Over a number of years I created a large roses collection, mostly Old Roses, for my Denver clients Graig and Shanti. Here are a few views of them and some of their back yard pillar roses I trained up pressure treated roughhewn wooden poles.

When I see the severity of the drought in California I am reminded JUST how much my native Florida has dried up since I was a teen here in the 60s...no one then could have EVER imagined watering restrictions of any kind, much less watering just one day per week and a limited number of hours. So it boggles my mind to know of wealthy homeowners and some rosarians here who somehow obtain exemptions and water DAILY in incredible amounts, in one case seven gallons of water per rose per day on hundreds of roses, or vast swaths of hyper-thirsty St. Augustine lawn. Talk about a sense of entitlement and disregard for the environment, especially the rosarians who also use VAST quantities of pesticides!

In Denver, the rambler 'Hiawatha' grew like crazy for me and was INCREDIBLY cold hardy....so much so that it is one of VERY few roses that I have forgiven for being almost completely scentless. Here it is in July 2002. I tried it twice in Tampa my first couple of years back, but both died....is anybody in Florida having any success with it?