Hi Anne: I grew up in Michigan, where big land is the norm. My brother has 2 lots that size in Michigan, but he has a tractor. Leaving behind your 40 acres land is a move to freedom. I moved 12 years ago from a big lot to a small lot now. I don't miss it - it's nice to say good-bye to raking leaves and shoveling snow.

When I moved to this small lot, the soil was poor. I wasted time fixing the soil. Finally I ordered a big pile of dirt twice ($170 per pile), each time yielded great result. It's easier just to plant in deep, fluffy dirt, than digging out stones and waste time breaking up heavy clay.

Anne, I have not done exactly what you're doing in that I didn't have roses on our old 1-acre property which we left because it was too much to take care of. Since I'm retiring soon, DH and I strangely talked about moving to a different house (everything is so much cheaper now - sadly) where I could pick and choose for more sun; larger, but-not-big lot; which roses. I envy your starting over with a clean slate with all of your knowledge and experience, but I exactly understand your trepidation about all the work and getting it right. I think the main thing is to have fun, be excited about the new adventure and get some muscled male bodies to do the hard work. StrawberryHill's suggestion for bringing in good soil sounds like just the ticket. Can't advise you about which roses to take with you, but what a wonderful opportunity to have the perfect rose garden. You only have to take your perfect beauties with you. Oh, and your "cute little house" sounds wonderful!!

Have fun with all of this and keep us advised especially about your final list and all of your brilliant design ideas.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

I cut my roses from about 1000 to about 61 (I was aiming for 50).

Here is a link that might be useful: list and some pictures of those kept

I've started several new gardens in different places, but I feel I know much more now (especially since joining the forum) and could do a much better job. What bliss to be able to pick only the best and to spend endless days poring over lists. You could even allow yourself the luxury of buying one or two new roses that you've always wanted badly. I truly wish I could begin anew in this garden, knowing what I know now, although inevitably I would still make a few mistakes.

I hope you'll keep us updated and let us know which roses you'll be choosing.

Ingrid

Thanks, Strawberryhill for the advice on importing good soil. I don't know about rocks in this new yard, but I do know that it is very sandy and so I was thinking about the bags of compost and worm castings I would need. I'll keep your idea of trucking in a load or two of good soil in mind!

Sherry, thank you so much for understanding my worries over "getting it right." You're so spot on about the muscled male bodies, LOL. I'm glad I can call upon two strong adult sons for some help if I need it.

Henry, talk about having to choose your favorite child! I don't know how you did it, sir. (Interesting how so many of the roses I intend to keep appear on your parent list.) :-) Beautiful seedlings, BTW. I love those with the long stamens - like eyelashes. I didn't' used to like singles, but I find I appreciate them more and more as I get older.

Ingrid, my trouble is I've always allowed myself the luxury of buying roses that I wanted badly. I've been spoiled. Now I have to decide if they were worth the buying or not. Sometimes I think it was more about the acquisition than it was about the owning. I'm sure I'll still make mistakes, but I hope to do better than the buy and plop method I used the first time around. And yes, I'll submit my list and layout next spring for comments!

A fresh start is exciting, Anne. I wish I have a fresh start with my garden, I would love to get rid of 1/2 of my trees and 1/2 of the roses I don't like. I just got poked by Radio Times' wicked thorns while watering today - ungrateful waterhog pricked me. If I have to do it all over again, I wouldn't buy that. The damask scent isn't worth the painful pricks.

There are 7 roses that I love and would plant all-over-again - they are almost thornless and give me 20+ per flush: Firefighter and Sweet Promise 2007 Hybrid Teas.
Thornless Annie L. McDowell (lavender/lilac scent) and Lynnie. Thornless Paul Neyron. Tiny prickles Sonia Rykiel and Francis Blaise (Pat Henry's favorite at Roses Unlimited). The above cause no pain, compact, and give heavenly scented cut-flowers. Thornless Lynnie has no scent, but I don't water her, and she's disease-free.

What a thought. You know that I have around 1200 roses here on rather steep hillsides. I'm not ready to go yet. It would be foolish for me to think I could take care of this place for the rest of my life. What would I take? I can't imagine. Perhaps I would have only a few roses in a very small garden. I know I would always need to grow something. Once I was forced to live in town in a small apartment. I had three roses and a lot of varied lttle things in pots.

Wow, Anne, this is a tough one! After I read your post this morning, I kept trying to put myself in your place and think about how I would handle it.

The only thing that popped into my mind was going in the opposite direction - which plants can you do without? That might narrow it down a little, but I'm going to be very interested in what you finally decide on.

You know, I'll bet if you got moved and found a rose or two you absolutely missed and couldn't go without, you could get it back!

Good luck to you; actually it's quite exciting, new house and new yard, a fresh start!

Yes, excitement is what I feel the strongest, OGrose. I have already crossed off the roses I know I can do without - the ones that would have been gone long ago 'cept for inertia, LOL. And those cuts didn't even take my list down 10%.

We should enjoy our hearts desires in our garden while we can, Mendocino Rose. While I can't imagine tending 1200 roses on *hillsides* (not even 15 years ago) I admire Red Rose Ridge no end. You're not ready to downsize yet, so enjoy and face tomorrow when it comes. My knees say that time is here for me and I will gratefully leave behind even my (relatively) gentle slopes for a completely flat yard.

See, and Paul Neyron was one I've decided already not to take, Strawberryhill! You praise its thornlessness and I might comment on its leaflessness. ;-) It is disease prone here and rather a weak plant - because of not being sprayed, I'm sure. We all have different pressures on our gardens and different results - even in similar zones, interestingly enough!

"You're not ready to downsize yet, so enjoy and face tomorrow when it comes." How very true; I'm 71 and just had a 70' very wide flowerbed put in on one of my my outside fences -now I've got way too much on my plate, but am thinking like you, I'll face that when I have to. For me, this gets me up and going in the morning before it gets too hot, yikes, 106 tomorrow but but not too bad early early in the morning.

Enjoy!

Hi Anne-----I would love to see a picture of your cute little house---this is so exciting-----My DH and I have decided our property is getting way too much for us---Since my two hip replacements and two back surgeries I'm useless----just happy to be able to walk around and do some light gardening--I will be 83 in Nov, so I must be realistic----it is nice to hear your home will be well loved by your son and you can take your time while moving---
Can't wait to hear about all your plans---I wish you the best-----don't forget the little white fence and arbor for your new cottage----

Florence

I feel like a wimp compared to these energetic golden folks: Florence and ogrose. I'm half-a-century old, garden a few months of summer ... then nothing in the winter. I really admire devoted gardeners like my Mom at 97 years old who practically lives in her garden.

Hi Anne: Paul Neyron gave me hell at first. Then I figured out what keeps him healthy: Ball professional potting soil with composted pine bark (has tannin, a natural fungicide). It also has peatmoss and lime (a natural fungicide), plus gypsum. I mix that potting soil with my clay soil high in lime, and he's clean for the past 3 months despite our humid summer and recent constant rain.

It's the roses with multiflora or rugosa parentage that I give up. Austin Eglantyne hates my soil - I would love to give that away instead of killing it. It has the best scent out of Cantigny rose park of 1,000 bushes. There are a few stingy Austins here I that I want to trade for anything disease-prone: mildew, blackspot, rust ... these are NOT a problem on my clay soil high in lime and windy garden.

I'm trading my minis with Kim's friend in CA for mildew-prone roses. Chipmunks here eat my minis, but mildew is not a problem here with our 40" rainfall and limy well water.

I sometimes think about a fresh start - a pretty little one story cottage in a pleasant, walkable neighborhood with good public transportation. With all the suburbs and the dependence on driving cars, there aren't actually so many of those around. That is the first difficulty. Then I'd plant a small orchard, maybe six fruit trees, one or two grapevines, a nice herb garden, space for the tomatoes and no more than three dozen roses, all underplanted with bulbs and favorite perennials. Oh, and a lilac. There must be a lilac. And I do think a very few evergreen shrubs for structure, and I really would be happier if I had an oak tree. You see how it happens? My intentions start out sensibly but before long it simply runs away from me. And how I'd ever get down to a mere three dozen roses is a mystery to me. And only six fruit trees? Eight would be easier....

Rosefolly

Hi Anne...I admire and am *amazed* at how many roses everyone here grows. That's why I knew this was the place to go when I needed advice on choosing a few roses for my new garden. I really don't belong in this forum, I only have a few roses. But, I have enjoyed my visit here, have learned so much in just a few short days and have enjoyed reading all the posts, even if I don't understand some of the things they talk about...lol. Anyway, everyone here is very kind and all were a great help to me, so I just want to say again, "thank you so much".

Anyway, I just went through the "starting over" thing myself last fall, so I understand your anxiety. I just finished the backyard a few short weeks ago and if it reassures you, I am so happy now that I did it. In fact, now I'm onto the front yard. :-)

My garden was a very full cottage garden and I love the cottage look, but to keep it looking good was a lot of maintenance. I started working more these past few years and even though I really don't like admitting it, I *am* getting older too and so my goal this time was to have less maintenance.

What you are doing (deciding over the winter who to keep and who to let go) is pretty much what I did too. I concentrated on the bones (trees and shrubs, hardscape, etc.). Then the hardest part was choosing which perennials to keep. I loved them all and couldn't imagine letting anyone go. Luckily I have a lot of gardening friends who I knew who would give them good homes. It's so nice that you will be able to visit the friends you'll be leaving behind. :-) The things I asked myself in who to keep and who to let go was, did the plant always look good whether in bloom or not? Was it a harbinger of the season, i.e. irises, peonies for spring, roses for summer, mums and anemones for fall, etc. and did it have the wow factor?

I think I got it right, the bones look good so far, even if everything just looks "green" right now. :-) I'm a color lover so that's the thing I'm most worred about...will there be enough color? I guess next year will be the true test of how I did.

Anyway, it *is* an exciting adventure and I know you'll be having a lot of fun planning. Your new home sounds lovely. My property is very small compared to what most of you have, but my next goal in another 10 years, is to move into an smaller home, kind of like the one Rosefully describes, "a pretty little cottage in a pleasant walkable neightborhood". You made me smile Rosefully with "how it happens", I totally understand. :-)

Florence, You have been such an inspiration to me. I won't forget to post pictures - when it's really "mine." And that won't be until the ink is dry on the paper, sometime the end of the month. (But I'm already wondering where to put the arbor!);-)

Rosefolly, you're absolutely right. We're all of us addicted and far too easily led into adding more and more and more. That's why I'm glad to have time to plan well - and I'm sure there will be many sketches crumpled and tossed and re-drawn just because it IS so easy to get carried away, LOL.

Full Bloom, you do so belong on this forum if you like roses. It matters not if it's one in a pot or a whole field full of thousands, you are welcome and we're glad to hear your thoughts. Yes, the "bones" are the most important part - esp. up here where winter is so long. I need structure to look out on during the snowy months. And yes, I have some very special (to me) heirloom and other favorite perennials that I will definitely be carefully saving room for in my plans.

Hello Anne,

Congratulations on your move to a new home and a new garden palate. I faced the same task ten years ago when I moved from a warm climate to the Eastern side of the contintent. That made it somewhat easier in that there were many of my favorites that I new would never survive here, though I did bring some that I tried to grow in pots for a year or two. I ended up making cuttings of 50 favorites and bringing them out when I moved. That was in fact when I found the forum while looking for information on growing roses in cold climates. You were one of my cold zone mentors in fact.

Interestingly, I was wandering around my own garden in all its fall glory yesterday and making a final shovel prune list, I have decided to grow only the roses that have proven themselves over time here and instead of one or two of 80+ plus varieties in my town lot, grow multiples of the roses that please me most.

I fully agree with the truck load of good soil idea, if your son has a tractor with a shovel close enough to your new home perhaps he could dig out the native soil and fill the hole with the good stuff. Easier digging at planting time and less fussing when you place a plant.

Two other ideas that I use. 1) If you have a patio or pavement, grow a few in large pots with accent plants such as Spanish Lavender, Wave Petunias and trailing vines for acccents and make your self a sitting area. 2) Leave yourself one area where you can trial new roses. Inevitably, being rosarians, the urge will hit to try new roses. My greatest frustration on a town lot is space to try new roses. I didn't buy any roses this year for the first time since I began to grow them. I did refocus on propogating some of the ones I love and now have a couple of dozen rooted babies of proven varieties, all doing well.

I may well be facing another move back to British Columbia in a year or two myself with the same restart issue again. I retired in May and my DW and I plan to move back home in the next few years. Our families are all out west. My 22 year old son moved back last winter. So we are empty nesters far from our families now.

So good luck on your new garden and your blank garden palate. It will no doubt be hard work, but it will be a work of love. Enjoy.

Cheers, Rick

Hey Rick, good to hear from you! No, the son's tractor will be 25 miles away - too far to do me any good. It will be a wheelbarrow and shovel if I do import soil. There IS however, a lovely paved and covered patio off the dining room, so pots will certainly be required. Thanks for the reminder to leave a spot for trialing a new rose or two. You're so right: acquisition fever is bound to get the better of me now and then! ;-)
The interesting part is that although this new garden will be a bit further north, it is not at as high elevation. It's possible the climate may be ever so slightly an improvement for my roses (z5a or b perhaps?) I can't wait to see.
It sounds like a wonderful move you're planning, back to family - and a friendlier climate. I look forward to hearing all about that transition when it happens for you. Thanks for the encouragement,
Anne

Anne, we're dying to see pics when you can! A new house and garden are always exciting!

Rosefolly, I live in an older neighborhood (by Texas standards, which is 40-some years), have public transportation which I've never used, library, shopping close by, and love it here. However, Texas standards are not up to what some expect, our court is cracked, repaired with asphalt with dips and holes, looks like we live in the "other half of town", but we who have been here since it was new wouldn't live anywhere else! Only downside here are the 60-80 days of 100 or over, but we have great air conditioners. However, the Jan and Feb days in the 70's makes up for it! I guess anywhere we live has the upside and downside!

I hope you have stone walls, a picket fence, a lot of sun in the right places and trees in several perfect spots. Rich, well draining soil and ample water. I'd also say a thatched roof and freedom from hungry deer, rabbits and japanese beetles, but that's probably asking too much.

I started over a couple of years ago too, not really because I wanted to, but I've grown to love my tree-infested spot and hope you love yours too. All the best in your new garden, Anne.

Ann, could you and your son maybe rent a Bobcat and he run it to do your Big Digging? Our 4-H farm used one seasonally to get rid of nasty weeds in a 40x50 pen that the chickens were allowed to run around in, plus pigs and goats were sometimes worked in the pen. There was one weed that was easy to pick out in early spring when it was little, but an inch thick with roots to China later in the summer in rock hard dirt when we needed a practice pen before Fair. Hence the Bobcat run by someone's Dad...

Closing next week! Now it's getting exciting!
Nope, no such luck for stone walls or a white picket fence, HarborRose, LOL. Just plain chain link fencing. Still, there is a lot of sun, a shed to store all my gardening tools in, and just enough evergreens to provide some shade and backdrop. There is a huge spruce in the backyard that will have to go - it is growing right next to the septic and drain field. And another, a blue spruce of the same age that is crowding out the front walk and looking to raise the walkway with its huge roots right on top of the soil. Nice trees; bad spots. Bet they were cute and tiny when they were planted and no one envisioned them in maturity. The homeowner is very proud of them and commented on them several times last I was there. He'll just hate me for having them removed! Also, there is a row of baby yews along the east side of the garage. I've nothing against yews, but it's almost sacrilegious to waste prime rose real estate like that! (My younger son has agreed to adopt them.) And along the front are some very old yews that have been cut back hard not too long ago. I think the space would be better served with some other young and fresh shrubs for winter interest, filled in with my hostas (front of the house is the north side.) And the covered patio is on the south (back) side; I will be able to surround it with my roses, and sit out there in peace and privacy and sniff the fragrances. I promise to post a few photos when it is officially mine. :-)
Anne

Anne --this is so exciting----can't wait to read your progress reports--

Will you be getting new furniture or will you be able to use your treasured pieces-----

Florence

Lots of "new to me" furniture, Florence. Craig's List is my friend these days.;-) This new house calls for a smaller scale - besides, lots of my stuff was old and worn and made a bit shabbier by 2+ years of intense grand child use, LOL! I'm leaving a lot behind and only taking a few select pieces. But I will be taking all the art work. And my bric a brac has been packed away for years to protect it from the toddler grandson. (I think that today at 3 going on 4 he's a greater menace than ever! That child is a whirlwind!) Anyway, it will be great to have all my favorite collections and such out on display once again.

I'm excited for you too! I just turned the big 5-0, divorced so there's no one to help me garden, small in stature, and while I'm generally in good health I have some nagging tendonitis that makes my 1/3 acre hard to keep up. I've already downsized from about 150 roses at peak to around 80, chosing the healthiest ones I could grow no-spray. I am finding it's the other less rewarding areas of my garden that take up a lot of time and energy to keep weeded, pruned and well maintained. I have a lot of other (non-rose) shrubbery and a shady wild garden where lots of "interesting" weeds grow (including some poison ivy I had to get rid of last year).

I know that in a few years time I'm going to have to downsize even more as I can barely keep up what I have. I'm thinking eventually I'll move somewhere with a small yard. I'd love to see pictures and hear how you do it, for inspiration, courage, etc. !

Its so nice to hear from those who have survived "acquisition fever". Deep in the throes of it myself, I'm glad to discover that it is not terminal!
Just a thought on planning since you have a blank slate---check out ADA suggestions for gardening---raised beds, terraces, wider paths etc.
Lots of ways to grow more in less space with easier maintaining.
Please keep us posted.
Susan

Oh what an exciting time. The best part for you and how I envy it...you already have had the roses nearby so you know how they grow for youu.
This is my third garden and each has been beautiful in its own way. But oh how I wish I had been able to transport some of my treasures from one garden to the other.
Enjoy this exciting time. For sure the fact that your son will be living in your current house must be so fulfilling.
I look forward to your sharing your triumphs as the garden proggresses. All the best.
Jeannie

Thanks, Lori. I will post on how it goes, I promise. I'm getting close to the next decade mile marker myself, but while 60 is still 'young' in my mind, my knees are not keeping up. My Doc says knee replacement is in my future. So, I find it hard to get down on the ground (not to mention back up again) and carrying and toting is hard, too. So yes, Susan, I sure am going to try to make things as ergonomically friendly as possible in the new lay out. But really, the key is to keep it S-M-A-L-L. Acquisition fever was truly the most exciting part of establishing my rose garden. There were years I put in 30 to 40 new roses at a time. Fun stuff, it really was. But there is always a limit on collecting, by time or money or energy. After my DH passed away 3 years ago, adding to the rose collection just seemed to loose its attraction. And instead of finding some peace working in the garden, I lost all interest in it for quite a while. That neglect cost me dearly because now I don't have the strength or energy to battle back the weeds and grass to save the gardens. It will be easier to cherry pick the few, the best of the rose and perennials and just start over, so really it's the coward's way out, LOL. My son will have his hands full removing the rest and letting many of the beds go back to lawn. The raised beds (some of you may remember my photos from years past) will be changing over to a vegetable garden and strawberry bed. Those were built for me by my DH, and while I am glad they will continue to be of use, they are the one garden feature I will be really sad to leave behind.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:307979}}

Anne--I was just thinking about you tonight-----I'm very excited about your move-----I understand how diffucult it is to leave a beloved home filled with memories---but the best part is you can still visit annd know your son will take good care of it--
As I said before this property is getting too much for us----the house is a rancher and we added two additions (which now increased the taxes)--actually we should have left the house the way it was but the new rooms have been very enjoyable----I miss gardening but it is out of the question now plus the heat and skeeters this year have been terrible---I'm seriously considering planting a lot of green concrete LOL
I'm fortunate because my son has a Perrenial Farm and when the weather is nice I can always wander through it and ignore the work part----
I have alwasy been a "collector" of one thing or another so my collections are overrunning our home----I do love most of"my stuff"but I have to be realistic and pare down---In fact I have two Christmas trees up the Big Angel Tree (about 400 angels) and the smaller one with just angels with roses--Time for e-bay----Please keep us posted.---will you have any close neighbors?-
Wishing you the best of luck--

Florence

Those are beautiful beds, Anne. I don't suppose they can be taken apart and moved easily? Probably a lot of work for someone, but still, a treasure that your husband built is worth it, maybe?

You never leave old gardens behind, Anne. You just carry them forwards into the next season. Like children, really.

And how especially lovely that it remains in your sons hands.

All set for a triumph.

annececilia,

I hope to read that all has proceeded well and that you're set for a joyous holiday season. I don't know if you ever saw how not so secret an admirer I am - link below with the confession.

You did promise updates. Hoping for one and wishing you happy holidays!

Here is a link that might be useful: Montreal Botanical/annececilia

Thank for that link! No, I never saw that thread before but I am delighted (and somewhat astonished) that my words were worth following for some. :-)
Yes, I am quite ready for Christmas and New Years in my snug new little home. I know I promised photos and if you click on the link, you will see a small album. I will follow with a new thread concerning my layout of new beds sometime after the New Year. I was off-line for a while as I ran into some snags getting connected to the internet here, but all is well in the end and like everyone else I am busy as a bee with the approaching holidays. Wishing everyone the best of the season!
Anne

Here is a link that might be useful: My New House

And one more photo, of me with my two new (this year) dogs, Forrest the Labradoodle and Belle the ?? mix, rescues both. Happy Holidays!

How great to see you happy in your new life.

Anne, I started over last year in a tiny home (I simply could not keep up with the bigger house and property that I left) but did not have an opportunity to take roses with me, I moved in August and just did not have it in me to dig up roses in the Texas heat.
I'm following this thread to see which roses you choose to take. And I love the picture of the new house and am glad you are happy with it.

Anne, what a darling little cottage, just perfect for one person; am looking forward to seeing how your garden comes along!

Anne, I have so thoroughly enjoyed your posts and the tales and pictures of your lovely garden through the years. It is heartwarming to know that you are keeping the property in the family and that you seem excited about your "new home." I look forward to seeing the progression. It looks quite lovely from your slide show.
I have downsized my garden, not by choice, but my husband spraying my roses with Roundup by mistake. Oh, well, c'est la vie. It's just money as they say. I cannot start over so the few roses I have remaining are the ones I will cherish and coddle and hopefully keep out of the reaches of Roundup.
Please do post pictures as you move forward. I wish you every happiness in the world and it looks like Santa already knows your address. Keep in touch with the garden and with your friends here at FriendCorner.

Anne--thank you so much for these pictures---love your new home---You have a great collection of Santas----and WOW--what a great collection of African Violets---it will be interesting to see all the new surprises in your new spring garden.
Please keep us posted on all your new developments

Florence

I'm so glad that all is well.