Question: is it the COLD wet that makes them ball? They seem to handle HOT wet quite well. Of course, a downpour will mess them up pretty bad and cause them to hang their heads from the weight (not unusual, I guess, for any flower). And there seems to be a point in the bud development when, if we have rain, the bud will not open - doesn't happen often. Sammy, 9 SdlM's is definitely something to strive for in my garden. Mine would have to be in groupings - no room to spread them out. Wow, just imagine a bank of them blooming all summer. Hmmm, something to keep in mind in case of future failure(s). I have 3 plants, and 2 will soon be neighbors. I have MB & CDdG next to each other, hopefully in enough sun for their liking, but if they have to be moved that might be a good thing, right? Suzy, I wish I could "send" you some heat or "attach" it to my photos. To show how amazing this rose is here, even my Louis Philippe, aka The Florida Rose, took a break from blooming in August. I noticed this morning it suddenly has flower buds & lots of new leaves from all the rain we've had this week, but SdlM has kept pumping out her voluptuous fragrant flowers that even now are darker pink in the center, fading to pale pink at the edges - just lovely. (I wish I'd taken a picture.) Location, location, location! Your "bland and vague rose with messy petal formations, tendency to age nastily and, on top of everything, is a disease magnet" is not the rose I grow. Come ahead to Florida (Ocala) anytime. You'll at least have no hotel bill and no "little britain". But I imagine with a grandbaby coming that won't be soon! Michael, I've seen a very mature SdlM with hugely thick canes (maybe the climber) that was as tall as I am. I certainly hope 4x4 is a comfortable size for them here. Sherry

I;m so glad I found this forum today. I lost my beautiful son Brian just over 3 months ago. he died Nov. 22nd 08 it was just after midnight and he was driving his date home when he was hit head on by @#$% showing of his car. Brian was only 18 years old and I am so devastated!!! he had just graduated high school only 5 months earlier. He had everything in the world going for him. His date lindsey is recorvering well, I would say thank god but i no longer believe. my son died saving her life.the police said Brian did everything he could to get off the road without crashing into this huge wooden planter. he could have gone off the road and he might have lived but she surly would have died. the @#$%ing monster still hasn't been arrested and i am so full of rage and sadness. I am married to my high school sweet heart Ricky we have 4 surviving kids Jenny age 26 Rick age 23 Rose age 17 Was 16 when it happened John age 15 was14 when it happened rose and John just had birthdays and all I could think was that one day they will be older than Brian. My husband and I were so heartbroken we couldn't even help plan his funeral. My daughter did everything. and I know she did the best she could but I feel more should have been done. over 600 people came to his wake.It was like a horrible blurry dream. I really can't remember much. It was so over whelming. all these people, alot I didn;t even know all wanted to hug me and express ther condolenses even his kindergarden teacher was there. and I promised Brian I would not embarress him so kept my "game face" on but the whole time I just wanted to scream my head off. Brian was the kind of person who made friends everywhere he went. I'm glad with all my heart he was so loved but I'm still freaked out It was so over whelming. I still can't leave my house. I feel like everyone is staring at me. I know they're not. I never went back to work. It's only been a few months but I feel so bad. I hate laughing i feel so guilty that every time I have a "good day" i just punish myself for the next few days. We buried Brian the day befor thanks giving. His birthday was the day before xmas eve. I wanted him cremated because I can not bear to think of his beautiful face rotting in that box. his father brothers and sisters refused. I have not visited his grave since valentines day and i told my husband i'm never going there again. his grave is covered with dead frozen flowers stuffed animals letters pictures and un opened xmas and birthday presents it looks like a garbage dump. people say the stupidest things like what a nice gadrden he'll have. I can't dig in the soil knowing my little boy is in there. I no longer believe in god My son was such a great kid. he was all boy. If there is a god why my son?!!! why not the @#$% that did this to him. and why isn't he aressted? He had 3 other kids in his car( the @#$%) all including him were in the hospital for weeks one boy(not sure if this is a roumer) is in a wheelchair for life. and all the roumers are so @#$% crazy. I'm sorry this is so long. I have no one to talk to .my so called friends don;t understand. I still can;t talk on the phone. I spend my days all alone crying. I know Brian would not want me to be this way but i just can;t stop. Thanks for listening to a mothers broken heart. Laura i'm sorry if i sound crazy but i am so lost.

@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw, I absolutely agree with you about Julia’s colir range. I love when she picks up a bit of pink in the fall. My Julia Child gets done blackspot, but maintains vigor. Here she was around Halloween. Another favorite yellow floribunda for me is Yellow Submarine. I fell in love eith it at the National Botanic Garden and looked everywhere for it. Pim Ling roses are excellent, but not always easy to come by. I ordered mine from White Flower Farms. It is my favorite yellow. here it was at the botanical garden. The bees love it. Here it was as a first year rose in my garden. My 3rd yellow is Solero. The bush itself has never had a speck of black spot and the roses are lovely, but it has a crazy growth pattern with octopus canes. I plan to move it to s sunnier spot this spring.

Well, Judi, The Prince doesn't really like it hot and dry, so he will challenge you about that. The plant itself doesn't mind hot and dry, but the blooms burn and get weird in the heat. I should take photos nekst summer to illustrate that. In your climate, some shade might be in order, but he's a rose, so he'll need sun, too. All my roses get the same regimen: lots of water, a wonderful compost I buy (Nu Life Organic compost, if you can find it; it's a regional product), applied in late fall and into winter when the weather permits. I'm still applying it. In late February, every rose gets a good feeding of Plant Tone or Holly Tone, whichever I have on hand, and in mid March, the roses get a feeding of Lilly Miller Organic granular fertilizer for acid loving plants. My soil is alkaline so I give this fertilizer for that reason. I'm sure your soil is alkaline, too. I've repeated this regimen so many times on the forum, so if you've read it before, I apologize. My roses don't get a lot after the spring feedings. As I said, all the roses are equal to me and get the same diet. I hope you're successful with His Highness. My rose is a continuous bloomer, by the way, so he blooms a lot when it would be best for him to rest (heat). Diane