Some of the ones that are really doing well right now, in spite of the heat, drought and black spot pressure, are Julia Child, Home Run and Dick Clark. All three are growing, blooming and spot free! Folklore is doing well too although it has a bit of BS. A couple that I keep around even though they spot a lot are Double Delight and English Sonnet. But I just love their blooms so much they stay! Austins are spot magnets and generally get huge but you can't beat them for fragrance.

Funny, I don't have any galicas which would do very well in my climate. Maybe I'll have to look at some of those for next spring!

There is a danger in following other people's recommendations - what works for them may not do very well for you. Ask around locally (any clubs or societies you can join?). Anyway, the adventure is all yours. Have fun (there may be tears too).

I have a new house and all I've done is amend my clay soil with copious amounts of (mostly) composted horse manure. I double dug my beds, added in the compost and now just use it as a mulch/top dressing. The perennials I've been putting in since I moved here have been doing great.

The clay found here--if you can fluff it up and keep it from compacting--is actually a pretty great growing medium. That's what adding organic matter will help you do. Here around Nashville we're in the "Central Basin". As a geological area it stops just north of the city, but extends South down below Maury county. It's a different geology than N. Alabama so it's not really the same red, gritty clay. It's been recommended to me to try Teas and Tea Noisettes (I'm more interested in the Old Garden Roses.)

You also might want to check your zone on the new USDA maps. I discovered myself that Nashville moved from 6b to 7a. Which makes us a little more hospitable to some of the roses that like warmer conditions.

Rabbit poop is suppose to be great in your garden. I've never used it, but know people who have used it straight without composting with no problems. I also know people that have successfully put fresh horse manure on their roses. If it were me I try it on just a few things and see how it goes.

I wonder if the 'too hot' school comes from breeders that use wire cage bottoms (too hard on their feet unless you're into "fur & fryers" :-P and scoop pee-layden poo up from the concrete floor?

My kids have always been house rabbits so they use a litter box, now with newspaper & hay, before I used Feline Pine (it's kiln dried so it's safe) which was great because I could throw that in the garden straight, even with the pee-soaked sawdust, although with that I took the precaution of watering well. Newspaper and hay needs to be composted but I put it in the city compost because I top the orchard grass with 3-way (oat, wheat, barley which all come up as weeds like you wouldn't believe, hard to get the heap hot enough to kill them). Plus, the dogs think the 'raisin-ettes' are the best.treats.EVER. (I've thought about using them for training treats, after all they are pretty inert, but couldn't get myself to ;-)

Lagomorphmom (Kerin)