Susan - I only throw Osmacote (the 9 month version if I can get it) on my roses once a year, and if I get around to it they might get fed with one bucket of "Maxsea all purpose" also only once a year. When I plant them (first pic above), I just purchase "planting soil" from my local nursery - I am embarrassed to admit that I choose the brand based on which one comes in a one cubic ft bag instead of two cubic feet - I cannot lift the larger ones. The roses in the second pic above from me I did not plant - they have been there over 30 years, and possibly up to 80. I also throw Osmocote on them once a year. No soil "amendments", although our garden has been a garden for 107 years, and every year there are LOTS of leaves that fall and DO NOT get raked up around those roses (I do try and pull off enough of the huge oak leaves so that the plants are not completely buried, but that's it). So, i think the leaves just rot and feed the roses that way. Here is another pic of a LFC with a rose with tiny blossoms - these are Cl Caroine Testout and banksia lutea. Jackie

I went to Suzys farm last year (honestly, its a pretty overgrown mess for the most part, but if you ramble around, you will see some lovely things in bloom) I went to get Lillian Gibson and Agnes, she had neither, nor did she have the other couple I thought about.. I got convinced to take home a Lucy Irene and a ghislaine de feligonde after she stated it was a lot hardier then I thought it was, she said its never going to be huge here, and may have some tip damage , but shes never had it not bloom for her. So far so good.. it came through the winter with zero tip damage and is blooming now, fairly small still.. I might try to go back this year and see what she has still. I wouldn't say its a destination spot per say, but its still fun and honestly there isn't another place I can go to get roses locally, the nurseries around here sell nothing but non hardy moderns. Silverkelt

babs said: I would dig up the ones you want and plant them in pots in well-draining soil. ==>>> lets define some words.. soil is mother earth.. she is NOT engineered for pots ... after a lot of experimenting.. you might succeed.. but we dont have time to try and fail ... you use a potting MEDIA in pots ... what i did.. when i moved 1650 hosta.. was go to the nearest nursery with a greenhouse.. and talked to the manager.. about what MEDIA he had available in bulk ... [large bags usually end up cheaper than 10 small retail bags] .... then go to his recycle pile.. and select pots ... the smaller the pot.. the less media you use ... and get to work ... now is prime ... some uniformity of the pots really helps ... the black pots can never be in winter sun .. they MIGHT freeze and thaw too often .. the key is GET THEM DORMANT.. KEEP THEM DORMANT... once the pots freeze.. they can simply be tipped on their sides for the worst of winter.. this is to avoid accumulation of water in frozen media.. roots need air when dormant ... and if the whole of the media turns into an ice cube.. you lose .. i stored about 750 pots this way.. on the north side of a structure [no direct sun].. and after freezing. i stacked them in a vertical triangle form against the barn ... [if you wait until the pots are frozen.. they may be frozen to the ground.. do NOT kick them or you might break a toe... so use something that wont break] ... the only problem with a shed is that it might be a zone or two warmer ... which means your plants might start coming out of dormancy a month or two early .. and then you have problems ... now.. to start ... you have to decide the value of the media.. pots if you have to buy them.. and finally.. YOUR TIME ... and decide if it is all worth it ... i took my hosta collection because it was worth thousands of dollars ... if you are simply dealing with a bunch of common.. rather cheap plants.. let me be the first to suggest.. that spending $100 on media.. for $50 dollars of plants.. plus spending 20 hours doing it all.. might not be cost effective ... and in this case.. you take a long hard look at which plants are really worth the effort.. to save ... ===>> the other alternative.. is to find a friend.. who could 'hold them' for a season or two ... perhaps make a 20 by 20 nursery bed in their garden.. and simply transfer them there.. until you are set in the new place ... and can come back and get them ... because.. one sure thing i didnt realize at the time was ... after the move.. and all.. that 'taking them' was less than 25% of the job ... defining the garden.. building the beds.. and actually getting them planted.. was the bigger problem ... all the while unpacking and painting a new house.. and on top of it all .... trying to build a garden.. was rather overwhelming .... not really for the faint of heart ... in hindsight.. i would never do it again ... and dont forget.. if you end up with 100 pots.. you are going to have to figure out how to move them all .. besides moving the house.. the kids.. etc ... good luck ... ken

I've been given a La Follette for the cemetery so there will be another one here in Northern Cal - it's also on the Santa Clara fence. It is huge, with hips that look like pears. I'm a little afraid of it! We planted our fence roses ten feet apart and some (especially Arcata Pink Globe/Moser House Shed Rose) want to spread twice as far. I plan to put La Follette at the end of the row along the fence where the cane can go 20' or more if that's what they want to do. BTW, Bill Grant says that the orginal name of this rose is simply 'Follette.' Just like it's 'Reine Victoria' not 'La Reine Victoria.' We have 18 roses on the fence bordering the north edge of the cemetery. Santa Clara University has 250 of them on half a mile of fence! Anybody who wants to study ramblers/climbers should look at them. It's an incredible display. I've been there three times and learn (and enjoy) new things each time. Anita