Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is with Knock Outs... yes, they're nice filler in a perennial border, or for someone who may not be experienced, but I really don't have anything great to say about them... and the local market was flooded with them this year... and last! I've been a gardener for as long as I can remember, both indoors and out, and not knowing plant names makes me mental. Most everything I grow is either tagged, or I know its name so a tag isn't necessary. I've always loved roses, but just began to get more heavily into them within the past few years. I'm pretty sold on the own-root roses, as opposed to grafted... and I adore my miniatures! I tend to use mainly mail order to purchase the roses I want... I stay away from the big box stores and places that don't have experienced plant people caring for their stock. Nothing is worse than seeing all the dead and dying plant material at a store, when a simple watering could have saved them and kept them salable! One thing I try to do is research the types of roses I want, and get several opinions on zone ratings... not every source will have them rated the same. I try to choose plants that are rated for zones 3,4 and 5... preferably 3 and 4... which pretty much ensures that, given proper care, they'll come back in spring and thrive. In 4 years, I've only lost 2 roses... not bad considering I've planted absolute tons! I'm new to the Rose Forums... though I've been a GW member for several years. This year in particular, I've got a deep rose addiction going on... and I'm reading all I can get my hands on, experimenting with some new varieties, and asking a lot of questions! It's all worth it when I walk the gardens, though... roses are truly heavenly! Walmart... can't say I've bought a rose from them...

I hope y'all are ready for my list! For two years, I've been 'on hold' while the planning and implementing of a huge construction job in my yard. I had to dig up a lot of my roses, didn't dare plant any and of course kept 'collecting'. Now the work is done and I have a lot more room. Plus with experience, I know what I want. I also lost a lot of roses between the Polar Vortexes and some that I dug up did not survive. I've also decided to get back into Hybrid Teas in a big way, I like exhibiting and doing arrangements, and they are the best for that. I also want to start with minis, so I'm stocking up on them. Ordered from Palantine, on multiflora, just came two weeks ago: Double Delight (was to replace mine that I thought was dead, but it's still alive, I dug it up and am keeping it in a pot) Gemini (I had this years ago, but it didn't make it) Pope John Paul II Rainbow Niagara (this is aka Tropical Sunset, which I lost last winter) Dainty Bess Paradise Razzle Dazzle Dark Desire Lucille Ball From Rogue Valley, caused by a thread on GW about buds and sepals... Won Fang Yon Cesoine Bella Donna Leda Nuits de Young Mystery Rose Ordered from a local nursery, will have in April: Dick Clark New Zealand Moonstone Munstead Wood St. Patrick (had this, loved it, lost it) Picked up at the DSD Mid-Winter Meeting: Mrs. BR Cant (replacement) Tradescant (on Fortuniana, a replacement) Randy Scott (also on fort) Magnificent (also on fort) Glowing Amber (mini) Mini-Floras from Kroger: Flawless Powerhouse Patron Ambiance Classic HTs from Home Depot: Chrysler Imperial Pink Peace Tropicana Gene Boerner (floribunda) Chamblees order through my Rose Society: Darcey Bussell (already blooming!) Southern Peach (mini-flora) Deja Blue (mini-flora) Mrs. BR Cant Crepescule (replacement for one that didn't survive being dug up) Loretta Lynn Van Lear (already has buds and they look amazing) Pearle d'Or (this one I bought 2 years ago but haven't been able to plant yet) Burlington Roses, bought last year, still in pots Power Point Miniflora Merlot Mini Orange Parfait Mini Jean Kennerly Mini Irresistible Mini Twilight Zone (I think this one is gone, I will have to get another one) Additional ones I picked up here and there, many from my rose group Queen Elizabeth Shrub Blumenschmidt Madame Plantier (2) Homere Nastarana Swamp Rose Mutabilis Cramoisi Superieur Alnwick Castle Tess of the Dubervilles JFK Ballerina (replacement, lost to RRD) Reve d'Or (replacement lost to RRD) It sounds like a lot, it IS a lot. If you add in the roses I had that I had to dig up, it's over 70. But I am getting three new beds and I have most of the spots planned. If I don't get them all planted this year, it's not a huge deal. Wish me luck! Almost forgot! I have a bunch of roses that we dug up from a fellow members garden. He went into assisted living and wanted his roses to go to members. In addition to the Reve d'Or and Ballerina, I have Madame Hardy (didn't think it was going to make it, but it's putting on new growth) Polka, a climber that I will give to another member. The rest I have no idea what they are! That will be the fun in seeing them bloom and identifying them based on his lists (unfortunately the tags were gone). I know one is a rugosa from the foiliage. I'm just not sure which one.

Wow Matthew $9.99 for 5gal roses??? Nice!! Let us know what you find. I'm getting anxious to see what potted roses will be coming in this yr. I'm jealous of you guys living down there in So Cal.. all those places to go looking for roses. We're limited to a few places up here. Probably just as well. I'd be spending all my spare time driving around everywhere looking for them. Hopelessly obsessed is right, man!! Yeah, we could do the trade-thing in the fall. It'll be til then that I'd feel comfortable shipping the SS's out anyway. So, do me a favor and take pics of that SUNSET CELEBRATION when it blooms. All the pics I see of it are apricot-y. This is what mine usually looks like: It's usually this orangey color with a yellow reverse. I seriously think it's something else. Either that or I got it and another rose mixed up when I planted them yrs ago!

Amanda, that's not a bad idea. The gentleman who did my deck started out building his own and as he ran out of projects he did his neighbors; later formed a company and managed six teams LOL Vaporvac, good eyes! Yes those are Summer Romance freshly picked last May. I planted 4 of them in the ground early April and got tons of flowers throughout the season. The fragrance is divine! They stayed "evergreen" for me this winter (we have a mild winter so far) but I did pull off all the leaves and forced them to go dormant - hope I did not mess them up by doing that (I am such a rose newbie)! I will be sure to post up photos of my rose beds in bloom this year (I have received so much helpful advice on here that I am very happy to share what I have learned). I did have a photo of one rose bed taken back in June - a total of 28 roses there, approx. half Meilland and half DA roses - bushes were still small with a few flowers, mostly green! Lilyfinch, congratulations on your new start! I look at it as a "reset button" for new opportunities (of buy buy buy) LOL That way you may order all your favorite roses and the ones proven to be best performers all over again. And I am sure you will know exactly "who goes where" and "who compliments whom" this second round!