Those are exactly the pictures and research we need, so good job on that. If I understand correctly, here's what's up ... It looks like there is a well established swale behind your property running downhill to a catch basin. This is great news! It's possible the orginal grading of the yards in the neighborhood may have never been top notch, but just enough to get by. Then, over the years, the swale may have collected enough silt, that it started to drain slower, to the point that it is backing up into individual yards. If the swale is running slow, it wouldn't be sufficient to just fix the grading and drainage in your yard. You need to contact the city public works departand get someone out there to tell your predicament to, and to inspect the drainage in the swale. It would good if you could follow the swale, documenting in video the drainage flow during a major storm, just in case you need it. More than likely, the bottom of the swale just needs to be cleaned out so that it has more capacity. Meanwhile, carefully inspect the grade of your lot and assess that it has positive pitch running toward the back, likely at a diagonal toward the left side. Drainage from your yard would generally follow the blue line. One thing to note, even if the swale is functioning as it should, or is made to do that, there still exists the possibility that torrential rains can overwhelm it because it has a finite capacity. It can only carry away so many gallons of water per minute, and if the rain exceeds that volume, backing up is going to happen. In that case, nobody would be able to do a thing about it but wait for the rains to cease and for the water to finally clear out. But at least, making sure that you have positive pitch in your own yard will ensure that it will drain when the rain ends. If water does back up, you'll need to raise the shed a a few inches higher and grade the surrounding soil such that it has pitch away from the shed. You might do this just in case. If the city declares that the swale is functioning properly, then your only remedy would be to take care of what you can in your own yard. If the city acknowledges that the swale needs cleaning, but they are in no hurry to take care of it, you might try to encourage your neighbors who share the problem to complain to them, too ... you know ... the squeaky wheel getting the grease.

Maryl - You wondered if Facemaker would be whiter in the heat. It's not. It's more yellow than cream with the heat and humidity. Those photos you saw that made the petal color look white were not reality. They were either the result of people using cameras that tend to "blue" everything up, or it was caused by light blowback. I didn't photograph it this morning because one petal wasn't fully open. Pinks and purples are still my top favorites. I've acquired more reds because I'm hybridizing with them. Having gotten good results from my red breeding, I wanted more reds to cross with my red seedlings. I do tend to like the reds more and more each year though. oranges too.. Debra

Sheila, high winds are a pain, along with ice storms, and two feet of snow in three days...things like that. It's one of the reasons I work on trees and shrubs for the garden, to provide shelter. Condolences on the snapped canes, though both you and the roses will recover. I remember how beautiful my 'Anna Jung' was, until she drowned in a wet winter. There are a lot of beautiful Teas that I don't have, a fact worth keeping in mind. But I have to give them acceptable growing conditions before I can try them again. I'm inclined to think that spacing is a good idea. It may be honored more in the breach in my garden, but then the roses go out and out, and what can I do? It's hard to foresee how enormous they'll get with time. Cold weather now will push summer back a bit, or at least, that's how I would look at it. It's beautiful here now. My sister took quite a few pictures in the drizzle; I don't know how she's planning on posting them. They're stopping back by for a couple of days between Venice and the west coast, and sis has said she wants to tour the big garden, which she hasn't seen yet, just the yard and the shade garden and the Rock (laburnums). I was down there this afternoon collecting a few cuttings, and the grass was thigh high. It would dress up the place no end to have it cut, but the motor scythe is at the repair shop, where they say they can't get the necessary belt, so it appears we will have to wade through the sea of green as we look around.

Sea of Cinders X Happy Holidays to You is gorgeous! It's "offspring" is pretty too,but it is the top to me. I do like the color of Sonoran Desert Rose X Crimson Stories and a big flower is even better. Pineapple Bites X Wandering Werribee. is a pretty one, and both dark seedlings are too. Very nice post. I really like those, and I have just added a good bit of growing space next to the right front bed. kay