I'm not sure what effects pH or any nutrient issues may have, but Seil is right. Cooler, damper temps encourage Hot Cocoa (and all the other 'brown roses') to provide the russet tones. Brown Velvet, even in brilliant sun, provided the chocolate velvet petals as long as it was cool to cold. Ramp up the heat and the color quickly shifted to bright orange. Leonidas does similarly as do Jocelyn, Edith Holden, Iris Web (more taupe than orange), Black Tea, Brown Study and Victoriana. As long as you're feeding it a properly balanced fertilizer and the rest of the plant appears normal, just wait until your temps cool off and you should see the desired coloring reappear. You COULD try cutting a flower just beginning to open with a short stem, then put the whole vase in an enclosed plastic bag in your refrigerator (frost free units dry out the flowers) and try opening it where it's cool to see how the pigments respond to temperature. It worked well with the others listed above. Kim

daun, I'm very bad at describing the smell of roses. This is the first spring for her in my garden. What you see is the very first flower, and she has more buds. Triple b, the tag says hot chocolate.Hot chocolate and hot cocoa, aren't they the same? Karima

I got this recipe from Epicurious on the first hit, if you're interested, although it doesn't use up much of your stash! Frrrozen Hot Chocolate: Serendipity's Best-Kept Secret Epicurious : 2004 by Stephen Bruce Sweet Serendipity It's famous, it's infamous, it's notorious. It has destroyed diets and led to love affairs. Marriages have been proposed over it, couples have been wed in it, princes have been made from it. People have traveled from all corners of the world for just one sip of our creamy, dreamy, icy blend of chocolatey goodness. It'll make you want to blow bubbles through your straw. It makes everyone a child again. For years, fans begged and plead and offered firstborn sons for the recipe, but we three princes guarded the formula with our lives. It was such a closely kept secret that not even the White House could gain access to it. Jackie Kennedy once requested the recipe so that it could be served at a gala evening at the While House. I offered to travel to Washington to make it myself, but when my security clearance didn't come through in time, I refused to hand over the secret formula  not even to the First Lady herself! When customers asked how it was made, we would respond that we had a Rube Goldberg machine churning it out in the back  a hodgepodge of arms, wheels, gears, handles, paddles, and even canaries in cages working in concert to concoct the magic elixir. We would never let on that it was as simple as a blender and some magnificent chocolate. And now, to thank our customers for fifty great years, we've finally decided to share the secret recipe with the world. For truly authentic Serendipity taste, throw a sprinkle of magic in the mix. For this and all the frozen drinks that follow, the recipe yields one gigantic Serendipity-sized serving, which is perfect for sharing. Enjoy. 6 half-ounce pieces of a variety of your favorite chocolates 2 teaspoons storebought hot chocolate mix 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 cups milk 3 cups ice Whipped cream Chocolate shavings preparation Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Add the cocoa and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature. In a blender place the remaining cup of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy with a spoon or a straw. . . .or both!

I really like these cocoa, mocha recipes! I'd like to create my own peppermint variety since I'm almost out of Starbuck's variety. What would I use to add that peppermint flavour? Crushed candy canes? Peppermint extract? How to add liquid peppermint extract? To the sugar? Sorry to hijack thread but need some ideas. Thanks!