Thank you all very much! Jerome- Larmarque has always been very top favorite rose. Like Audrey said it has such nice clean blooms and the smell is a wonderful sweet citrus scent. I also just love the green apple color of the leaves.Very well behaved climber. Krista- Duchess de Brabant has grown very quickly for me. Always covered in blooms. Denise- Thank you for the complement...I too just love that birdfeeder, got it at our Flowertown Festival 2 years ago but I wish I spent more and got the larger birdhouse instead as now that vendor hasn't been there since...got to remember to go with your gut and just buy it when you see it. Audrey- I have Ducher too but I got lucky as she was sent by accident so they told me to keep her and I love her. Very clean, nice rounded shape, and a citrus scent similar to Lamarque. I love white roses but they are hard to get full bush shots as the white seems no matter the time of day is bright and it just doesn't show up very well. Here is mine... Here is a link that might be useful: hennypennyrose cottage

Thanks again to everyone for your very nice and encouraging comments. Always makes me want to improve as a gardener! hoovb. If I have enabled Y O U to a rose, I guess that would make me a Rosarian ;-)! I have to admit you are one of my garden idols! Carol, for some reasons Iceberg roses simply love Southern California and all the rain that we had this year has just let them explode into the spring flush. Beth, I am glad that you like my photos. As for the scrub jays, I don't recall seeing them the first two years that we have been here, but this winter suddenly they showed up at the feeder. Masha, I am always happy if someone likes my "White Bed". I guess there are people, who think it is just plain boring or too monotone, but I like to experiment with the nuances of white and find it very exciting! Krista, thank you so much for your wonderful compliment, that is rather flattering! I didn't know that your Mme. Ernest Calvat is also so young. It might be interesting to compare how our roses are doing in the very different climates that we are gardening in. Serena, it is always nice to have bird guests in the garden, isn't it? You have a very eloquent way to use words "Even Lady Guadalupe shows sheer elegance the way you portrayed her", thanks for saying that! Florence, it gives me joy that you like my garden! Christina

Thank you both very much for the compliment. Lilyfinch I don't remember when I planted most of my roses. I have 23 antique roses and some knockouts, but the oldest I have is Mrs BR Cant which I planted 8 years ago in the spring, I can't remember if Lamarque and Climbing Pinkie were planted the same year or the next. Once I planted my first 2-3 roses I was addicted and bought usually 3-4 roses every year, I haven't planted any new ones in the past 3 years as I just don't have the time to spend in my garden like I did. I have found my climate here (can't speak for anywhere else as this is the only place I have ever gardened before, but Noisettes (which originated here in Charleston), regular tea roses, China roses and hybrid musk roses tend to thrive quite well and can get quite large fairly quickly for some. Peggy Martin (I did a post on the antique rose forum about this fantastic rose) is a found rose so I don't know what background she has but she seriously thrives on neglect and I do very very little to her. She is believe it or not the youngest rose I have! I have a lot of heavy clay soil so working with it is back breaking and slow which is why I haven't added anymore roses as of recently. I have some roses that grow quicker than others and in my garden here are some of my slow growers; Madame Alfred Carrier is one that is always touch and go, Mrs Dudley Cross, Maggie (I threaten to dig her up every year but she is looking for promising this year so we shall see), Cornelia (another touch and go rose that I have threatened to shovel prune but keep giving her a chance and she too looks better this spring)...While Lamarque, The Charlestonian, Peggy Martin, Belinda (not to be confused with Belinda's Dream), Duchesse de Brabant are among the fastest growing then there's Mrs BR Cant who hardly did a thing the first three years and then took off into one monster of a rose. The rest seem to grow at a fairly normal rate. I had to laugh a bit at your saying hoping to stay long enough, I have wanted to move to a bigger home for awhile but my garden keeps me from doing so, I just can't leave her and anytime I tell someone we were thinking of moving they would gasp and say you can't leave your garden what about all the hard work you have done. My daughter laughes at me because in the winter I'm all about moving, that is till spring comes and I'm like I can never leave. Haha I think she right! But I would say in general it will take about 4 years to have them really start filling out again though it just all depends really in end on a particular rose. ;) So I didn't intend for this to be so long lol, but I hope that helps you some. What roses did you plant if you don't mind my asking? I would love to know! All the best of luck and happy gardening to you!~Meghan

OMG , I was reviewing these posts ( as I do time and again ) and read this from Lilykate " a younger and more energetic me on the inside keeps telling the older worn out person on the outside to keep planting and expanding!" I can so relate to this statement ! I do the same thing . We own 2 acres and I am slowly working my way eastward on the property with daylilies much to the chagrin of my husband who told me this summer ." you see that bed you just dug and planted? it is your last one ! " Ha , he really should know me better than that after 30 plus years together . HA HA HA HA