Fairly normal weather lately so nothing to call out. Our insulating snow is now mostly melted but a little lingers here and there. No below zero temps are forecasted for the next two weeks, but also not much snow is expected.

Most everybody seems to have their own Top 10 list of Favorite Roses. So I thought I would put forth my list of 10 - only these are the 10 best performers during 2021 and not necessarily my top 10 favorites. Also, all of my 165 or so HTs, FLs and GRs were newly planted in 2021. Some were small own-root plants so obviously those were at a disadvantage in trying to make this list (although a few of those DID make the list anyways). They are listed below in reverse order:

10. Perfectly Red (a first year maiden from Wisconsin Roses)
9. Brigadoon
8. Papa Meilland
7. Veterans' Honor
6. Touch of Class
5. Oh My! (own root and very small to start)
4. Ring of Fire (also own root and very small to start)
3. Kardinal
2. Voluptuous
1. Royal Welcome

Honorable mention goes to Signature, Love, Tiffany and Marilyn Monroe. Many roses rated 8.3 or higher by ARS did not make the top 10. These would be Baronne Edmond de Rothschild, Moonstone, Gemini, Mister Lincoln, Double Delight, Olympiad, Silver Jubilee, Gold Medal, Sexy Rexy, Playboy, Lavaglut, Julia Child and Elina. Perhaps their superior rating and pedigree will come forth in year 2 of my new gardens - 2022.

If anyone knows where this is available, please let me know. I have contacted Angel Gardens already.

Yesterday morning the temp got down to minus 2 Fahrenheit. No worries though for there is a good base of about 4 inches of snow. Today is Saturday and the forecast is for minus 5 degrees early Tuesday morning. Otherwise it is forecasted to be fairly normal - highs in mid-20s or low 30s and lows in mid-teens.

I like to refer to our Winter as the three months of December, January and February. I can't consider March winter really but it's not Spring either. Anyway we are nearly halfway through winter - yippee!

Some snow arrived a few days ago - supposed to get between 4 and 8 inches but I think we got more like 3 (maybe 4). It's enough to tuck in the roses before a cold spell coming. Funny how now as a rosarian I'm actually rooting for snow these days. I suppose Work From Home also lessens the inconvenience of appreciable snow.

I'm a little surprised that most of the leaves are still attached to my dormant bushes. Many years ago when my garden was much smaller I always pulled the leaves from the roses around Thanksgiving time so I am used to looking at nothing but canes over winter. Leaves are a new look for me.