Something has attacked my garden, but I'm not sure what exactly, possibly anthracanose, possibly cane borers, possibly my dog marking the bushes, possibly heat, maybe all of the above and more. Rainbow Sorbet was hardest hit, having lost almost all of its leaves. I've fed it along with all of the others, with slow release and immediate release fertilizer. It has been too hot and/or too windy or rainy to spray, so hopefully the systemic fungicide and insecticide I've applied will help.

Perhaps I've learned the hard was that watering to cool the plants down might not be wise in my area, but the heat has been rough on the roses. I hope that once cooler weather returns they'll have a chance to recover before it gets cold.

I did plant Gene Boerner on the South side of the house by Gruss An Aachen, and I planted Crackling Fire in the bed with the other minis. Both seem happy in their new homes.

The About Face bush I purchased however looks likely to die before I can plant it. Heat along with the blackspot it had when I got it might have been its downfall.

I got my first blooms on Distant Drums and Prairie Sunrise, both were pretty. Unfortunately, Distant Drums is beside the very sick Rainbow Sorbet and is struggling somewhat as well.

Golden Unicorn is barely surviving, only the beginnings of one stem remain, and it is infected. I keep soil mounded on the union and water it well, hoping for the best.

Purchased Bewitched, About Face and Gene Boerner since last post, Gene Boerner has black spot, About Face mostly healthy but may have some canker, Bewitched has some issues, but mostly healthy as well.

New Buck roses all doing well, except Golden Unicorn is struggling since dog broke off what little new grown there was. A tiny stem is growing and I've protected the bud union with soil. There are new buds on America, Prairie Sunrise, Distant Drums, and Prairie Sunset.

Coral Dawn has bloomed, and is growing nicely. However, there are some weeds and other flowers I need to pull in the garden on the south side of the house.

Kordes Perfecta bloomed but is still sickly. The same weeds near Coral Dawn may be part of the problem.

Double Delight is doing well in spite of what seems to be a large sucker. I'm leaving it just in case it is a sport, but it looks more and more like Dr. Huey. As long as everything is healthy though, I'll leave it alone.

Gruss An Aachen is doing well, but slowly. The blooms are too big for the stems that have grown so far.

Casino is growing slowly but is healthy and gives a few blooms here and there in spite of shaded location.

The climbing Queen Elizabeth has healthy stems and not so healthy parts, but there is a real thick new stem growing from the base that I am training away from the other main stem. Keeping my fingers crossed.

New Dawn is HUGE. I've had just one bloom however. Starting to wonder if the main stem might be a sucker since it's over 10 feet tall now.

Climbing Pink Peace is also growing nicely. No blooms at all, but stems are 5' tall now.

Climbing Tropicana has healthy new growth, and was recovering nicely until a recent aphid infestation. The aphids have spread to Climbing America.

The 'Charlotte' climber is tall, but only has two stems. I still think this one has a mosaic virus.

Crackling Fire and the other minis are all in bloom and are gorgeous. Rainbow Sorbet also blooms constantly, but I'm starting to worry about it.

There have been cane borers as well as drainage issues near the Buck roses. The landscape fabric is not allowing water through, so the water is running to where I planted all those roses. Dog urinating doesn't help, and he has broken off stems.

History of rose garden to date:

April 2004 - planted Casino (? bareroot purchased at Home Depot) climbing yellow rose in SW corner of backyard to stop Zeke from digging - blooms well, off to good start in spite of shade, needs lots of food - also planted 2 miniature roses in flower bed at NE of backyard.

Winter 04-05 Casino survives with some dieback, red mini also survives

May 2005 - purchased 3 bareroot climbers at Home Depot - Peace, Queen Elizabeth, and Charlotte (?) - Queen Elizabeth and Peace panted near Casino, Charlotte planted near NW corner of yard. Charlotte may have RMV? but is only one of these three to bloom in '05

June 2005 - purchased 10 struggling bareroot climbers and hybrid teas at Menards for $2 each, includes New Dawn, America, Josephs Coat, Don Juan 2x, Cl Queen Elizabeth, White American Beauty, Blaze, Snowfire, and Pascali - nearly all have canker, I neglected to bury bud unions, New Dawn is only one to survive winter.

June 2005 - purchased 2 potted roses at Home Depot, Double Delight and Coral Dawn, planted both on south side of house, Double Delight very prolific, Coral Dawn struggles but provides some small bloom and reaches 3-4 feet.

July 2005 - purcahsed 3 minis and potted in container, all are sick with mildew by fall, allowed to die over winter

Winter 05-06 - Climbing Peace and Charlotte grow and grow in early fall, and both suffer from winter, Peace almost dead as of this date, Charlotte coming back slowly, Casino still healthy with some dieback, Queen Elizabeth has more severe damage perhaps from insects? Double Delight survives winter well, Coral Dawn struggling, Red Mini (Black Jade????) first to bloom, New Dawn has skinny canes but vigorous with spring. Removed dead roses from last year.

late April 2006 - Purchased 4 bareroot roses from Home Depot: Tropicana CL - top of hill SW fence, Pink Peace CL - middle of SW fence, Kordes Perfecta HT - near Double Delight south of house, Gruss An Aachen F, south side of house. Pink Peace and Gruss An Aachen both healthy and growing well, Kordes Perfecta and Tropicana both stuggling a bit but respond well to spraying and feeding. Also planted grocery store coral mini purchased from Jewel for Rose at Valentines day.

May June 2006 - Purchased roses to go along south side of North fence in backyard near swingset: potted Rainbow Sorbet from Random Acres, potted Priarie Sunset from nursery on rt 31, potted CL America from KMart, and 4 other Buck roses from Jung Seed: Prairie Sunrise, Distant Drums, Country Dancer, and Golden Unicorn. Also purhcased potted mini Crackling Fire to put near patio.