Virginia -- You probably know that it takes about 10 years for the rose industry to work up from an original seedling to having material for sale. The original Jesse Hildreth mother plant nearly died this past year -- the victim of drought and cemetery management. A new Heritage Roses group has formed, to care for that plant, and the others in that cemetery, and in the town. We have actually begun to believe that the old rose may survive. For the first time in a decade or more, it was actually allowed to send up new basal shoots. This is what it looked like in 2006: See below, the old plant with a circle of new growth. At present, I can more or less count the existing plants on the fingers of one hand . . . The one in my garden. The one in the Sacramento City Cemetery. The mother plant, in the old cemetery. And what ever Jill Perry has, left over from propagating for the Heritage. No nursery has this rose. Though we surely hope one or two soon WILL. Because, you're right. It is a most extraordinary rose.

I would be very leery of buying any Delbard roses if I was in zone 5. Even in an English 8, they are iffy roses, suffering horribly in a cold winter and taking forever to recover lost ground. Confession time - I am most definitely not a fan of them and grow only 1 (Nahema....and that is on the compost list) but my long-suffering neighbour persists in her love affair with unsuitable tea-noisettes and miffy HTs (latest failure - Dioressence). Maybe in a warm and sheltered spot? They are probably great roses for the south but I learned some time ago that it is essential to consider the 'place of origin' so roses bred in Lyon and other warm French locations are not going to be happy with the chill and arid fenland winds of East Anglia (a bit like Kansas, I imagine...without the summer heat). I never order from nurseries where the climate is kinder than mine either and am always curious about Californian orders from Canadian rose nurseries - how does that work out? It would surely be impossible to do this in reverse (Texas to Ontario for example)?

I received my 3 DAs from Wayside Gardens (last day sale) yesterday, planted them today after soaked them over night. Just received 2 bare root rose trees from JP today (ordered on their last day sale after 11:00pm :-), I was just testing them out, didn't think the order could go through). I have been watering all my newly planted bare root roses everyday. Helen, What's the temp in CA? You might need shade and a lot of water for those bare root DAs. What are the names of your DAs? I got Gentle Hermione, Olivia and Heathcliff.

Straw, that's what I'm doing with thorny climbers ... growing them up my downspouts to deter thieves breaking into my house AND stealing my downspouts. I'm growing them right up the downspouts! They're copper and it's ridiculous these days what people looking for a quick buck will steal. I've planted Florentina and will be adding Phyllis Bide when she's grown up a bit. I'm still debating on this sale as I have to get a couple that are expensive shipped and still have my gift certificate from HCRs. I'll be going there next week to pick them out so maybe I need to give this a miss until next year. I did really want Purezza and a couple of others so I reserve the right to change my mind. : ))