pkponder Maybe mine are too deep in the water. The rhizomes are about 4-6 inches below the surface. It's mainly just the tips, about 2 inches, of the leaves that turn brown, like all of them. It's on a cinderblock already, but maybe I need to put something else under it to raise it up a bit more. Can't hurt to try. One more question, whats a good media to use for repoting pond plants? I know both of mine came with the "sludge" type stuff in the pots but I don't recall seeing that type for sale anywhere. Any places around Ft. Worth that sell it? Or just the technical name of it so I can google around. Or maybe there's something better to use? Thanks again, Phil

Marlorena that must have been really frustrating since Kew Gardens is one of your favorite roses. I can completely relate to not having it planned or a proper spot for it. That alone must have made the mix up even worse. If they just sent the wrong roses and it was a rose you detested I don't think it would have been quite as awful to get rid of it. How irritating that must have been! Your garden is a such a delight though. The mixture of colors and companions with your Herbalist rose are just perfect. The creamy white, pink and lilac is so charming in your photo of Mme. Lauriol de Barny and Desdemona. I also really like the mixture of textures in your fourth photo, even with the empty spot you referred to. Your garden gives us a little glimpse into your character and the way you view life... it's artistic, beautiful and fluid. There's a special harmony to your garden that I find inspiring and I just love seeing photos of it. :-)

Ken & Strawchicago, Thanks for the heads up on K&M discontinued Austins. Straw, thank you for the list names. Straw, Is Generous Gardener & Jubilee Celebration now discontinued, also? I see them listed on DA & K&M website, but I guess it will be discontinued soon? Wise Portia is gorgeous and I’m excited to hear she blooms abundantly! She has a deep almost wine & purple color at times! Little different shape than Princess Anne. I am so amazed to hear your Princess Anne is 7 feet-Wow! If you pruned P Anne shorter would!’t she bloom more? Wise Portia is very small rose & is she available at any nursery for purchase? Is Wise Portia disease resistant? Many of my roses take all season, but by fall finally reach 5-6ft. ( In CA, when si lived there, I oruned off 1 ft weekly, as they were growing rapidly into giants.) I don’t really want rose shrubs/hybrid teas/floribundas over 5-6ft. I suppose I can prune them to keep their height down-that’s ok, right? Pruning height should encourage more blooms? I love Princess Anne.... She has bloomed some for me, very hardy, NO black spot, which I prize! Love her beautiful blooms! Gorgeous shape/color of blooms & petal count! I need to move her next spring, She’s grafted & on front hill-too cold a location-stunted her growth at 2 ft, winter freezes--not good location-moving her to back yard T-bed level ground next spring-DAs are growing better in back yard. Love to see her grow taller. Some day I would like to maybe replace all my grafted DAs with own-roots. Love to see them reach their full potential in my NY freezing climate! Princess Anne I guess I don’t worry about watering.... it rains so much here in NY Fingerlakes region. Lol! I just have to be careful freezes don’t damage my DA.

Diane, I wonder, since Olivia is supposed to be small, if you couldn't move her to the shade where you wouldn't ordinarily plant a rose, like under a tree and see if her color isn't any better. The shade might also keep her smaller. You would have her spot for RR, and you wouldn't really have lost anything whether she lives or dies. The VS Hydrangeas are just blossoming. They're white and chartreuse right now. When I have a progression of the color change, I will post pics. I thought they would be the first to go in this heat. My big leafs are totally cooked, but these paniculatas are fine. I will probably have to move the Blue Enchantresses to total shade. The Endless Summer Originals are doing ok. My grandson cut them back to the lowest node because they fried, but they're coming back beautifully as long as I keep them floating in an over watered bed. I wish we knew if this year is typical of what to expect from now on, or if it is an anomaly. I'm still planting and feeding. I don't want a bunch of baby roses to keep over winter in the garage. Only about half of the rose garden got fed before the heat started, so I waited, but it's been steadily hot, so I'm giving them a light feeding before it's too late this year.