Weather has finally "normalized." Last Friday I sprayed for the first time - propiconazole plus Manzate Pro Stick plus liquid kelp. No sign of any blackspot yet although Dr. Huey is showing some powdery mildew - which I am fighting by misting it a few times a day. Next spray I will add the Systemic Insecticide - I noticed some insect damage on a few bushes while watering yesterday. Nothing too bad but time to nip it in the bud. Two days ago, I gave each bush a seafood-based elixir – 50% Fish Emulsion, 25% Kelp and 25% Worm Tea (with a small amount of Super Thrive thrown in of course). I used my hose-end sprayer and gave about 1 gallon of the mix to each bush. Watered it all in well a day later (yesterday).

I'm still seeing the occasional basal cane snap off - primarily due to excessive wind. I have not experienced this much in the past. I thought maybe the base of the broken-off cane must be too soft growth but that is not the case. Hopefully I have seen the last of this phenomenon.

My two maidens have stopped growing. It looks like some midge damage has ruined the growing tips. That is most surprising as there is little to no midge damage in the gardens this year, but somehow my pots are showing midge damage (must be from the potting mix I used). I pruned the burnt growing tips slightly earlier today to encourage new growth. I'm concerned that both maidens - Perfectly Red and Clair Elyse - will not make it to adulthood.

First bloomer was my Lemon Fizz shrub. First full bloom hybrid tea has been Julia. Others currently with blooms/color include Playboy, Granada, Liebeszauber, Pope John Paul II, Savoy Hotel, Fragrant Cloud, Mikado and Peace. The North Garden seems to be about a week ahead of the Soth Garden, which makes perfect sense since it does get more sun. Fathers' Day is in 4 days - it won't quite be a full bloom but it's not too far away. I have several Queen-worthy stems/buds - especially on Hot Princess - they are less than a week away from blooming.

Last, but not least, my Bonica (planted in 2021) is doing very well this year. Bonica is all by itself in the back perennial gardens in between the bird feeders. In the past it has grown and bloomed, but not nearly as much as an 8.3 ARS rating would suggest. The problem? It appears to be rabbits. For some other perennials which rabbits love, I bought some wire cages from Amazon to place around the plants. Last Fall I did the same for Bonica. With no rabbits munching on new growth, Bonica has simply taken off! It has not bloomed yet but when it does it will produce more blooms in one flush than it has cumulatively over the past 4 years. Can't wait!

The first blooms have arrived! Lemon Fizz is/was the winner, followed closely by Darlow's Enigma and Home Run. Most others are 1-2 weeks away. It's going to be a tremendous Spring Bloom but permit me to complain a little about all the good stems that have been lost to very high winds and perhaps critters? Some of the most promising (biggest) stems/buds are falling over - nearly every morning when I go out into the gardens there is another stem or two which has broken off and is laying on the ground. I don't recall having this issue in the past. Yesterday we had wind gusts of some 40 mph and in general, it has been a very cold and windy April/May with very little rain. The 2025 rain deficit for April/May stands at 3.7 inches. We did, however, receive 0.75 inches overnight which is very welcome.

Last Friday, May 30th, I fed the soil/roses. I used regular Miracle Gro (24-8-16) and Mills Easy Feed Liquid (14-6-4) both at one-half strength. I suppose that balances out to (19-7-10). I also added small amounts of Epsom Salts and SuperThrive. One gallon was given to each bush. Next on the menu will be some Fish Emulsion at label strength, maybe in 3 or 4 days. I also did put down some Osmocote slow-release fertilizer but only for the shrubs and climbers.

Some powdery mildew has appeared on Dr. Huey, reminding me that I need to spray soon.

It took a while, but I think the weather is going to be conducive to a tremedous Spring Flush!

Pruning all done. Much later than I would have liked. But it's done. Now to Rose Care.

We did have 1.3 inches of rain 7-8 days ago. Perhaps too much at once and it didn't really sink in? It's looking dry all around despite that rain. I know I watered all my bushes last Friday (today is Tuesday) and they are due to be watered again.

First fertilizer/soil application was Great Big Roses with some Super Thrive added in for good measure. GBR label strength is 4 oz. per gallon of water and give a pint to each rose. I find doling out only a pint to be problematic, so I like to provide one quart per bush. Thus, I cut the application amount in half to be 2 oz. per gallon of water and give a quart of the mixed solution to each bush. This way I'm providing the proper amount of GBR to each bush but with twice the water. I threw in maybe 2 oz. of Super Thrive into the 32-gallon trash can I use for mixing and then dipping with my gallon milk jug and filling my two-gallon watering can. Then I counted 8 bushes and tried to give one quart to each. It's an inexact science but I think it went well. This week I will fertilize with the Miracle Gro and Mills Easy Feed combination, both at one-half strength.

I moved the Clair Elyse and Perfectly Red maidens outside two days ago. They are placed on a short table to keep any rabbits at bay. Both seem to be doing nicely. They'll get lots of morning sun and then shade starting about 2 pm.

Winter casualties are now a clearer picture. Wildfire looks gone, as do both bushes of Margaret Merril. MM is own root so there is still some hope that something will emerge. A Chantilly Cream bush in the North Garden leafed out well but then seemed lose its roots and started to wilt. Not sure if it will survive - the top leaves are damaged, but the bottom leaves seem ok. Time will tell I guess. Both Papa Meilland bushes and The McCartney Rose have some growth now. There are several bushes with only one good cane growing but still alive - the winter of 24/25 has proven to be a bad one for roses.

Only 10 more bushes to go I think, and despite the 53-degree high temp today with 15 mph wind, I am bound and determined to finish TODAY!

Worrisome bushes: both Margaret Merrils, Chantilly Cream in North Garden, Wildfire/Rio Samba pairing in North Garden, both Papa Meillands, and the McCartney Rose (which by the way is now showing some signs of life). My two maidens - Clair Elyse and Perfectly Red - will replace the worst of these in July.