No amount of pruning will help if the winters are like last. And no fertilizer should be applied after early July. All you can do is cut old wood bloomers back to about 2' NOW and winter protect all macs up to 2' in height beginning in November and December ( AFTER buds have hardened off but before thr coldest temps hit). Old wood bloomers that bloom on terminal buds only are not recommended for outdoor use in the north. There are plenty of examples of winter protection methods archived in the forum. But basically they all involve piling or layering insulating materials atop or between the bare stems. You can use just about ANYTHING that does not damage the stems, buds, or cause the plant to rot. Some people go so far as to dig the plants up, trash bag the roots and then pile the plants up like coals and throw tarps and lattice over the pile for the winter, to re-plant next season. I had a burning bush and a barberry sitting outside with roogs in bags 10 feet away from a foundation in -20 temps and they survived. A 7-10 gallon rootball treated like this would result in a 5-6 foot plant loaded with blooms every year. The main reason everything has rebounded with massive growth and few blooms (even ES) is simply a genetic response to the severity of the winter. But, this growth is a good sign for next year, provided you winter-protect and that the winter itself is somewhat milder. Bottom line is that results with these plants is CUMULATIVE (over multiple seasons) and not an all-or-nothing affair. And the industry of companies and stores selling starter plants to people who don't fully understand or want to put the work into success will always be a controversial issue.

I didn't know I had won, until the blocks arrived in the mail. Such a fun surprise! The picture above doesn't show off all the detail in the blocks. They are really, really nice and the different fabrics used are just beautiful. As a beginner, the best part is seeing other blocks up close (especially the backside). You all are so talented. But it's also a bit overwhelming. I hope I do them justice!!! Jennifer

Been MIA since last month when we moved in the end of April. We had just moved in and had out of town family visitors who had planned on coming before we were finished. (We thought we would have been in earlier) Plus, we were dealing with a lot of punch list items. Builder was still trying to finish cabinets before we got into the house. So had to deal with no doors or glass in cabinets at first. Finally got finished with the electrician. Now all the fans and exterior lights work. The painter still has some work to do on the exterior and some more interior touch ups. Our screened porch finally was finished this past week before we got eaten alive by the skeeters. We have also had a number of deliveries for furniture we ordered from various places. And we adopted a new kitten who was very sick the last week and is finally getting back to normal. So we have had our hands full until now. Here are some pictures taken by a professional photographer of the front and back of the house a couple days after we moved in. Once I get the painters tape off the walls for the painter's touch ups I will try to add more indoor pictures. The front entryway Front of House The back of the house early twilight The Back of the house..... before my screened porch was finished. The back during the day

I didn't take any, but Andrew posted the winners on the "Inside the Rosarians Trophy Room" page on Facebook.