I was very worried that Nor'East Roses would go out of reatil sales business before I could collect some of Ralph Moore's work with the mosses. By the time I realized they were ending their retail sales division the website was not accepting more orders until they caught up with orders. I watched the site like a vulture for about 5 days. Finally they came back online and as I feared, most of the roses I wanted were gone. Out of 9 mosses they had up before, only 2 were left. Many of them are not carried anywhere else. I really hope that will change now that they are wholesale only. I did order some mini's and one regular rose, can't wait to add them. I plan on planting the minis in drifts in front of larger roses in the beds. I think this will look nice, as well as help soften/hide the base of the bushes that tend to be not so attractive (any HTs) or don't bloom from the base up.
* Dresden Doll : this is one I have most wanted, I love the blooms, and it is very well regarded. I am thankful that this one at least was still available.
* Earthquake: Not a moss, but looks like a pretty blend of stripes from the pictures here at HMF. striped effect is reported as more pronounced if it is given shade rather than full sun. One person at least reports it is pretty tough--we'll see.
* Iced Tea: I hadn't previously considered this one, but found that I like the bloom form, and the colors do look as if they are a blend that changes depending on the bloom and weather conditions, very interesting. Also nearly thornless
* Precious Dream: not a mini rose, a Hybrid Bracteata, I fell in love with the gorgeous colors in these blooms, old-fashioned bloom form, reported as very disease-resistant. Also reported to be fragrant, long-lasting cut flower. 2004 Roses in Review: Top Ten Big Roses (American Rose) I'm very much looking forward to trying this rose. I probably would not have noticed it if all the mosses had still been available.
* Robi: After much deliberation I chose this one over Cherry Hi, (funding limitations, as always). Color seems more consistent than Cherry Hi, Bloom form is s/w better in this one to me, and there seems only to be one place to buy this one as of now--Nor'east, where Cherry Hi is available from others
* Rose Gilardi: the other moss still available. Good mossing, consistent bloomer. color quality of the blooms is best in full sun -- shading only reduces the intensity of the red and white colors.

They're so busy the orders won't be shipped until after July 6, I'm very excited. It's hot here, I'll plant them in the rose bed with the soaker hoses, minis can stay in containers on the deck as well.

I've had to break down and get a chemical spray on the roses--blackspot has now made this necessary. Found out that it is a fall egg laying wasp that devoured all my leaves from a local rose society expert. She says they come every year if not sprayed for but this year was the worst she has seen--they skeletonized plants she had not sprayed, as she was testing for disease resistance. They skeletonized most of mine as well. Only the ones not in bloom during the 'feeding' escaped. Is called Rose sawfly: she says spray Malathion, though other chemicals may be effective. For blackspot she says Manzate is a must because it’s the only chemical that kills blackspot. Next year, I would like to try Peter Beales' Organic 'Good Health Roses', but I will have to start early in season and use it regularly as a preventative, hopefully I can then avoid chemicals.

Eglantyne was covered in bloom, however, I only got a few good ones that opened, the rest were damaged by all the rain and looked a bit like dirty tissue paper. But what a scent! I love it, I hope that the repeat blooms turn out well. William Shakespeare 2000 has improved--the first few blooms were well, yucky. The second set turned out just gorgeous. I can't detect much scent--I wonder if it is me? My rose foliage was devoured in the space of a few days, I have no idea by what. There I was, congratulating myself on my pretty foliage, and next thing I know, when the blooms opened--it was all chewed to hell. Nothing appears to be living on the plants, so I guess it is some kind of beetles or other mobile things. Another thing--when Eglantyne was a mess of fading/wet/yucky petals, some kind of awful flies were all over them--they'd fly up when I came by to mess with them. Gross. I don't know what they were, but they seem to be gone now. I hope it isn't like that every time it blooms. What are they? I've been having a very hard time getting anything done--my back is tolerating very little work right now. I still need to transplant Pretty Jessica and Rene D'anjou.

Simply covered in buds--I am not very patiently waiting to see them open--This was my first choice of rose this year.