The new David Austin Rose catalog arrived today

I held the catalog in my hands and it felt strange because I have become so unattached to my roses this year. :( So sad! Probably because the Chief Mulch Master managed to kill at least six of the roses by covering them with pine straw last fall. WITHOUT my blessing. But I didn't have enough valid info to tell him that was an unwise decision so the pine straw stayed. And with each rain through two seasons, the poor roses were bathed in an acid bath. :( So sad! I didn't know that was happening and it took a while to figure it out. By then, six rose bushes were dead and a couple are struggling along.


The New Dawn at the base of the deck stairs fared the best. This photo was taken in mid May of 09. I sure wish the New Dawn was a repeat bloomer. The canes go all the way up the deck stairs. During the summer, the canes continued to grow and now they grow along under the kitchen window. We're talking over 25'! WOW! So it's possible I will have my kitchen window framed in roses next spring. :)

The roses in the barrels on the deck are ok but they didn't bloom much, no doubt to the acid problem. They were covered with black plastic over the winter so not as much water ran down through the pine straw mulch. I plan on moving two of the barrel roses to the yard and getting some prolific repeat bloomers for the barrels.

I'm also growing two trumpet flower plants from cuttings my mom gave me. Her plant this year was huge. I hope my little baby Trumpet Flower plants make it through the winter so I can plant them outside next spring.