I'd call it a stage of depression to see all you created taken my mother nature. Thru no choice of your own. To know the extreme damage being done to wild life, trees and everything that grows. Not to mention peoples lively hoods being destroyed is horrible. It's sad and depressing.

While I'm at it I like to say, They know how to get water with desalination facilities. To get that governments need money. To get money people need to be able to work and be payed a living wage but all those jobs went overseas. Sorry that was seriously off topic. I'll stick to gardening from now on.

I know your trials are severe, Ingrid, but I do want you to know you are not alone either. I think we all go through some periods of dis-satisfaction with our roses and gardens. I hope you get your El Nino and things improve soon.

Ingrid, I'm so sorry, many is the time I drooled over your Mutabalis, what a loss. We don't have severe water problems here in the PNW so I can only blame my rose trials on myself. Am I the only one who has shovel pruned 3 The Fairy & have 2 more being destroyed by BS? I read such glowing reviews of it, perhaps it's time for me to move on to another rose. Even my stalwart rugosas are struggling, it's embarassing even to say that.

I sincerely hope for a strong El Nino this year, not a cure-all for you but a welcome relief anyway.

Jane

God Bless you Ingrid and I hope you get a El Nino...

Hi Ingrid - I'm sure no matter what you think your garden looks like it is beautiful. We've had draught here in the Midwest but nothing like what you are dealing with. Hopefully the weather patterns will regulate for you. Would chicken wire cages help protect your roses from the critters? I don't know what you can do besides compost and mulch and wait for rain :)

When my roses are defoliated by Roundup damage, or eaten by thrips or spider mites (I hate spider mites), or just throwing up blind shoot after blind shoot, or covered in blackspot --- I find all the information (and then some) from these forums and get re-inspired by gorgeous photos from everyone here.

Oh, and canker, I hate canker.

Ingrid, i put Monty's Joy Juice (orange label) in my sprayer and this seems to help my struggling roses, especially bare roots and other new unestablished roses.

Ingrid - we all feel for your plight, and it's not schizophrenic to me. I'd call it grieving. Many of us see our gardens as a kind of child, though obviously lesser in reality, something you've created and loved even when it was just a twinkle in your eye. Then disabling conditions occur - in this case, severe ongoing drought and associated disease and pests. Like so many parents when facing disabilities in their children, they know they've made a commitment to this child and appreciate the best in them, regardless of the hardships this condition creates for the child and family. You adjust your expectations and count little steps as a victory, and find joy in unexpected ways instead. In your case, you don't expect your garden to meet those old expectations either - instead of regretting the roses that aren't blooming you, with your generous caring spirit, appreciate the one SDLM that is blooming. You still share your wisdom with all of us, and appreciate what is now possible. But grieving is part of coping with adversity and finding those joys too, as I've learned from many parents of children with disabilities. You can regret the things that simply aren't going to happen with the long-term drought likelihood while you still look for those little steps and share those little victories with us here, because we'll understand. It's not schizophrenic - it's reality.

Bless you and hang in there. One baby step at a time.

Cynthia

Sorry to hear about your negative experience Ingrid. How I see it is that there is a silver lining in everything. I think having a bad period will make you appreciate the good ones even more. That's what I tell myself when something don't work out for me anyway.

..I can understand your feelings - fully...

..very best wishes...

Ingrid, I went through a few years so disheartened about my yard (and other life experiences). I was just sad all the time - I didn't enjoy the gardens anymore and thought about plowing everything under. Luckily my DH stopped me. I could never get caught up with what needed to done. Last year I decided I was not going to be that person anymore because I didn't like me. I did away with a small garden and also one huge garden that had gotten taken over by Johnson grass. If anyone has had it, they know it ain't an annual. I moved a lot into containers. Morning glories, honeysuckle, bermuda grass, johnson grass, etc are not going to live in my gardens anymore. I have down sized to one small oval garden and two in front of the house. This year I am going to get my gardens back in shape like they used to be. One step at a time.

I echo what Cynthia said. I'm really hoping for a change for you - that good things will come your way.

Carol

Ingrid, I think of you often with admiration when I get discouraged/depressed with my gardening. Yes, I sometimes have canker loss in the spring, always have unbelievable blackspot issues, weeds that can take over seemingly overnight, RRD dangers and Japanese Beetles by the thousands that decimate everything including the berries, vegetables and roses for a couple of months each summer...but I have rain. We can go a week or two without rain in the summer, and it is so hard on the gardens...even those on the sprinkler system. I just can't imagine having to manage on the amount of rainfall you receive...but you trudge on and keep trying which gives me motivation to overlook whatever uglies are going on in my gardens at the time. My garden issues are predominantly cyclical. I may not know exactly when the weather will change to stop the canker or how long the beetles will be around each season, but I do know it will improve. Not knowing if/when your drought conditions will lessen must be very disheartening. I will continue to pray for relief for all who need the rain, and hope you will continue to garden and find some joy in it until that happens.

I know how to make you happy, go get a Vespa! There are so many scooter riders in Southern Ca, they meet, ride and eat every weekend. Chasing the wind together, it's always fun and cheerful. We need more than one hobby in life. One life on earth, make it full, make it fun and make it delightful. You can start with a 150cc, it would give you a comfortable speed for scooter group rides, if you want to ride with motorcycles, you'd need a 250cc+, but I'd learn on a smaller cc bike, it's easy that way. For the riding gears, I like Italian helmets, they're colorful and light, Suomy and Nolan are pretty good. Find a pretty helmet first, then you can find a riding jacket to match. Italian flower jeans are great for riding. You can even wear boots with heels for riding, they give you better posture. :-)

Another thing can cheer you up is collecting some Christys Crown or other brands pretty straw hats, they're beautiful for all outdoor events. Buy yourself a lot of colorful dresses, tops, pants to go with. Just dress pretty, call your friends and head out for some fun. :-)

You need to have some fun time to get out house, to step out garden, to feel the air, to soak up the sun with your lovely friends, or to make new friends. :-)

Good luck!

Summer

Ingrid, I'm sorry. You feel a deep emotional connection to your garden and environment which is capable of bringing you both joy and sorrow. I wish I had some magic pixie dust but there is none. Although you've been rethinking water usage and making adjustments toward xeric gardening for several years, the drought situation is extreme. I can only say that I'm sorry for the pain you feel and I share a tiny bit in your sadness. Your garden is one of my favorites on the rose forum. Unlike other forum friends who are 'collectors' and try to squeeze as many roses as possible into their garden, you have a keen aesthetic sense. Your garden is designed to be appealing in all seasons and your roses are complemented by a variety of other plant materials. I enjoy your garden photos greatly, even between flushes. If you need to take a break from the rose forum for a time, I'll miss you.

Oh Ingrid, I do feel for you. I too am in a sort of gardening depression. Being in CA I'm with you on the water restrictions. I went from waaay over-watering in 2013 (thankfully), to cutting back last yr by about 30%. I just got my notice from our local water company that I am in the top 25% of water users in our area. (Go figure) They are requiring me to cut back to HALF of my usage from 2013. Plus we can only water on odd/even days based on your address. Soooo... I am now trying to only water every 4th day. I had gone to every 3rd day before the letter came. But being as I have to water only on odd days, doing every 3rd day doesn't work, obviously. I have cheated a little and done a little extra hand watering on even days with my potted roses, because if I don't, in the heat we've been experiencing... I'd have some dead roses. And I tell you, I AM NOT going to lose more roses. I have invested waaaay too much money and time in them to let them go. Adding mulch has helped and (trying to find time to) clear away all the damn leaves and infernal pine needles and weeds that are wicking the water away from the roses, has helped a lot. Plus getting a few little mini thunder storms dumping tons of water in a short time has helped too. That and the now slightly cooler temps we're having today. Hopefully that will be a trend for awhile. The 90-100 degree temps are not good for only watering every 4 days!!

I often ask myself what the @#$% I am doing with all these roses (1700+) and adding more. I work two jobs 6 days a week and help take care of my almost-97yr old mom on two of my 4 days off per month. I have no life.... and not much time to do the things I need to do in my yard. My husband helps only if I ask, and absolutely need him. My son and his girlfriend are worthless when it comes to helping in the yard. And my niece who just moved back from NY is also staying with us, and while she does help with dishes and meals, she's never set foot in our backyard. No gardening help from her either. Not that I'd expect it. But, I get sooo depressed some days when I go out and see all the weeds and deadheads, and the many oak and walnut trees growing amongst the roses. (thank you, Squirrels!) So very much that I need to do and just haven't the time nor the energy to go do it all. I feel so overwhelmed so often. But then I go out and see the gorgeous roses blooming (I call them the "beauty amongst the ruins") and taking pictures helps to keep me going at it. And then I see all the "ruins" in the background of the photos and that can get me depressed too. But I keep on plugging along, doing whatever I can, whenever I'm able. As long as I keep the roses watered and "alive" I figure one day I might have time to do what I want. And the way things are going, I think mine will survive the less watering and be hanging in there until the next El Nino comes in the fall to bring us the much-needed rain.

So hang in there too, Ingrid. I know it's easier said than done. But things will get better. They HAVE to!!

You have all given me so much comfort and hope and renewed courage, and I feel a stronger sense of purpose thanks to you. This is not the time to plant anything, but in the fall I'm going to look into drought-tolerant plants in a serious way, especially for the warmest parts of the garden. I will try to be patient with my roses and give them the time they need to grow up, and not compare what I have now with what I had before. Looking backwards is not going to make me feel better, but looking forward will.

Beth, I feel so humbled by what you are going through that my problems seem positively miniscule. No one should have to work so hard and with so little help. I'm surprised you haven't collapsed under the load you are carrying, with almost no time for yourself, and a huge number of roses to watch over, not to mention caring for your mom in the little time you have off. I wish there were some way you could work less and be kinder to yourself, because life should be about more than just work. Please take care of yourself so that your health isn't compromised.

Ingrid, I only know you through this forum, but I value your comments like those of a dear friend. Whatever happens, I hope you will keep posting on one of the rose forums, or at least let us know where we will find you.

I was walking the dogs yesterday and passed a house I hadn't passed in a while. Along one wall was a mass of white blooms. I thought at first it was a climbing rose, then realised it was a bouganvillea. It was truly stunning, and they had another grafted on a tall stem that wept.

I am just about to pull out several more roses that have canker. It doesn't appear to be what Jeri thought it was from the photos - have been to a horticulturist with a sample - and the whole bushes need to come out. However, I am going to try again, because I'm lucky enough to be able to give it another shot, my problem not being caused by climate change. Failing that, I'll resort to a different style of garden altogether.

Whatever happens with your garden, you've given us all marvelous pictures of what it was, and these endure in my mind, as if it still existed.

Oh Ingrid, I am sorry you are feeling so bad. I can relate. I pulled out probably 10 rose bushes from my small yard this year as I needed to get rid of the Dr. Huey root stock and roses that didn't perform well in heat and restricted water. I have been watering 2 days a week for the past year. Prior to that we had been restricted to 3 days a week for the past several years. I can tell you first hand that the roses will survive on watering two days a week. I have planted earth friendly roses and some that for some strange reason stole my heart. The earth friendly ones are doing great. Some of the ones that stole my heart, I am wondering what I was thinking! They may go next year.

After having such a lush yard for years, it is hard to see small plants. I know they will get bigger (and have) but it takes time. Hope springs eternal.

I decided a month or so ago, to move my three inches of mulch from around each rose bush and add two to three inches of compost/soil and then replace the three inches of mulch. So far, so good. Just another layer to help with the heat and lack of water. I cannot believe I still have beautiful blooms as a result. Also, we have only reached a high of 107 degrees here all year, so an unusually cool late spring is also helping.

So, please hang in there. We love you and we love your yard. It will be beautiful. It is going through its ugly duckling stage right now and things will get better. Something to look forward to in the cooler fall months of the year. Let us know how it is going. I will show you pictures of my ugly ducklings if you will show me yours! Vick's Caprice may have to go....sigh....

Here in Western Australia we are in perennial drought and we are not allowed to use water sprinklers in winter months and water restriction is applied at other times - we are only allowed to water twice a week. I have learnt to be very water-wise over the years. By adding lots of organic matter and some Bentonite Clay and some soil wetting agent to my very sandy soil it has dramatically improved the soil structure and water holding capacity. With annual application of a thick layer of mulch as well my roses and other garden plants are thriving with whatever little water they can get. I also only plant roses on Fortuniana root stock as this root stock copes particularly well in dry sandy soil. Here in the summer it is often over 100F with humidity <20% and there may be no rain for 3 months. If I have not improved the soil there is no way anything will thrive in the garden, not even weeds.

I don't mean to steal this thread, but Fragrancenutter, I would love to know what roses you have. Your water restrictions and mine are the exact same. Our temps also sound the same for the summer months (which last from late April to November). Our weather just keeps getting hotter and hotter. Our soils are different as I have clay and hardpan, but I would love to know what roses you have planted that do well for you. Might give us some hope.

Hi Mustbnuts, I will create a new thread for you about roses that do well for me in my hot and dry climate instead of diverting from Ingrid's topic.

...I hope Ingrid shows us some more photos of her garden soon, as I have become accustomed to a regular 'fix'..... roses or no roses, I just enjoy the bushes, trees and vistas.... it's all so very different from what I'm used to...

...this goes for everyone else's gardens too I think... it's not always about the roses for me....town, city, country....landscapes... always fun to look from so far away...