I hear you, Sharon - I've just been out checking the garden thinking nothing could be as bad on the roses as last winter. Sure enough, almost none of the roses beyond the "usual suspects" had any live cane above the leaf line, and many are dead down to the ground. It didn't seem like this was as brutally cold a winter, but we had a very early bitter cold snap with below zero for about a week in November. I think that shocked the canes off most of the roses in the yard never to recover. So far I don't THINK I've lost any more than my usual number of marginally hardy roses, but I don't dare speak too soon. You're of course right that we should only plant roses for a zone colder than we are to be safe, but heck - who wants to be safe? Hey, we specialize in plants that can draw serious blood at a moment's notice, so we're not exactly sensible, are we? Dinglehopp3r, I've had about 5 teas in my zone 5 yard for 6 or 7 years, and with a little extra protection they have done fine. Of course I experimented with around 10 other teas that fainted dead away at the first sign of our winters, so it's anyone's call. I'm trying to add Clementina Carbornieri this spring, and we'll see how she likes cold and ice. Cynthia

We had a real gullywasher here in Centennial the other night, and out in E. Arapahoe county a guy I work with got 3/4 of an inch. Another guy I work with got 1/2 an inch out in Arvada he said. In Jefferson county at mom's house we don't have a rain guage but she said the past couple days have gotten some good downpours. When I was out at Rocky Flats removing teasle on Wednesday everything was completely saturated and the drainage we were working in had a lot more water than it did a week ago. Of course at the Arsenal we have had 1/10 of an inch, it is bone dry out there. Such is life in Colorado. When the pioneers first came west it was a scientific "fact" that rain followed the plow. We have since proven that to not be the case but nevertheless we continue to encourage unmitigated growth along the Front Range. I feel like I have been through this before so I will spare you all from having to listen to me blather on about it some more.

At least maybe with all the rain there will be lots waiting for you!! It is irony isn’t it? Like when it is going to be a great bloom day the next day and thunderstorms wipe out all the blooms!!! Be safe on your travels and visit. Kate

As the temp drop and they lose their leaves, i'll transplant them into the ground and wait for Spring to do her magic.