Your Whiskey Mac is really lovely!! There are so many petals, and the color is exquisite!

carol

Came back home today and was welcomed by Whisky Mac blooming just next to the entrance to my house.....

Next was French Lace..... lot of buds not fully opening up despite the fact that I removed more than 50 buds the other day

And then was Sharifa Asma with it's wonderful fragrance. The bush is still developing new shoots.

And then there were ready to bloom buds on Friesia, Crimson Glory, Fragrant Cloud, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Augusta Luise and Gruss an Teplitz.

So many blooms this time of the year has one advantage. There are lots of petals available to be added to pots every day. These petals are only one day blooms. Every pot is getting almost these many petals every third to fourth day. Besides adding nutrients after decomposition, colorful petals do enhance the look of the pots I guess

All smaller pots are this year's cuttings that were planted in August...

In the background the rose bed has been sprinkled with lot of willow leaves

I'm amazed with your French Lace, a blooming-machine .. did it get canal soil and steer manure like Whiskey Mac? Your Whiskey Mac looks like an Austin Rose: so many petals & deep cup & vibrant color blooms.

That's a great idea to put petals in pots, it looks cheerful that way. Khalid, your roses are continuous bloomers even through cold weather, that's awesome !!

What a nice garden picture.

My garden is a batten down the hatches look right now. To use sailing lingo.

Also good Idea in the garden bed to have ground cover, so there is no bare soil. That's a lesson I am learning. Lots of plants. Thanks for showing us the picture, Khalid.

Sam and Straw: You are most welcome. I think last ten days and then I will also have to prune my roses. Few pics taken last evening .

I have been posting lot of Whisky Mac pics on account of being very intense orange, large size ruffled blooms, healthy bush etc but when it came to fragrance, WM never figured out. Not only more..... I wonder what has caused this change but fresh blooms yesterday (shown in the pics above) were not only very intense orange but also had fairly strong fragrance. Say if on a fragrance intensity scale, if I give Sharifa Asma 7/10 then these WM blooms were 5/10. Previously they would normally be 2/10 or at best 3/10. I wonder what has caused this change. Fragrance of all other roses has gone down actually with decrease in temperature WM is at its all time best. The fragrance is sweet fruity and I have never seen such strong fragrance in WM.

Due to cold Black Prince buds are not fully opening though there are still 4-5 buds in the making. I think I will prune it in a few day. Time to hibernate.....

During previous years, I used to prune all my roses at one time but now I have decided that I will only prune those roses which show the signs for hibernation. Otherwise, I let them grow and finally prune them on 15 January. Is that ok Straw?

Evelyn May, unique orange and strong fragrance. Blooms are a little deshaped in this weather

Scentimental is still beautiful and fragrant.

Sharifa Asma is back in it's original colours. Please see the previous pics.... blooms of the same bush had almost gone peach with a yellow center which was quite unlike Sharifa Asma

I got 6" of snow! I am putting leaves on and around the rose bushes.

Nice pictures Khalid.

Our best fish is the Lake Trout and Atlantic landlock Salmon. Type Lake George NY Lake Trout on you tube you will see a great big fish.

That Whiskey Mac of yours is beautiful regardless of color .. some roses have stronger scent in cold weather (most Austin roses), while some roses have stronger scents in hot weather (hybrid teas like Double Delight, Chrysler Imperial).

Agree with you to prune as Nature dictates .. when buds can't open and when plants stop growing ... that's the time to prune. I really like your Sentimental, It has more blooms than its successor Rock n' Roll (my neighbor has it, and it's stingy).

Sam wrote: "Our best fish is the Lake Trout and Atlantic landlock Salmon. Type Lake George NY Lake Trout on you tube you will see a great big fish."

Oh wow... Lake Trout and Atlantic landlocked Salmon.... would love to fish there.

LAST DAY OF THE YEAR..... .

(All pics taken on 31st December 2015)

Burgundy Iceberg (in ground) suffered a lot due to curled leaves and slow growth but now, despite cold weather, it is growing well, has healthy leaves and lot of buds on 31st Dec. Love it....

I have two Whisky Mac bushes in the ground. Both performed spectacularly this year; I couldn't have hoped for more. What would you say for a rose bush like that on 31st of Dec when most bushes in the neighbourhood have either been pruned and if not pruned, are not blooming and there is no fresh growth... On this bush, I could count over 20 buds that are still there and over 10 on the other bush.... Without doubt, Whisky Mac has been the best performer in my house in 2015.

There are few other roses that have buds which will open up by tomorrow or day after. I guess I will prone the bushes which are still blooming at a time when they stop blooming (around 10-15 days from now). What say?

Best regards

I can't stop adoring your roses....there are so many I would love to grow here...Never knew Burgundy Iceberg is such a beauty....and your Sharifa Asma has the most beautiful colors I've ever seen...so many that aren't available here....thanks so much for sharing them...

I'm glad Jess bumped this thread up, so I get to enjoy those pics. again .. I adore the yellow color of Sunsprite, orange of Whiskey Mac, and esp. Burgundy Iceberg.

I ordered Munstead Wood for May, and I hope that Munstead Wood has the same color as Khalid's Burgundy Iceberg.

Munstead Wood...another beauty not available over here...sigh....

I am looking forward to your spring and summer Straw! and to seeing and adoring all your beautiful roses, sleeping gently now underneath their white snow blanket :-)

I had Munstead Wood bareroot this summer, not that impressed yet - but I have great hope for it!!!

Well, we're off to London today to set my daughter up for her Exeter term at the university there. Lots of emotions going on around here.

Carol

Thanks for visiting my old thread Jess.

Straw: Munstead Wood is a fine rose. Would love to have one but its not available here.

Carol: Thank you for the info .. I love Munstead's wonderful scent .. but the bush is quite ugly ... saw that at the rose park. I PRAY FOR YOUR SAFE TRIP, and love to see pics. of your London tour when you get back.

Travel safely MsGirl, wishing you and your daughter the very best and strength for the goodbyes....that's always so sad...

Well, we're back safely!!

I didn't enjoy the plane ride - 9 1/2 hours with restless leg syndrome!!! Gahhh!!!!!!! I haven't had restless leg syndrome for awhile, I guess I wasn't eating properly there.

My daughter took pictures, but I didn't. She's come a long way from her Asperger induced anxiety and depression. She's so excited!!! Plus she learned that the U of Exeter gave her $1,000 Canadian as a scholarship for her last term's marks (here)!!!! That's a nice surprise!! I had thought that she would never leave home, that we would have to take care of her for the rest of her life. Now, she's off in Englad on her own. Who knew??

It was sooo green there!!! The grass was gorgeous in the fields divided by hedgerows. So beautiful!! Some of the trees even had leaves. When we came back to Calgary, there was snow everywhere and zero trees. The trees we do have here are more in the neighborhoods, so it took awhile to get to them.

Everyone there is thin!! I couldn't believe it!! I had problems walking because my ankle was all swollen from doing 10,000 steps every day here. My mind wants to go full bore into exercising, but my body never lets me. Sigh.

We saw lots of swans up close. That was the highlight of my trip!!

I'm pretty exhausted. So please mind the gap (English expression about doors closing on the tube).

Carol

Welcome back Carol. How is your health? All my prayers for your daughter's success and good health. It must be very cold in Toronto I guess.

I live in Calgary, Alberta. It's not so cold - only -1 C today. We're having a rather mild winter this year. Supposed to snow for the next 3 days.

My health is good except for my sore, puffy ankle. I walked too much and now my ankle is talking back to me. Tried to get in shape by using my pedometer and doing 10,000 steps. Just got a sore ankle for all my trouble. Very frustrating!!

Thanks for the prayers for Holly. I really appreciate it.

Carol

Carol: Glad to hear that you daughter Holly got $1,000 scholarship .. that's wonderful news !! I watch travel-shows in Europe and everyone is skinny ... lots of walking & nicer weather. But the serving size is ridiculously small: small plate for everything. Plus the English has their healthy tea-habit ... versus American with soda.

Hi Carol

I am having a mild winter so far also. Right around freezing. This spring is gonna be a good rose year.

Yes, Straw - I did notice the plates were smaller. What also struck me was that even the older people were slim. Well, I'll keep on trying once my ankle gets better. :)

Sam - Yes!! I'm so looking forward to spring and roses!!! Well, we don't get roses until June...but it's coming!!! Nice that you have great weather.

Carol

A friend stayed in Russia for 6 months to take college classes. She noticed that fruits and veggies are not available, but plenty of WHITE STUFF: white flour, white sugar, and cream in everything. She said the young people are skinny, but the older people are fat. In contrast, my native country Vietnam: every one is skinny, except for the rich who could afford white flour, white sugar.

I really miss the vast variety of green vegetables & fruits in Vietnam.

So true.

welcome back Carol, and wonderful news about Holly!

please mail photo's when you can?

sorry I've been so scarce everyone, so busy with work, and no end in sight yet...

we still have 4 very hot months ahead of us but my roses are surviving....

Jess - thanks for the welcome! I don't have any photos, and my daughter will have thousands when she comes back in June. Wouldn't want to burden anyone with that! LOL

Four months of roses!!! Ohhhhh!!! How wonderful!!

Thoughts and prayers with Khalid.

What's wrong with Khald?

But, of course, my prayers are his.

Carol

News today: "The Taliban claimed responsibility for an attack by multiple gunmen that killed at least 20 people at a university in northwestern Pakistan Wednesday morning." Also extremist's killing of police officers transporting polio-vaccine and bystanders in North Pakistan.

Khalid: please inform us. It's a beautiful country with beautiful people, it's so sad that extremists pick your country for their tactics. I hope your son is safe. I pray that your son will be safe.

Oh, I'm praying too.

Carol

Since all this horror started, I have been praying for Khalid, all of you....you are always in my prayers... this 'thing' is like a disease, growing globally... breaking down everything good that was created, spreading fear...I pray for MIRACLES....

and yes, I have been very worried about Khalid and his family...praying that he and his family are safe...

Over here we also need miracles. The water to this town is cut off due to the municipality not paying their electricity bills, which means no water can be pumped to our little reservoir.

How long before my baby roses start dying Straw? The older established roses will be fine, I think...

any advice??

Hi everyone: I am back safely. Thanks for all your prayers, really appreciated and value them. I was actually out for an Ibex hunting trip to a far flung mountainous area in Northern Pakistan. My mobile didn't work there and of course I didn't have access to internet.

When I reached back Gilgit city today morning, I learnt about the sad incident in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkwa province of Pakistan. I was really sad and tragic but it keeps happening to us every now and then. I will get back with more on this later.

Jess: All my prayers for quick and lasting resolution of water issue in your area and of course I hope all your roses survive. It's so unfortunate to learn that greed for power, influence and money makes us do things which must not be done. I may sound very pessimistic here but the biggest or the gravest danger to a human society generally comes from within. It's our own kin who destroy us more than any outsider. I see the same happening in Pakistan, perhaps in a much amplified form.

best regards

Hi Khalid so glad to hear you are safe!

Thanks everyone for all your prayers..

the town's water problems got fixed PLUS we had about 40 mm of rain...what a wonderful miracle...thanks again, I believe in the power of prayer...

Yes Khalid, I agree, we destroy ourselves, from within our society. But I believe a lot of that has to do with 'programming'. And also yes to what you say about seeing that among your own kin - here I also see that in amplified form. Fear breeds hatred/jealousy/anger and more fear and people are left without any understanding, and they never question anymore, just believe whatever they hear on TV (the big fear-breeder).

as the old Romans used to say: Divide - and Conquer.

Very insightful story below: (let me know if you can't open this I will mail the whole story.)

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/disquiet-grows-over-french-state-emergency-145826097.html?nhp=1

ps - I think you all might have read this book, or have seen the movie by now, but in case you haven't - it's a must read:

'1984' by George Orwell.

Also, the movie: Wag the Dog'...

I am worried about you Straw, how are you - I see there was massive snow fall in your area? Praying for you and everyone over there.... please stay cozy and warm...let us know how you are please?

Jess: I'm excited about what you wrote: "the town's water problems got fixed PLUS we had about 40 mm of rain...what a wonderful miracle...thanks again, I believe in the power of prayer..." Yes, I did pray for your town's water and rain.

The snow fall is on the East Coast, where Sam is. But he can handle that, he has a truck that plow snow. Still hasn't gotten over the flu-shot: My inner ear are still inflamed, I rinsed it repeatedly with hydrogen peroxide, still coughing .. I might take a cough medicine today just to get some sleep.

1984 by George Orwell is a classic while I was growing up. I love classics like the "The Little Women".

Thank you sooooo much Straw

Now I'm very worried about you though...

Boiron also has a homeopathic no-side effect, no sugar cough mixture that works better than any other cough mixture. Have you tried Oscillicoconum yet? I've seen several sites trying to tell people it doesn't work, alas, I think that is 'big corporation' talking, just like people we rebuke organic ways to grow roses (without chemicals and poisons)

Oscillicoconum works 100% for me. I think many people take it with water instead of letting it melt under their tongues...

Thank you, Jess, for the recommendation of Boiron cough-treatment, didn't sleep well last night, constant coughing. Chemicals in medicine don't help. Will see the doc again this Sat. Jan. 29. Small comfort, if I suffer like this for another 5 months, there's government compensation for flu-shot-reaction. NO AMOUNT OF MONEY can make up for the horrible vertigo & I never get this sick in my 54 years like this. Husband came down with a cold yesterday (he also got the flu-shot on Dec. 19 with me). Flu-shot is useless, it protects against 3 to 4 particular strains of virus, but really mess up one's immune system.

I seriously distrust pharmaceutical companies Straw - it's not about people, just $$$$$

wish you weren't so ill, doesn't make me happy hearing that....

I am busy creating a new thread - about termites, will post the link soon.

Khalid, Straw, my new thread:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3651784/m=3/termites-in-my-garden

hope to 'see' you there

ps Khalid, I still enjoy looking at you beautiful roses every time I open this thread...can't stop admiring them.

Hope to see more of your travel photo's and roses posted soon!

Thanks Jess.... I am so glad that my photos make you feel happy. Just trying to find some time to edit / sort out of over 1200 photos that my son took during the trip. I am a little busy with my work so not finding time to do that. Will hopefully do that tonight but let me say, it was a special trip. Photos will speak of themseleves I guess.

regards

Really looking forward to that Khalid! :-)

I really enjoy seeing that too. Thanks for keeping this forum going with your pictures Khalid.

Are you going to start a new thread with all your amazing roses Khalid?

Jess: I already did on 2 Jan 2016. Actually you have been posting in that thread too. That thread is named My Roses in Zone 9a - 2016

thanks Khalid...

I wish I could get hold of a Whisky Mac rose...sigh....

Here I am again staring at your lovely roses, and the best rose photography I've ever seen.... Whisky Mac sigh....

the Dark Prince...Sharifa Asma, so many...

Khalid you wrote:

During previous years, I used to prune all my roses at one time but now I have decided that I will only prune those roses which show the signs for hibernation. Otherwise, I let them grow and finally prune them on 15 January

Due to the rust I had I already pruned a few but not a full-prune. Did you do a full-prune with your roses, after they stopped blooming? I was thinking to do that a bit later on, closer to spring, but definitely to cut away a lot of canes, to prevent the rust problem....and with spring 2 months away.

I can see the value of not allowing diseases to over winter.

Jess: Thanks for reviving my thread.

Our climates are not that cold and actually, most roses do not hibernate. However, they do become vigorous if given a little pruning. I wouldn't prune them hard unless one is interested in taking good size strong cuttings. I would suggest just a light pruning.

Please do keep in mind that when the springs start in your area, your bushes should be ready to bloom. The timings of pruning may be decided by you accordingly.

best regards