For comparison, here is a picture of my Munstead Wood, planted the same day.

SFV4life,

I am having the same experience with Carding Mill. Roses that were planted one week or even two weeks after C.M. have leafed out. Everyday I go out to inspect C.M. and nothing has occurred. I am giving this plant two weeks, and then I will resort to more invasive measures in determining exactly what the state of this plant is.

More invasive methods -- what would that mean? Besides digging it up, that is. Or is that what you mean?
I'm so ignorant it's pitiful.
Sylvia

My thoughts, since they are different roses with different parents, they are going on their own rates.

I have one rose given to me that is sitting and sitting and sitting with nothing happening in a couple of months. It is very special so I check it all the time (visual-no shovel involved) but since the canes are green, I am thinking it is busy growing roots and not leaves. But waiting is hard too do.

Sylvia,

I am going to cut a cane. If what I see appears healthy, I will then decide whether or not to let it remain a little
longer, or dig it up to see if there is an issue below the rose. Hopefully it will leaf out before it comes to anything being done.

This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Thu, Feb 20, 14 at 22:30

Miss Dessertgarden in love I tell you to leave that rose alone :-). I bought Carding Mill last year. I also bought Darcey Bussell and Sophy's rose. Carding Mill was the last to leaf out. But when she did,she exploded. I planted her in February and she had a small bloom on her in May. Please give her some time and keep her moist and mulched. Some roses are slower than others. But in bloom she was beautiful. She bloomed through the dry, hot Texas summer.Give that baby some time to grow.

The hardwood appears healthy, no need for any surgery to see that. Patience is a gardener's virtue. It also helps with the gardener's mental and physical health. Smiles.

Btw, isn't that a breaking shoot I see on the right of the middle cane?

CM is one rose I'd like to own but I can't since DA have not made it available (or have stopped making it available if they ever had) in Europe for some reason which only they in their infinite wisdom know.
Nik

This post was edited by nikthegreek on Fri, Feb 21, 14 at 2:03

I wouldn't be in a hurry - it looks healthy and will get going when its ready. I have had very good luck getting reluctant plants to break dormancy by putting a plastic bag over them and securing it. This makes a makeshift greenhouse over the plant that encourages it to start leafing out. I am sure it will get started when it is ready. I have one ordered from DA also - plan to pick up my bare roots in the next week from them - I live near Tyler. Good luck, you will love this rose!
Judith

Please don't give up on this rose. Your plant looks completely healthy and I think I can see some little leaf buds forming. It will leaf out when it's ready and this spring and summer you're going to see some beautiful blooms. This rose is well worth waiting for; in my hot and dry garden it was completely healthy and bloomed practically non-stop. The canes look green and normal, so there's no need to cut into one. Before you know it, it will catch up with the other roses.

Ingrid

SFV4Life, in my experience, yes, it is one of the slower Austins. Austin growth rates vary. In general, own-root Austins seem to be slower to start at the gate than grafted ones but catch up in time...except in some environments where grafted are the best choice. Strawberryhill used to post about her experiments with grafted Austins. Some grafted Austins are slower than others depending on heritage. David Austin's books are helpful because they discuss the ancestry of each rose. I ended up purchasing several of his books for reference but libraries may have them, too. Don't give up on Carding Mill. I'm placing bets that it will catch up during the final stretch of the race to maturity. Carol

SFV4life,

You have received great advice from gardeners on this forum. It was actually Ingrid among others who were integral in my purchase of Carding Mill.

I have been growing roses in my climate for over14 years and know what is outside of the realm of normal for roses in my garden; and yet, I am not giving up on this rose, but I will get to the bottom of what is going on with it. My situation is different from yours as my plant is own-root and it is in the ground.

Because this rose is reported to be a little slower to start, I am giving it more time. If you know that you have made sure that it did not dry out etc., which as others have noted, your plant appears healthy (actually better than mine), it will probably leaf out soon.

Lynn

This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Fri, Feb 21, 14 at 18:37

You might try piling moist mulch around the canes as it helps keeps them moist and they might leaf out sooner. Worked for me.

Once it leafs out, remove the mulch from the canes and leave it as mulch for the plant.

Thank you everybody! Ingrid is right (as usual). There is a teensy bud poking out of the center cane (actually there's one on another cane too). They have actually grown by a centimeter or two since my original post.

If I could get life advice as good as the rose advice on this forum, I'd have no worries at all.
Thanks again,
Sylvia

Just want to add this postscript: shopshops, our hot and dry is just as bad as yours, so the fact that CM worked for you makes me glad. Jaspermplants, fantastic suggestion. I'd never have thought of it because I've always thought you mulched the roots but not the plant/canes -- but this makes sense. There just happens to be a bag of mulch in the bed of my truck. I'm on it... first thing tomorrow.
Grateful,
Sylvia