Mas - that's good planning! Hopefully you're well into the "I feel good" phase of recovery.
:) Gosh, that's a gorgeous picture of Biedermeier!! I agree...sure looks like the one you got.

Diane - Hate Song!!! LOL

Ceres - yeah, I've been missing Straw and wondering how she's been doing. :) Good catch on realizing that you have drainage problems...that sounds like Straw's advice...I remember she always says to do that. Once you get the drainage fixed...your roses will be extra fabulous!

Deborah - tough love works...get rid of the underperformers and keep the ones that work well. I keep doing that too. LOL

Ceres, I also have clay so last fall before I put down my leaf mulch I put down gypsum. My hope being the plants roots would be able to grow some.

I won’t really know until this year if it helped but I also got the idea from Straw. Plus I’ve switched to acid lovers fert since I realized I had alkaline soil (also learned from Straw that my leaf mulch is probably making the soil more alkaline)

She and many others also recommended a ton of compost so we added 25 yards...these plants better appreciate all we do for them!

@oursteelers 8B PNW right?!! 😂 I feel that I have been doing more for these roses than I do for my kids... shhh just joking! They are my new babies tho...

thankfully, I only have around 5 roses that I will dig up.. the others that did ok will stay on the bad soil...

Good morning everyone!! So yesterday I received the order that I placed with Antique Rose Emporium after their Black Friday sale last year. It was Christmas in March. But my family (mother, brother and sister in law) believe and tell me that I have an ‘addiction’ to plants. Not a joke. Moving to Georgia and being close to family is great but I’m still in the process of relearning the family dynamics. My family is very much like the ‘My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding’ where everyone is into everyone’s life so I think they might be ready to stage an intervention. All these roses were gifts (Christmas, birthday, etc) because that is what I ask for when my husband or his family wants to gift me something but my family doesn’t get that. Sorry for the rant but I feel like you guys would get where I’m coming from. 😂

Mas I also get them for every gift imaginable. Friends and family members know I’d rather have gift certificates even more than them picking a rose out for me.

They DO all laugh at me but know that I get as much joy from the research and the hunt as I do from the actual plant.

Hopefully they chill out soon and see it’s no big deal, it’s just your thing

Oh Mas, I totally get that the research is half of the fun of planning your new yard.

26 years ago when my husband and I bought our first home everyone bought us all kinds of random plants that I had to figure where to place it.

If you want to bless me with plants, honestly , gift cards are much safer

I totally understand your dilema, fortunately my sister is pretty addicted too, but to lilies. You can't dig a hole in her yard without hitting bulbs.

Your family will get it when they see Your vision growing beautifully in your yard.

Thank you, friends for your kind words! It is so nice to have some fellow addicts, ahem, kindred spirits! 😂

Carol - thank you for the "permission" to continue my tough love approach! Love you!

Mas -- hmm...can you just tell people that if they're critical of your garden they can stay inside or you can visit them at their house, but you don't allow "negative energy" in your space? You're recovering from surgery, so maybe you get extra allowance right now? Families can be so rewarding....and sooooo exhausting.... I just gave my class lecture on "family systems theory" and it might be the favorite lecture for my students who love analyzing their own family conflict patterns. And this weekend I'm off to explain to my Dad that even if his current wife "suggested" he go help his ex-wife, the current wife actually doesn't *want* him to go, she's just being a good person...

Anyway -- I'm feeling almost certain my rose is not AL. And my friend's rose looks like it *is* Eden, so I've requested Palatine send me a new AL. They asked for pictures, again. So, we'll see. Rachel has been super nice. I understand mistakes happen. I guess this is teaching me patience. BUT I DON'T WANT PATIENCE! I WANT AUGUSTA LUISE!

I do miss Straw too. Was hoping to see her writing on these posts to tel her that I FINALLY got my hands on a Annie Laurie McDowell plant. It came worn with one baby rose in bloom and you could smell it all around the garage so can’t imagine what it will be like covered in blooms.

Deborah, thank you! I’m trying to be patient with them since they are helping me around here. What do you teach in school?

Eden is a good consolation prize while you wait for Augusta. Do you have space for a climber?

Maas - I used to get that from my parents/in-laws. I just stood up for myself and said that this is my passion and they can take it or leave it. My husband and kids support me in this, and I don't need your support. When we would talk on the phone, if they brought it up, I would say, I'm not comfortable talking about this with you, so I'm going to hang up now. Now they all support my rose passions. :) The thing is that none of them have any deep interests. So they can't understand. Good luck with your family...and you did a good thing in venting with us. :) :)

Kristine - that's sooo funny...you can't dig a hole in her yard without hitting bulbs!!! LOL!!

Deborah - love you too!!! :) {{{{{{hugs}}}}}} Yes, go teach your dad. Sometimes they just don't get it. :) And, of course, you want Augusta Luise! Especially when Diane freezes our eyeballs with her luscious pictures! I wish I could send you one of mine. I ordered an AL after my Great Garage Die Off...and then the one that I had lived through it...so now I have 2.

Mas - wow!!! That must be one potent rose bush for fragrance!! Mmmmm :)

Has this happen to you guys before? My potted roses have been dripping Sap for a couple of days now. I read it online is bc I was too late to prune abs the rose was already out of dormancy.

so bizarre, none of the ground ones are doing this...

@DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA) 😂😂 I laughed at your comment! I’m sure you mist be disappointed not getting AL but Eden is sooo beautiful too!

Carol, I like those lyrics. I might have to use them. I joined the local Rose society. I won’t be able to go to any meetings for the near future but it is nice to be around other local ‘addicts’.

I’m glad I’ve been rereading some of the comments because I missed the part about Gypsum. I’m starting flower beds from scratch. There is nothing but red clay with a sprinkling of mulch on top. It will be a labor of love indeed.

Ceres, I don’t think I’ve seen that before. Did you just prune them?

Where do you guys buy gypsum from?

Deborah, I might need your help dealing with my in-laws lol

I blame my stress on work and raising children, but everyone who married into this family knows that's just a cover story!

I got mine from Home Depot

Ceres - I've never seen that before either. Are you sure they didn't get sprayed by sprinklers??

Mas - yup - and maybe you'll start exhibiting in their shows! I did that for awhile...but it was physically challenging for my decrepit (sp?) body.

Ceres -- I've not seen that, either. Has it stopped?

Update from Rachel at Palatine -- they are out of AL, but they could maybe send me one that is not grade #1. Given how vigorous everyone says AL is, this should be okay, right? Would less than #1 just normally be potted up and sold later by nurseries, given them time to grow? If AL is as vigorous as folks think -- maybe this would be fine? Or do we think that it's a bad sign and I should decline?

P.S. My friend has the Eden, not me. I think mine is Biedermeier. Jen/Lilyfinch thinks B. is better than A.L. so maybe I lucked out?

I would take the lower grade Deborah. It should do fine. Get AL while you can.

Deborah I can’t remember which one it was but I got the lower grade of one of the Austins last year and it was fine so I’d go for it if I were you.

Go for it, Deborah. This is your chance, and plant it in the ground. Diane

Thanks for your advice! I've asked Rachel to send me the lower grade AL. Fingers crossed.

AWESOME!!!! You got your AL!!! I can't wait to follow its progress!!! WAHOOO!!! I'm so happy for you Deborah!

Now that the rose has bloomed, developed more -- I think it's just a 2nd Eden, not a Biedermeier. But I don't have room for a climber -- esp. not in that space! I just planted 2 Polka, Teasing Georgia, Colette, DA Heritage, and Mme. Alfred Carrierre -- so can't possibly fit another climber in! But, my good friend that DID want the Eden will get this one, too. And then I'll plant my less than #1 grade AL when it hopefully arrives by the end of this week. I had ordered an own-root AL from Peter at Freedom Gardens an eternity ago, and I think he'll ship it this fall, so I hope I do love AL after all this trouble! I had been envisioning AL growing next to Jacqueline du Pre, and I was trying to talk myself into the Biedermeier, esp. after Jen/Lilyfinch spoke so highly of it -- but I also just planted a Sheer Bliss (an old favorite) and a Sweet Delight from Palatine -- so was not thrilled with another in such similar tones in that space... Now to dig up the poor rose that just really took off and seemed to like it there!

Sorry -- that was such a scattered paragraph. If you could read my mind it would all make sense...

CinderElla fairytale is leafing out abs doing great. She was the only one that I didn’t removed all the new growth from. Now I wished I didn’t remove from the others... they only have tinny little buds...

@DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA) can’t believe you already had blooms! I’m glad you are still getting your AL!

@CeresMer Zone 7a NJ I got two Palatine roses in November, and my 3rd a couple of weeks ago. The two from November are just opening. They are in perfect health. Too bad one was mis-labeled! My other rose bushes that were not new were pruned down to sticks early January, and I've had several bushes put out one bloom, before the bush is covered with little buds...very weird. So I've tried to trim those as quick as possible to encourage more blooms. I don't think this has happened before...it's like one "scout" bloom ahead of everyone else. Hope I still get my spring show. I live for that! :-) (don't we all?)

I didn't remove all the little growths -- just the ones that were inward facing or awkward. I'll have to look to see if mine are doing as well as yours! So you got CinderElla Fairytale from Palatine and what else? I got the Eden for my friend, Sweet Delight, and the AL (which will be replaced soon and the other Eden going to same friend).

My own personal rule is ignore the instructions that come with bare root roses. I never remove anything, and I've never had a problem. Different sellers seem to have different and sometimes confusing directions with their bare root roses. Now I sound like a big know it all (that's what being ancient does to you).

Deborah, my goodness girl, you have a real climber collection, and I can't wait to see them all blooming at once. Will they be close together? Diane

@DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA) i got Rosematic pink, first crush perfuma and forever rose! Forever rose abs Rosematic pink are looking great. First crush, looks a Little dry... Excited about all of them...

@Diane Brakefield you are always right and have your roses to prove it! I should have just left them alone. I’m sure they will be okey, just a little slow for now...

Ceres, I'm sure they will be fine. But if anything goes wrong, you blame the Plant Tone, not me-haha. Your mentioning Forever Rose reminded me that I want to check HMF for its photos. I just love a photo I saw of it. I'm looking forward to seeing photos of these new roses of yours. Diane

Ceres, I have Forever Rose coming too

I should get my order from Palatine this week. Im so excited for Forever Rose. We got that to commemorate the adoption of our daughter.

Ceres -- when I start doubting whether I should have pruned this or that I just remember that they are SHRUBS and will be okay.

Kristine -- I love that you are planting a rose bush to commemorate the adoption! So great!

Diane - I did plant a bunch of climbing roses to create more of a privacy screen -- we are on a hill and have a gorgeous view if we don't look down at the house next door. The CA native shrubs are sooo slow to grow! So I finally had a great idea to make a rock retaining wall and reclaim some of my steep slope. So that created space for 3 climbers (Colette - thanks to you, Teasing GA, and Heritage) just below where my regular rose border currently grows -- then another little retaining wall made space for AL & Jacqueline du Pre, and then a little more rock wall made space for Polka. Then I put another Polka where a climber probably shouldn't be, but I'm hoping I can just make it work -- and then my MAC on the slope up hill from us where we just cut out the plumbago which had gone crazy and then rats moved in -- so now the hill is naked and we have no privacy. No more showering with the bathroom window wide open!

Colette is doing the best of the climbers so far -- covered in buds. No buds on TG or Polka yet. MAC is looking good, too.

Here's the pic from today of the wrong rose from Palatine -- I'm pretty sure this is Eden (not Biedermeier). And - just because I mentioned it elsewhere -- here also is the pic of my night sky petunia (with a freesia in the middle).

Oh, beautiful, Deborah. How wonderful to have all this blooming now. If you could see what it looks like here--just lots of large sticks (roses) with little leaves starting out. Did you build the retaining wall yourself? I could have never done that even when younger. I hope we can see some photos to get a better idea of how these climbers are arranged. Is plumbago tall, and was it providing your privacy? We're on a hill, too, with a steep slope in back down to the gully. One neighbor just below us is quite close, and the other neighbor is much farther away on a lot of property. Across the street are hills. But our lot is quite small even with so much wide open space not far away. It's kind of a paradox--out in the bare hills on little lots. I guess it's because water is so expensive, and getting it delivered out here costs a fortune, too. So most lots are small, but most don't have our views or privacy. You seem to have a lot of space and freedom to do your thing as far as plantings go. Plus ex-Prince Harry is your neighbor--it's all so posh. My neighbor on one side is from the Bancroft family of Walnut Creek, California. His ancestor was a famed California historian who donated his books to form the nucleus of the Bancroft library at UC Berkeley. The neighbor's mother started the Ruth Bancroft Garden near her home, and this is quite well known for its desert and dry area plants (I hope I've got it right). Strange that he should end up in Idaho, but that's another story. Boy, did I get off topic....I'm sure that's Eden, too, and I love your petunias surrounding the freesia. I'll bet you grew the freesia. Oh, you Californians and the things you can grow. But we don't have rats. The voles have made a mess in the grass in back when the kitties were housebound by winter. Diane

Diane -- I'm like you, actually. Very small lot, but lots of wide open views on the hills. Our development (41 homes) was only allowed with the stipulation that we could not build fences or otherwise ruin the oak woodland we were built into. Approvals came during high drought season and a lot of neighbors were opposed. So, we can have things like roses and veggie gardens right up close to the house, but the large open spaces are supposed to remain oak woodland / native / low water use. For most of my neighbors, this means they do nothing with their space! And the "common areas" (we're like a condo development that way - though all homes are free standing) are typically the oaks with the non-native, invasive grasses that must be weed whacked each year for fire season. We are between two creek- made canyons, or barrancas, and positioned perfectly for the hair-dryer like Santa Ana and Sundowner winds to just come screaming down the hills toward the ocean. Gusts this last weekend were clocked over 65 mph. So when I say gale force winds, I mean it! When we first moved in, years ago, I got permission to plant some fruit trees and CA native shrubs and flowers in the "common area" around my property. So I've just sort of colonized that space. It took YEARS for me to finally figure out what works given the terrain, low water, critters, etc. I feel like this spring it is finally living up to my vision of what it could be! But, we did lose an oak tree that had been sick for years -- which opened up light for the rose area, but also cost us some privacy between us and the down slope neighbors. The Cape Plumbago was not only tall but had many years to also spread out so had kind of taken over the slope between my up hill neighbor and us. It also was very woody -- and had become a fire hazard once the rats moved in and made these elaborate structures out of sticks. The wood rats are actually not awful looking (like cartoon characters) and their houses looked like beaver dams in the midst of the shrubs. ANYWAY. Later I'll look for a photo of the native area so you can see how pretty it is in bloom. I was complaining to my cousin in England who actually DOES have an estate like you see in catalogues, and the main garden actually was designed by Penelope Hobson or something (famous garden designer). And I was telling him that he was fortunate to have these beautiful old brick walls that could not only host the climbing roses but also provide a backdrop so the eye doesn't just skip over the garden. In my rose garden, the eye just skips right over the flowers to the vista/horizon/ocean view beyond. He laughed at me and said that was a perfect example of a "first world" problem. I realized after that to just shut up about it (not with him - he was very gracious) - but in general. How dare I complain about that kind of thing??? Unfortunately, although we own our home (well, we pay a mortgage), when I leave my job I have to sell the place back to the college at the "affordable housing rate" -- which means I get a glorious yard for now, but when I retire... Maybe I should befriend Prince Harry...

Deborah, love this, but so sorry you have to move in with Prince Harry (I'm sure he's lovely) when you retire. I have Penelope Hobhouse books and they are glorious. Make sure you stay on good terms with your cousin so you could spend a week there every year.

Deborah - Really interesting about your yard situation. And wood rats sound interesting...that they build structures! I didn't know that. :) I can't wait to see your climbers when they're in full swing...it's going to be glorious!! That's terrible...when you retire you have to sell your house and move away from the wonderland you've created? Oh...bummer. And house prices go up and up, so it'll be hard to find such a nice place again. Maybe you can dig up all of your roses and bring them with you...save some money that way.

Ceres - yes, your Cinderella looks soooo good!! I'm glad you shared your lessons with us. That's something that is very pertinent...and I've learned! I have Rosemantic Pink coming too....so yours will bloom before mine, so I'll get a fun preview of what mine will look like. :)

Kristine - awwww :) :) That's a great idea to get Forever Rose to commemorate Azalea's adoption!! So sweet!!

@DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA) are you sure that is indeed Eden? I have read it here many times that Eden doesnt flower on its first year and takes a while to establish. Yours looks so good and so many buds! Maybe the Palatine Eden is better quality?

@rosecanadian i can’t to see your roses either!! is there a specific rose you are excited about? I’m waiting for my first Evelyn to arrive!! I can not wait to plant her and she how she does here!!

Ceres - I'm not sure of anything, really. But I got it last November -- so maybe it thinks this is year #2! It's budded on multiflora.

Lots of climbers bloom their first or second year (Colette, New Dawn). And in California they grow and bloom faster. Then again, maybe it is Biedermeier. What fun. I think you should take bets, Deborah. Diane

Ok, changing my bet. It could be Eden after all

Buds look the same here! I guess I will wait till next year to order from palatine! That’s impressive.

@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw thats so sweet!! Congratulations on your daughter! I have two (Sophia & Olivia) and is the best thing in the whole wide world! They love helping me in the garden and right now, we are all on peony watch! I hope your babe brings you lots of joy & love!

Ceres, she does for sure, but at almost 71, I am pooped more often than not. But we are really so blessed and want her to have great experiences and knon how much she is loved

How old are your girls ?

Ceres - hmmmm....I'm most excited for my Chandos Beauty to bloom again this year. I am sooo in love with that rose. Of my new ones...maybe I'm most excited about Sheila's Perfume...I've wanted to get that one for a very long time. I had Evelyn for a few years and it slowly dwindled and died. But the few years I had it...flowers were incomparable!!! My word, they were gorgeous!! I'm sure yours will be wonderful!!! Good luck with the peonies!! Post pictures when they bloom!

Just to close out the story here -- So I had originally ordered the Eden as a gift for my friend. As you know, my AL turned out to be Eden. So we moved Eden to her new home on Saturday. And the Augusta Luise replacements (less than grade #1) arrived on Friday, so those got planted on Saturday. One in my yard, and one in my friend's yard. I have another AL coming in fall from FReedom Gardens. But I trimmed all the Eden blooms & buds off the rose before digging it up, and here is the glorious picture. If it was scented, if I had room for another climber...I might have kept her! But that spot was created (literally -- had to build a rock retaining wall to fit in another rose there!) for Augusta Luise. p.s. Diane, Colette already has many buds. I'm so excited to see what she's like!

Oh that Eden! Saw it on your other thread, and wondered how you could give it away--but space constraints, I know. I wanted to say how pleased I am for you with a Colette that is performing. I hope this continues. Diane

Man oh man!!!! I agree with Diane - that Eden is SUCH a beautiful rose!!! WOWZA!!!

Beautiful Eden!!! 😍 🌹