Is this the Austin rose? I can't remember if the one I have is Miss Lillian or Lillian Austin. If you're referring to the Austin rose I can tell you about it.

Hi All, I just wanted to make an interesting observation about the Indigo Rose that I planted from seed I collected the first time I grew it in 2012. I planted a flat of tomato seeds in the late spring of last year with the intention of planting a garden but due to a myriad of distractions I failed to do so... I kept watering the flat on occasion but was mostly neglectful and every so often would pull out the dead and dying until one day in august (I think, maybe september) I decided to plant the survivors who were quite stunted but alive none the less! To my surprise they immediately jumped into action and began to grow rapidly, so since I live in temperate Southern California I decided to let them go and see what happened, in short order they started to set fruit but not ripen very quickly which is a known factor so in keeping with my 2014 gardening 'style' I ignored them some more except for watering and they continued to grow and set fruit throughout the the fall and winter and I have been able to pick some ripe fruit through December and January so far... I was pruning them back yesterday and noticed that some plants were still putting off new branches and flowers so it makes me wonder if I kept better care of future plantings whether or not they might become something of a perennial tomato... Interesting huh?

I walked int a HD garden center a couple of years ago. Pots of Agastache Blue Fortune were covered in bumblebees. I walked out with one (pot). It grows next to a HT in the back. Dies back to the crown in winter, Foliage appears at base first about now. Blooms start last week July here, and go continuously to frost (or beyond). It does not disappoint. Can flop a little once fully in bloom. I use a single raised metal ring to support, and it does fine. Crown is planted 3 feet from base of HT. Each stays in its own lane. Remains a bumblebee magnet.

Roses grow well here -- too well -- in fact, they grow themselves to death. Be sure you use as much organic matter as possible in the planting hole. I was taught to plant them in straight organic peat, but I don't think you can find that easily anymore. Black Kow is just as good. The cheap roses are on Dr. Huey rootstock and usually last about 5 years in the ground before the nematodes get them. The ones on Fortuniana rootstock will last anywhere from 15-20 years. Native and what we call "own root" roses (mostly heirlooms that can grow on their own roots) can grow forever. Mini roses must be grown in pots for them to last any time at all. Rose growing here is labor intensive because of insects and fungus. As a fungus preventative, spray them with fungicide recommended for roses every ten days and with an insecticide the same. If you don't mind using chemicals, Bayer makes a great systemic insecticide for roses. I gave up growing them years ago, so I'll let someone else tell you what insecticides are recommended now.