I don't know if they are taking longer than normal to bloom, but if the Miracle grow soil is rich in nitrogen, it will have lush growth but not blooms.

Boo is a really prolific grower too, really wonderful in bloom. I have problems with some SDBs for some reason. I like the name too, irisgal! Brr, inga! Our weather has been up and down here, 70s one day, & low 50s the next. Lots of stuff blooming or in bud, with temps expected to get in the low 30s Sat & Sun nights. My lilies are almost all up, I don't think it will get cold enough to hurt them, keeping my fingers crossed though.

Just a little shout out for the species (especially for you foliage lovers). Our native h.foetidus (although it really doesn't whiff) has the most elegant deep green, almost black foliage...which looks utterly gorgeous with snowdrops and red stemmed dogwoods...and when the small, lime green, crimson edged flowers arrive (look out for 'wester flisk'), it is stellar. The huge leaved h.corsicanus (and smaller h.lividus) have been used extensively in the new hybrids (particularly the ericsmithii types)...but the straight species are fabulous, with the foliage looking as good in August as it did in March. For the warmer areas, the balkan h.torquatus and h.atrorubens are smaller in flower and daintier altogether but have uniquely coloured forms which look exceptional with ferns and grasses. I generally avoid the iffy h.niger....although I am seeing some possible hybrids such as Potters Wheel having niger in the mix. I confess to disliking the doubles, although the flowers do hold for weeks and weeks...and although I do try to buy when in flower (my sweetheart drove 70 miles to collect a single yellow, unspotted single once), I have not really made any inroads into the named varietal craze as the variation in the basic h.orientalis has been sufficient to keep me entertained. To start a collection, I heartily recommend buying a packet of Ashwood or Ballard hybrids and sowing around September. Within 3 years, you will have a good basis for a collection (they are almost foolproof at germinating and growing on, being able to go into the ground the first autumn and left alone for another couple of years.

Diana, your roses gorgeous!! Your Plum Perfect is amazing! Love the color of Lavender Crush. They are all lovely, thank you for sharing.