Another great spring for new growth. Last fall I mulched with cocoa hulls for the first time. The roses really seem to love it, and are responding with sometimes two or more basal breaks per plant. The roses all seemed to bud out earlier than usual, and none seem to have been aversely affected by the two unusual (for California) frosty nights we had over the winter. Since we're in such a mild climate, all my bud unions are above ground, so I was just a little worried about them.

This year, I've replaced Sunset Celebration with a second Teasing Georgia. Sunset Celebration had very pretty blooms, but was a bit stingy with them. In addition, it wasn't good as a cut flower. In fact, even on the plant the flowers bloomed and were gone so fast I often missed it! As the flowers faded, they tended to get a little ratty looking, so I decided to take the opportunity to indulge my penchant for the David Austins and make room for another one. Though there are many other David Austin offerings I'd love to try, I was so pleased with the Teasing Georgia in the back that I wanted another for the front of my garden so it could be seen from the street. Besides, my next door neighbor (Carolina) has been adding some of the David Austins to her front garden too, so I feel I'm getting the benefit of enjoying some of the varieties vicariously, freeing me to double up on some of the ones I love. And Teasing Georgia is hard not to love. She's a semi-climber and a generous bloomer, whose flowers are a gorgeous and very pleasing shade of yellow. Not a slap-you-in-your-face yellow--but a properly sunny-while-dignified yellow. She's covered with buds already (though I planted her a bit later than usual--the bareroots had already gone from all the nurseries when she went in), and is putting out several healthy, tall, new shoots.

Yesterday I finally replaced that white rose that balled every Spring. It had been given to me without a tag, so I have no real idea what rose it was -- but I know it would have been a lovely one in a different climate than ours. Our spring tends to give us cool, hazy, often wet mornings, which plainly did not suit this rose at all. It was a vigorous plant, tons of flower buds, but not a single one would open until at least July. The first and best flush ALWAYS balled. So out it went, and in went French Perfume, which should look very nice right next to Double Delight. Then today I planted Summer's Kiss, (bought bare-root at Persson's Nursery) in a spot next to a big patch of Russian sage. Let's hope the two will get along...

Ordered Carding Mill from David Austin in TX, to replace French Lace, which has just pooped out after about four years of producing like mad. Nothing in my garden has really changed from last year, when French Lace would often bloom even between the main flushes of my other roses. I can't put my finger on anything concrete, it has just stopped blooming, no new growth -- it just seems to have given up. There are roses on both sides (Valencia on one side, Ambridge rose on the other) and these are both doing very well. For instance, even though my first main flush was in full swing by the middle of April this year, here we are between flushes and Ambridge rose still has a couple of blooms left. Valencia (on the other side of French Lace) is putting out healthy new growth for the next flush, just as all my other roses are. So what's wrong with French Lace? The leaves are green, but maybe a little tired looking -- no evidence of pests or disease. I'm baffled. But instead of wasting any more time on a rose that isn't even really one of my favourites, it's coming out to make room for Carding Mill, which I'm very excited about the thought of having. It's supposed to be very vigorous and a fantastic repeat bloomer, so there you go French Lace! Snooze, you lose! The apricots to pale yellows are my favourite colour range anyway, though I don't mind a bit of pink in the blend from time to time. Bella'Roma is a huge favourite, big blooms of pale yellow edged in deep pink -- a gorgeous rose and the bush ALWAYS has at least one bloom even between flushes. The scent is just as beautiful as the flower. Another recent acquisition was Honey Dijon. Oddly enough, the description in the catalogues for this one usually make some comment about the colour "not being for everyone" -- ie: love it or hate it -- but I don't get that. It's a similar colour to Valencia (at least has been so far for me) -- a nice pale buff yellow, nothing at all obnoxious about it! I can't imagine anyone hating it. I could understand if it was orangey, or coppery, or some other colour that takes getting used to -- but Honey Dijon is not at all strange or objectionable. And even though it has only been added to my garden this spring, it has so far never been without a bloom. Certainly can't complain about that!

Am noticing a record number of new basal breaks this year on nearly all my roses, and credit it to the generous use of Alfalfa meal combined with a balanced natural fertilizer. In past years have used Alfalfa chunks bought from a feed store, which seemed to take a while to break down. This year, laid down the finely crushed meal when the first leaves were budding out, and almost immediately began to see breaks. Many of these have now become very tall, strong new shoots bearing loads of flowers.

This past winter was a record rainfall year here in Southern California as well. Not sure whether that has anything to do with the exceptional blooms this spring. Most are also lasting longer than usual, both on the plant and in the house.