As Dylan said, "you don't need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows". Right? All of us gardeners are well aware of global warming. My once bloomers didn't even bloom this year. I'm assuming due to lack of winter chill.

Susan, I hear you about gardeners being more aware of weather trends than many people, but I sometimes doubt my own perceptions. It has seemed hotter this summer, but it's a bizarre sort of comfort to have independent confirmation.

Ingrid, it's hard to ignore the already evident consequences of climate change happening now. With seas rising, coastal cities like the one I live in are jeopardized. With droughts, access to water and food is increasingly restricted to the fortunate few who live in less-affected areas and/or have the wealth to mitigate the drawbacks of local changes. Political unrest can only increase; we are seeing it already. Not a cheery prospect.

Virginia

This was a weird year here in Italy, too. This summer was hot and dry,but not exceptionally so, considering the general trend,or so it seemed to me. Yet everything seems SO dried out! I lost at least 4 shrubs,and many, many roses have dead, sun-burnt canes. Even the trees in the woods look so fried. Summers here are always hot and dry,but even though it didn't SEEM that bad to me, there's been so much damage.We had good rain up until mid-June: frankly, I thought that that would've helped see us through for the summer. And the forecast is not very promising even now...

This was a weird year for sure. My once bloomers didn't bloom much either. There were a few exceptions to the rule, a few bloomed normal. I made a thread about that though.

To me Virginia this was a very hot and humid summer. It was also dry as all get out. We usually get some summer rain. I think we usually get more rain than we got this summer. I couldn't hardly take the humidity. It killed me to breath with my sarcoidosis. Needless to say I didn't get zip done this summer. I've been busy though the last couple of weeks or so since it's been cooler and rainy. I've been able to do more. I think we will have a cold winter. A normal cold winter. These mild ones are not for me./

bart, I'm sorry you had such a crazy summer. We get used to the summer heat, but I guess plants have a more rigid "this far and no further" attitude to the dry heat. I'm sorry you lost 4 shrubs, and hope the other sunburnt roses recover well.

When I first started growing roses 2 years ago, my attitude was that I probably wouldn't have much luck because our yard is well shaded. So I figured I'd have to try lots of roses to figure out which ones would do well in part-shade. So far, they all seem to be grateful for relief from the summer sun. I gave a neighbor a well-grown, well-leafed "Natchitoches Noisette" in a large pot; she put it in full sun and a couple of months later she returned it to me, almost completely defoliated, saying she didn't want to kill it. It is now back in the shade, fully leafed out and blooming. Same pot, same dirt, same weather... the only difference was sun exposure.

Perhaps in some climates, roses are becoming more shade-loving as temps increase?

Virginia

Alana, I think we got at least the usual amounts of rain here, but I was surprised at how quickly the plants seemed to dry out between rains. If we went two weeks without rain, most plants would be calling hoarsely "Agua, agua!", despite regular waterings...

I think it's harder for all of us to breathe when it's so hot and muggy, but with sarcoidosis, that must've been pretty awful; I hope y'all are getting some temperature relief and you're breathing easier now.

I wasn't too crazy about the polar vortex stuff, but I do like some cold when it's winter... do I sound like a picky Goldilocks? Maybe we'll have a "just right" winter this year, and I will finally get to see my once-blooming OGR's boom.

Virginia

I'm sorry Bart about you losing some and having sunburned canes, I must have missed that. I think Virginia is right about roses liking atleast some afternoon shade. I have been growing roses good in some shade, but now I have to move some because the trees have grew their branches even further out shading them too much, blocking the morning sun.

If your picky Virginia so am I ;) I actually kinda liked the polar vortex, better than the humidity, and as a plus, the kids loved the snow! Although, Power loss was not fun..plus we were not use to that extreme. Hey though so you know even with our mild winter last year Ispahan, William Lobb, Orpheline de Juliet, Kazanlik, Autumn Damask, Leda and Hippolyte still bloomed great. There could have been some others not sure. I think I listed them all on that thread though that I made this Spring. YES! The humidity was horrible this summer, maybe rainfall was almost the same, but the roses and myself sure didn't think so!

I hope we have a normal winter where ALL of my beloved once bloomers will enjoy it. I love the once bloomers most because, spring is the best season to enjoy them in, summer is too hot and humid, and plus the JB's , but fall isn't too bad so a couple of Teas and China's are good for then. ;)

Virginia wrote, "Perhaps in some climates, roses are becoming more shade-loving as temps increase?"

That is precisely what I have been noticing for the past five years, Virginia. Roses which flourished in "full sun", meaning six and eight hours worth, began frying no matter what I did to/for them, until I shaded them. Then, they appeared "happy" again. I have consciously noticed the increase in UV for the past several years, and even though it is twenty to thirty degrees cooler here, it is also MUCH "brighter" with greater UV than it was in the inland, SoCal Valley weather. I had forty-plus years of full sun "hot" in SoCal and I know it well. I've had 18 months now of Central California Coast with the usually cool, ocean breeze and when in the sun here, it is HOT and even more uncomfortable than standing out in the direct sun was in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. Clear coat car paint is frying faster than ever and it isn't due to product changes, but intensity of UV. It is getting progressively nasty, no matter who says what, nor what anyone believes. WE gardeners KNOW it. The plants show it. Plant, insect, disease and animal species are moving north, as well as people. I pray those in control wake up in time....

roseseek, a lot of UV comes through the overcast skies on the central California coast. I'm not sure why this is, but it might have something to do with the salt in the air affecting local ozone levels. The ocean also gives off trace amounts of bromomethane, a known ozone depleting chemical, and there are extensive seaweed forests along the northern coast.

Thank you, even life-long residents are also complaining about how much more intense the sunlight is and how finishes on buildings, patio furniture, automobiles and clothing are deteriorating faster and worse than ever. The UV was extreme in my zone 10a location, just over the coastal mountains from the ocean. This is about the same distance from it, but much lower in elevation with only sand dunes and agricultural fields between us rather than dense population. We do have "fogs" and regular "heavy dews", but the sky is very often absolutely clear, like today.

I've noticed the same thing as roseseek. When it's 70 to 75 degrees in the shade it used to be fine to work in the sun, but no more. It burns down so intensely, and of course even more so when the temperature rises, to the point where I often can't go outside in the sun in heat levels that are not that extreme, in the mid 80's range. I have radiant heat from boulders and concrete areas also, and it's hard on me and the roses. The blooms don't last as long in the sun, and if it gets worse, as it will, I'll expect to be able to grow fewer and fewer roses.

I've noticed it for quite a few years now. Our 10 year drought ended 6 years back, but general temperatures have become even more erratic since then. Springs have become warmer and muggier, then summer is 2 months of baking hell, Autumn is the summer you would have liked to have had... It used to be possible to just move all the pots to morning sun only spots, but last summer I had to park loads pots instead of the car under the porch for most of February to recover.

Fungal disease is increasing-established roses that have been healthy for 4 years are now coming down with mildew.

Growing Snowpeas is laying a bet wether the mildew is going to kill the plant before I get to harvest anything..and that's if I plant them late autumn.

Ouch! That's awful, I'm sorry! One of my neighbors has been able to grow mop head hydrangeas in her north facing front yard here for the past thirty-plus years. Even with keeping them appropriately watered, the quality of the sun they have enjoyed for decades is now frying them. Her neighbor has grown several large azaleas in a similar situation, north facing with part of the plant receiving direct summer sun over the house, and they are now also suffering scorching during the usual temperatures. I'm dumping roses whose foliage badly stress out in all day sun in favor of those which remain decent looking as there is limited shade, which I am going to eliminate by getting rid of the trees providing it. I have to. Liquid ambers should NEVER be planted 18" from a block wall! 25' - 30' tall liquid ambers can't be permitted to continue growing 18" from it, either.

Kim, it may be the UV (UVA and/or UVB) making the difference for these plants. The temps are not so much hotter than "normal" summer heat, and we really haven't been short of rainfall, either. But the plants have been drying out so much more quickly after a good rain, and that is disturbing. Most of my plants get some shade, but only a few are in deep shade with no direct sun.

I agree that the huge tree so close to the wall is a bad idea... do you plan to put in a few smaller trees for shade, or not enough room?

Virginia

Hi Virginia, yes ma'am, the UV (whichever) is likely the culprit. Until today, we haven't been over 85 (97 today, 98 Monday, then it begins plummeting back to 70 by Wednesday), but foliage of all types are really complaining. Something must be done to provide shade, but what, I'm not certain yet. Foliage mass is desirable, other than the mites and other pests which infest it in this climate, providing honey dew with the associated Black Sooty Mold, but it does cool through shade and transpiration. Room and roots are the issues. Anything tall enough, with sufficient canopy spread will result in root issues, both for planting as well as hardscape and block walls. It's going to be "fun".

I'm thinking of/planning on adding a lot more trees in the hopes of providing more shade ,but placement is tricky. I've definitely been aware of the sun being just plain hotter than it used to be, but this started more than ten years ago. Maybe it's just steadily getting worse???

It has appeared to have been steadily worsening to me for some years, too.

Reminds me of the line in a song "It's the end of the world as we know it". Very grim but we are living it, and as gardeners I think we're more aware of it than much of the general population.

I've been looking at the web site below for info about UV radiation, and it's a bit sad how little is actually known about the effects of UVA and UVB radiation on people, other animals, plants, etc.

There's a passage at the link below that talks about how scientists have been investigating the effects of UVB radiation on living organisms- especially phytoplankton- in Antarctica since the ozone hole there should mean there is more UVB radiation getting through there (and throughout the southern hemisphere), but "In fact, phytoplankton off the California coast sometimes turn out to be more susceptible to UV-B radiation than phytoplankton in Antarctica, to the surprise of biologists."

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/UVB/uvb_radiation2.php

If I'm not mistaken, the UV Index you can consult as part of your weather forecast only gives info about UVA, since that's the primary culprit in sunburn and cataracts. UVB, however, can mess up DNA. It can also impair photosynthesis and other processes critical to life.

So to use Ingrid's garden as an example, she has to cope with long-term drought conditions, alkaline salts in the soil and water, and other issues, but UV radiation can reduce her plants' ability to cope with the other stressors.

Which can explain MANY of the issues we're all combating these days.

106 today and where's my fall weather and rain?!

I am seeing more and more sunburned canes as well.

Here in Tuscany it's grotesquely hot,too,and the forecast is not good. I, too, am longing for rain and fall weather.