Jacarandas aren't entirely reliable in Houston. If you want an exotic fast grower, you would do better with a purple or white orchid tree (Bauhinia) though they can get knocked down to the ground in a hard freeze. (They aren't *quite* as tender as the jacaranda.) I have seen orchid trees grow 4-5 feet in a year. The Princess tree (Paulownia) is also showy and grows fast, and should do well there, being more cold tolerant. Good shade trees might include Bradford pear, red oak and sycamore. Check out TAMU's site: http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/CustomSelector.aspx

Here I am again staring at your lovely roses, and the best rose photography I've ever seen.... Whisky Mac sigh.... the Dark Prince...Sharifa Asma, so many... Khalid you wrote: During previous years, I used to prune all my roses at one time but now I have decided that I will only prune those roses which show the signs for hibernation. Otherwise, I let them grow and finally prune them on 15 January Due to the rust I had I already pruned a few but not a full-prune. Did you do a full-prune with your roses, after they stopped blooming? I was thinking to do that a bit later on, closer to spring, but definitely to cut away a lot of canes, to prevent the rust problem....and with spring 2 months away. I can see the value of not allowing diseases to over winter.

Fall is the main planting season here too. Even if we did get some light freezes in early winter, which we never do as any freezes we get (if we get any) come in late winter, I would not be worried about planting roses now. Any damage I get, which is only on tender new growth, comes from chilly dry winter winds rather than freezing temps. If your freezes are light, as your zone indicates, I would not think there's much to worry about, roses are not citrus. Citrus we plant in the spring, roses in the fall as a rule. The main difference between my med climate and your (subtropical?) one is the timing of the wet season. For us here is fall to spring. That can make all the difference but for this you should consult someone with experience of your climate.

@strawchicago z5 Thank you so much. Distant Drums sure has amazing color but they fade pretty fast once it's warm. I briefly enjoyed their rich colors for a few hours...ha.