I've been venting too. I don't even have buds forming yet so I have no idea when I'll see any blooms. I have already written off my spring shows. I just won't have anything in bloom yet by then.

But I am looking forward to being able to buy some new roses. That's the silver lining I guess. I've been maxed out for years now and there are so many I want to try. This will give me a chance to do that.

You're not spoiled, you're understandably not happy with the situation. The spring flush is the highlight of the rose year, and it's a bummer when that's spoiled. Due to the drought I haven't had the customary explosion of blooms in the spring the past two years and it's been very disappointing. Your situation sounds much worse and I'd probably have a mini-meltdown in your place. I do hope the situation improves later in the year.

Ingrid

We have a Catholic Church with 40+ KO roses and over half of them look awful! Hardly any leaves yet etc...
A bad year for a lot of people.

Our two carefree sunshines are still small due to major winterkill then colder weather even through this month...

I prune our Dogwood bushes to the ground every 2-3 years in late March. I'm just now starting to see new growth start on them...

Are we spoiled? Yes! Mother Nature had her way with us and now we are left to clean up the mess, literally. My garden beds look like crap, with my roses bed being the worst. I have room for at least 7 new roses plus a long list of other plants but nothing I've seen locally has impressed me. So to ease my depression I'm working on cleaning my lily bed. They should be blooming in a couple of weeks and hopefully I'll have it clean by then.

Not spoiled, just disappointed. Hopefully your garden can heal up from that terrible winter and come back strong and you will be happy again.

Ken, While I did have some roses bloom this spring, I did lose some, some had to be cut down to nothing and many are just blooming now. You are a little behind me, being further north and up in the mountains.

But I have to say, some roses have really come back strong. I had to cut many way back, my teas were down to the root ball and now most are covered with nice new growth almost 2 feet high. And some other older roses are putting out new canes like crazy. I guess they are happy they survived the winter. Have patience.. and remember, the GGRS show is in October!!!!

The weather change should be good for the CT Rose Show, which moved up a week this year, as many gardens were bloomed out by the time to the show. While the stems might not be as long, I look forward to seeing different varieties at the show.

Funny,
I've always thought fall bloom is our best. Spring is always a fight against weeds and weather.

Fall bloom comes more slowly, bloom sizes can be huge without heavy fertilizer (just cooler days) and better color because the sun's rays aren't as intense. Also no hail storms. No late Easter Freeze. No really hungry dear and their fauns. Slower caterpillars.

I guess Fall for the win.