Judith, I knew it. At least you're exploring all possibilities! Lynn, watering is like talking on the phone for hours - you must switch ears and hands regularly or suffer. I am in the process of putting in a micro sprinkler system. I have the front done except for a couple of emitters. What a pain!! My fingers were almost ruined. The emitters are almost impossible to get into the 1/2" tubing. Then I have the two sides of the back to do and the new yet-to-be-dug bed on the other side of the front. I hear you when you say NO MORE ENERGY. I used to want to run right out there and get moving. Not anymore. Sunday after I did the last few connections on the sprinkler system (not as quick & easy a job as I thought it would be) I decided to narrow up a gravel area to make it more of a path, making the beds on both sides bigger since I have sun now on both sides. As you guessed, gravel is heavy to rake & move around. It didn't take very long - maybe a couple of hours or less. When I finished, I thought about putting some plants in the ground, but I was so tired, I decided not to. I thought to myself it must be my age slamming me cuz I haven't been out here that long. Then I noticed my arms & shoulders were weak, realized just how big a job I had done, and decided it wasn't my age. I had really worked hard so I was in the house before 4 o'clock - a first. Think about running some poly tubing by your pots with 1/4" lines and emitters to each pot. It will make your life easier - after the pain of doing it. Sherry

Jeri: No, not going out of business. They are the only nursery in the area marketing Austins. They say then need someone to address their gardening group to explain what they are and see if they can increase their popularity. I have grown around 120 different Austins over a period of over 20 years so I may do this for them. hoovb: I got 22! Some of them are: Claire Austin Munstead Woods, Windemere, Lichtfield Angel, Tea Clipper, Hyde Hall, Strawberry Fields, The Squire, Young Lycidss, Sir John Betjamin, Brother Cadfael, Lunar Mist, Colette, Classic Woman, A Shropeshire Lad, Souv. de la Malmaison, Seduction, The Alnwich Rose, St. Swithun, and 3 more I can't remember right now. I moved into a new unlandscaped house in December on an acre and needed to add a few roses.

Today my future DIL reported that she saw a squirrel running along the top of the fence with a red rose in its mouth. The only red one I could think of was Polonaise, and sure enough the new bloom I saw this morning was gone. As we walked further in the garden past Louis Philippe, DIL said "maybe it was this one." I said no, his canes won't support a squirrel and there are no flowers near the fence. Then she went to the spot where she saw him drop it. Turned out to be LP. As I walked back to Polonaise, I noticed several bare pedunkles!! I guess it's time for the hardware cloth. I don't like squirrels! Sherry

I don't know if which zone 4 you're in, but here in the Northeast zone 5 Westerland was a dud. I've tried it twice -- once grafted and once on its own root. Each winter seemed to weaken it further. Westerland died back to the ground every winter, never got more than 2.5 feet tall, and was a stingy rebloomer. It's too bad because it sure is a pretty rose. I tried Autumn Sunset once; it died completely over the winter and never came back. I didn't try it again. Also unfortunate, because it's beautiful. You might have some luck with Zephy, but it will almost certainly die if the temps reach -18 or so. I grow Zephy and it's one of the better performing Bourbons, but it will be a goner if we get a coldest zone 5 winter again. It doesn't get big here, just under 6 feet tall, but it blooms reliably and there is some rebloom. Maybe if you protect it you'll get better mileage. Even so, in your zone it's going to take a good 2 or 3 years to get established. That's one of the things a cold zone is good for -- learning patience! :-) I don't protect any of my roses, so maybe additional protection would help. But I think zone 4 might be a push for these roses. I don't know anything about Full Moon Rising, so can't speak to that. Best of luck!