Finally got a free day off to work in the yard (before the next storm comes in). Cleaned out one of the beds I haven't had a chance to deal with in a couple yrs. It's been overgrown with weeds (mostly oxalis), Bermudagrass, wild blackberries and random tree seedlings (thanks to the squirrels). I haven't felt like getting in there in recent yrs. Found out I lost at least 2 very hard-to-find roses, and once I get in deeper I may have lost a few more. These two I probably will never be able to replace. One was an older Certified Roses intro, CLASSIE LASSIE. Totally dead. The second one is my original test rose of a limited release J&P rose from about 5-6yrs ago called SUMMER OF LOVE. The bud union died, but it grew a nice bunch of suckers. What a bummer. Just shows I need to check all beds to be sure this doesn't happen again. I also should've amended the soil up there. Altho there are quite a few of them that are doing just fine there. So not sure why these biffed it.

I also think I might've lost another one that I got many yrs ago at Home Base (no longer in business). There's top growth, but I can see the bud union is buried, and the whole thing being suffocated by a clump of irises. I couldn't get them yanked out when I was up there. Will have to go back and get a trowel to dig the irises out and see if the growth is rootstock or the real thing. That rose is a florist one called DUCHESS. It wasn't a real great rose or a great bloomer anyway, so I won't really miss it too much (if it suckered).

It's a dissapoinment when this happens that's for sure. But one thing.... it gives me a few places to plant some from the pot ghetto. LOL Oh, and I ordered CORETTA SCOTT KING, and she's very similar to CLASSIE LASSIE, so I guess that's not such a great loss. And as far as SUMMER OF LOVE goes, a good replacement for it is the new one I got from Wisconsin Roses, PACIFIC CELEBRATION.

They come and they go... Anybody else lost any roses causing disappointment??