Jennifer, We've grown roses in the greenhouse, in pots, for several years, and they are fine. Just don't let them get too pot-bound. Crepuscule will get big in a hurry. Some comments on your list: Crepuscule -- super easy and carefree in Florida. Lasts many, many years own-root. It gets bigger faster on 'Fortuniana', but grafting is certainly not needed. Gruss an Teplitz -- I'd baby this one along. I don't know that it will be resistant to nematodes, own-root. Also rather black-spotty for us. Le Vesuve -- I think of this as a true Tea, but perhaps not. Always grown own-root in Bermuda; I don't have any long-term experience with it in Florida, but it may be fine. Caldwell pink (pink pet) -- as mentioned above, absolutely fine on its own roots. Lasts for many years that way. Princess de Sagan -- don't know about this one. Duchesse de Brabant -- I'd mulch this one deeply, but I do know that it has been grown own-root even in southern Florida, for a very long time. The Fairy -- never tried it own-root. Bermuda Anne Olivier -- a typical Tea rose. So should grow well, but may not last decades on its own roots. I would agree with posters above, that you should use a very deep mulch on everything. We use pine straw, at least 6" deep, preferably 8". Malcolm

Thank you for all of your words of encouragement! Well, I held off for as long as possible... Right after I got back from vacation we had a week of temps near 112, and I did nothing but water, mist and pray. Today, I couldn't stand looking at my poor roses any longer, so with the temps back below normal I ventured out into the garden, pruners in hand. The floribundas seem to have survived the best - I only needed to give them a light prune, and I even have a Julia Child in bloom. Not surprisingly perhaps, my David Austins suffered the most. Some of them lost all their leaves, so I trimmed them up, and cut them back by about one third. We'll see what happens now. If there's one thing I've learnt about roses, it's that they're tough little buggers. I just feel bad that they've had to go through such a trauma! Happy Gardening everyone. Provence

Not to be a total curmudgeon, BUT... 1) It's not your fence. It belongs to your neighbor 100% because he paid for it. That means you can't paint it, grow anything on it, or attach anything to it. 2) You don't have 6 more inches. That belongs to him, too! It's where the posts for his fence are. The fence is built entirely on his property! This isn't like buying a new house and the fence is on the property line: he paid for it and put it on HIS property. The property line appears to be where the wall is. The property line didn't move! (And no, he didn't "abandon" the 6" on her side, he's using it for the fence foundation.)

Dear Friends I have "decided" - thsi new bed will be the original purple and white that I planned, even with the pretty pink crabapples. I have ordered or have: 2 MMe Hardy's, 2 Gloire de Lyonnaise, 2 Prosperity, 1 Marie van Houtte, 1 Dove, 1 Mrs Herbert Stevens, 1 Raubritter, 3 Reine de Violette, 1 Blue Moon and 1 Blueberry Hill - and lots of purple salvias and lavender. I willl see how that all grows and then add/move next year more whites or purples as needed. Thanks for all your advice. The Duchess and Daydream will be going to another bed. Will also look for William Christie and maybe even Princess of Wales that I hear are lovely white roses. Would always love any rosey visitors as I have said before. One of these days, in about 5 years, I will aim to open my garden but right now, it is early days and times for planting what I like from the wonderful advice given, and then seeing how it grows here and making changes as time goes on. Thsi winter I am moving quite a lot but that is fun planning and trying to ge them to the "optimum" position.