I will definitely carry them in and out of the garage more frequently and I will also start my severe pruning in winter instead of waiting until Spring. Veilchen, I checked David Austin's tree roses but the only ones they had were Austins and not the Old Garden Roses. Maybe one of these days David Austin will carry them perhaps? that would be nice.

Well, I had some sheep stuff come up and didn't make it to the count...wonder how it went? Weather was pretty icky. :(

The Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research cordially invites you (and your friends, family, and coworkers!) to participate in the 2015 Reptile and Amphibian Public Opinion Survey. This survey is designed to gauge the perspectives of not only reptile and amphibian enthusiasts, but those who are “not as fond” of these animals as well. It is GLOBAL in scope and ALL AGES are encouraged to participate. All opinions are important to record! The survey should take less than 30 minutes and can be found (along with the report from our 2013 Herper Survey) on SWCHR’s web site at http://southwesternherp.com/survey.html. The report on the results from the current survey will also be made available to you when it is complete. The survey will be open for participation through November 30th, so please share this invitation with everyone you know to help us paint a better picture of current popular attitudes toward reptiles and amphibians! SWCHR is a Texas non-profit association governed by a Board of Directors and is subject to the tax-exempt provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. SWCHR is dedicated to promoting the education of the Association's members and the general public relating to the natural history, biology, taxonomy, conservation and preservation needs, field studies, and captive propagation of the herpetofauna indigenous to the six states of the American Southwest. Membership is open to all persons having an interest in the herpetology of the American Southwest.

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and suggestions! I am always asking my roses to stretch a bit, one way or another. It must be the teacher in my soul, scaffolding those under my care to reach just a little higher! Additionally, I have found that a number of roses can adapt to significant shade, and some deeply colored ones appreciate conditions which protect their blooms from direct sun. Monarda, your experience with Veilchenblau in shade matches mine. I recommended it to Fogrose in years past as a shade tolerant cultivar but am unsure whether she tried it or how it performed for her. Sheila, thank you for even more confirmation of Veilchenblau's shade tolerance and for the amazingly beautiful photos!! They capture everything I love about this purple rambler. Breathtaking! How are EaB and Russelliana behaving for you in sun? May I ask what you like best or not-so-much about each one? Lee Ann, it is interesting that your Veilchenblau did not thrive in shade but others have. I am inclined to grow another in plant in shade and begin a thread just on Veilchenblau and forum members' experiences regarding degree of shade tolerance. Location, climate and immediate conditions deeply affect all living things, and I am reallly curious about the effects on the various "shade tolerant" rose cultivars. Monarda, thank you for the wonderful photos as well! I love the side by sides of Russelliana and Emily D's wallpaper!! You have tapped my inner history and literature buff. I believe you may have nailed the cultivar on Emily's wallpaper which means, of course, that I MUST plant Russelliana in my garden! There is no frigate like a book...or an antique rose. I am beginning to think that I also MUST grow Ex von Schubert! Monarda, Claire and Bart, thank you for your opinions on this classic lavender. I wonder how much remontancy Ex von S would demonstrate in my shady beds. Claire, maybe your climate is similar enough to mine to indicate ExvS's potential behavior in my garden. I like what you're saying about the yummy purple color and the fragrance! I am tempted to plant ExvS and find out if he can handle a bit of shade here. I am also considering Verdi. A neighbor grows what I believe to be Verdi in quite a bit of shade. She gets a big flush and a few scattered blooms each year. Marlorena, I am positively infatuated with your GdD! Those photos are swoon worthy!! Isn't this the rose that you once described as producing THE perfect shade of dark wine-red? I think you were also searching for others of that ideal color. Perhaps there are none which quite hit that special note? I am adding GdD to my shade list. I grow Souvenir du Dr. Jamain in shade, and in exchange for his sheltered placement, he offers blooms which remain velvety and unscathed. Carol