Greta, I had a very similar problem. It was my first order from Vintage, and my first attempt at teas. Most of my 100+ (maybe 200? I'm afraid to count!)roses are from bands. I generally get them, give them a couple of days of babying in the pot to get over shipping and acclimate a little bit, and then stick them directly in the ground. They've all survived and almost all have flourished until now (some succumbed to other problems, but I've had a very high success rate this way.) Anyway, the stuff from Vintage got here, and of course we had some really nasty cold weather at the same time, so they didn't get put in the ground immediately. Now Lady Hillingdon is almost dead (and may be gone already), and Duchesse de Brabant and Mme Joseph Schwartz are really struggling. Mme Berard is creeping along, but I think she'll be ok. However, Clementina C and G. Nabonnand are doing really well, as are all the other non-teas I got at the same time. It was the bigger bands that seem to be struggling. In my case, I don't think it was the fact that they didn't get in the ground right away; I think it was the screwy weather. The larger bands that are struggling were completely stripped of leaves for mailing. When I got them in the ground, we had a couple of weeks of overcast, misty weather--virtually no direct sun. They were leafing out just fine, then we had a couple of really bright, warm days and those little red new leaves sizzled away to nothing--I think they sunburned since they'd never seen direct sun before. ARRGGHH! The teas that had leaves when I got them got sunburned a little, but weren't hurt as badly and have done just fine. Some teas that I got later that spent a little while in their pots have also done well--it's just those poor guys who got the big weather changes. I think DdB is going to make it, I have high hopes for MmeJS, but I think Lady Hillingdon is toast. Maybe I can give her another chance this fall when it starts to rain again. So don't give up yet--we can always blame the weather!

Sounds like it ended well. Pesky!! You need to stop this crazy roller coaster you are on and get off!! Between the pottery, the guns and your BIL situation, maybe the Universe is trying to tell you something! I hope you have moved your guns out of the dining room and into the safety of a locked and well hidden cabinet. Always get references. ALWAYS!!

Beautiful! Love the dark foliage. It looks very much like one of my optimaras! Mine has one lonely little bloom left...

Twilight time in your garden is just grand! What an interesting shot with all that light and shadow play. GA is stunning and LSM is lovely as well. Anytime any Lakeside is shown I immediately think of Paula/ilovetogrow in Jacksonville, Fla. she is such an advocate for the Lakeside series! Miss her posts wherever she may be. :(