I'm in a 6b pocket and after a couple of very warm days (80s) almost everything has at least incipient buds. Some of them are going to be spectacular. I forgot what flowers looked like after last years disaster. The Hybrid Musks are slow-pokes, but they were severely knocked back by the freeze/thaw. Even my miniscule Cinco de Mayo has buds as well as a bagged Belinda's Dream I barely potted 2 weeks ago!!! I can check my notes if you'd like exact dates. I keep pretty detailed ones.

BenT You mentioned global warming, do you see a lot of difference during the last few years?

Summersrythm Amazing how many roses you have. You must have huge gardens.

Ilkayetwv Sorry to hear about that.

Jim1961 oh different stages on different roses indeed. Its looking good and healthy.

Vaporvac Did you lose any roses or did they all make it? No you dont have to do that. :)

Any Canadians and Britons reading the thread? How are things going over there?

Festiva Maxima what do you feel are the consequenses on the roses from your climate?

My Love Songs are 2 inch leafy nubs. Lion's Fairy Tale didn't know we had winter. Ruby Ice (I hate the blooms) is absolutely huge of course.

They all made it oh, some just lost their long canes.

Ikatet I agree with what you said somewhere about some zones in WV being wrong. My Dad lived in Bluewell, near Bluefield. Zone 6a supposedly. I'd visit him, and freeze. He called my county the banana belt of WV. It is definitely more than a half zone colder there. Even in the middle of summer, when I'd go to the water slide they had on top of the mountain, it would be kind of chilly to me, in July. He always got a ton of snow, and WAY colder temps.

Edit- Vapor, are you seeing any canker? Even though it's getting new basals like crazy, I had to cut off most of one of my Rose of Hope's canes. The bottom of one was mushy. I don't think I should have piled mulch on them. It's just too wet during winter here, even though it got colder than usual for a while.

None of my canes were mushy. I think maybe oak leaves might be better than mulch. My worst were those that I planted late in the season grown from smaller plants and the hybrid musks at the bottom of a north-facing wall. They looked great until March before all the freeze thaw.

Witchygirrl, isn't that always the way?! I feel the same way about Peppermint Pop as you do about Ruby Ice. It always comes through winter lookin' good! No cane dieback, no canker, no shrivled or black canes. It starts leafing out first and blooms it's head off. I just can't warm up to that rose, yet it behaves so well.

Flowers it's the biggest bush out there. Infuriating! lol

Zone 8b. Dry, high desert. First blooms opened about April 14th - Neil Diamond, The Impressionist (gorgeous color), Eden, Angel Face, Abraham Darby, Lexy, Peace Climber, Iceberg, Marilyn Monroe and Jardins de Bagatelle. Before I left for vacation 8 days ago there were so many buds. It pained me to be away. I hope I get to see some of the big Spring flush when I get back home on Thursday.

''dry, high desert'' sounds like the opposite of rose growing country to me, but I wouldn't know about it, and you clearly have some really nice roses there towandaaz, and blooming much sooner than mine would be, so it can't be bad at all...

Over here now a plant that's becoming popular with xeric plantings in some areas is an Arizona native I think called Dasylirion, it's a spiky plant, and I rather like the look of it..

Svetlana, you asked about other places, well, we're having a short warm spell which has brought things on a bit, it's about 80F today in my garden, but we're usually classed as zone 8 but not many here know much about zones, as it's not something we use too much..

I think my first rose bloom will be out very soon...

Svetlana, to answer your question, the biggest factor for me is how extreme temperatures can be in my zone.

During the summer (105 F/40 C) I could grow bananas here, but then comes winter (0 F/-18 C) and my rosemary is dead. Also, our summer nighttime temperatures don't drop much, so during June, July and August there is very little difference between night and day. Between this and the tropical humidity, there's no such thing as sleeping with an open window here.

This means I have a very nice spring flush that comes fast, because our spring is usually very warm. Then my roses become semi-dormant in the heat of July and August. They also defoliate to some extent from humidity-related diseases. Then they wake up in September and produce another flush. Even some clematis join the fun and bloom again.

And, by the way, some of my neighbors have banana trees in their yards. They dig them up in the fall for storage in the basement.

Zone 8 nice wet Spring very dry summers and hot.

The big surprise the 1st to Bloom my brand new Darcey bussell that was planted last October. It is full of flowers and also full of mildew lol

The 1st blooms were a week ago I thought Julia Child would be the winner she usually is but then I noticed there is an Olivia Austin peeking out from underneath the Bush a beautiful perfect pink flower.

But Darcy is the 1st Bloom and the last to Bloom and she is a sweet color of dark dark red almost bordering on crimson.

April 21 was when my first roses opened, here in zone 7A, also dry, high desert. Three opened on the same day.

Bolero

Old Blush:

Marie Pavie:

Abraham Darby began opening April 27, and was full on April 29...

...which is when Winchester Cathedral opened a first flower.

Munstead Wood opened its first flowers on May 1...or actually earlier, since I found a faded flower under the others.

7b, Long Island, NY. I planted 4 bare root roses mid-February and they've all leafed out but no buds and not a ton of growth. Should they be further along at this point?

RayGun, they are developing their roots right now. Give them a granular feeding of about a half cup of Espoma Rose Tone. Then use a half cup of Epsom salts & sprinkle around them now & again in July. Feed your roses monthly until late August, then stop feeding so they can stop putting out new growth before winter arrives.

To answer the OP, roses have fully leafed out, starting to see bud formation now.

Since im back, after a long winter break, I figured id chime in here!

Zone 5b, Ontario, Canada. After a historic ice storm, we've gone straight from winter, to summer. We have about 2inches of growth on established roses (Most of them! Laguna is still thinking about it).

John Davis was the first to break dormancy, and actually hung on to his little leaf buds through the ice storm. Most were hard pruned down to 4-6 inches afte winter, but we only had one not make it (Paradise, who was a sickly little thing).

The Austins and Canadians are far ahead of everyone growing wise, with Jasmina (Kordes) and the new bareroots doing their best to keep up!

Raygun I think I potted the bag roses I bought a little later than you, and I have buds. Were the canes thick and green? I ask because the first time I planted bag roses, they were in horrible shape, but I didn't know what to look for. I had a bunch of Dr huey. (though I did not know it, at the time lol)

I’m located in San Marcos, TX 8b- halfway between Austin and San Antonio. The season’s first blooms opened March 1st. We’ve had a cool (by TX standards) and dry spring.

Jazzmom, thanks for the insight and advice. I appreciate it! I had heard HT's were slow to start and I wasn't worried until I saw all my like zone gardeners were further along lol. I was planning on feeding them this weekend. I have Scott's Rose and Bloom continuous release. Any experience with that? Is that ok for monthly feedings?

Witchygirl, are bagged roses the same as bare root? The canes were all green for the most part when I got them; ordered online from Jackson Perkins. The thickness of the canes varied but overall I wouldn't say they were spindly or anything but certainly not as thick as I've seen some others post. I have a lot of new canes out of each plant they're just all still very small and like I said, no buds. :( They are all Mister Lincolns or at least that's what I was told lol.

RayGun, check the numbers on that fertilizer product. The 1st number for nitrogen shouldn't be higher than 6; that is for foliage; 2nd number for potassium should be slightly higher than first # as that is for buds & blooms to form. Let me google product. BRB. Okay I just looked — it’s a 12-4-8 product while Espoma Rose Tone is 4-3-2. Espoma Rose Tone is organic. It looks like the Scott’s is a synthetic fertilizer. Bagged roses are shipped bare root. Always look for Grade 1 bare root roses & it should say it somewhere on the tag or bag that they are Grade 1. There are Grade 1 1/2 & Grade 2 but are of lesser quality (thinner & fewer canes).

Jazzmom, I think I'll take your advice and go with Rose Tone. I was leaning toward organic fertilizers anyway since they'll build up good soil over time. The Scotts must've been on sale or something lol. Not sure what grade they are. I was just looking around their site and I couldn't find any mention of it. I'll check the tags when I get home. Always learning, thanks again!

I'm a new gardener just outside Toronto in a Zone 5b/6a area. I am recovering from the winter of death: 3 potted beauties (Poseidon, Olympiad & Apricot Drift), all gone. The only growing things that survived were a blueberry plant & a sage that I'd brought indoors. My new roses (only Canadians & other very cold hardy types this time) are all still in the nursery sheds, waiting to be bought & brought home :-) I should be smiling and admiring some new babies at the beginning of June.

Raygun that looks healthy to me. The bags I was talking about were the bare roots from walmart/home depot. Same thing. The mail order ones are usually much nicer. The only fertilizer I use on new roses is half strength Alaska fish fertilizer, and alfalfa tea. In fall I give them a couple doses of potassium only, because it's supposed to help with winter survival. A bunch of nitrogen will push top growth, and slow down roots.

Thanks for clarifying witchygirl and for the advice. I really appreciate it! I will fertilize this weekend and try to be patient... :)

Poseidonprincess You would have had better luck with them in the ground. Potted roses lose 2 zones of hardiness in a pot. Unless they are put in a garage or basement for winter. Someone on here keeps all kinds of warm zone roses overwintered in a garage in zone 3. Outside though, better in the ground.

I am in zone 5, northern IL.

Still finalizing my winter casulty count. Francis Meilland, Oregold, and Olympiad are mostly likely gone. Mr. Lincoln finally showed 2 tiny new shoots last week. All Austins are doing good.

Here is my teasing Georgia this week; who would imagine she was almost 8 ft tall last summer by looking at her now.

I do have one munstead wood in pot that I overwintered in garage, and she has shown lots of buds already.

A grafted Francis Meilland that was established died over the winter. Star Roses told me that this rose is on grafted roots. I quickly contacted Heirloom Roses & ordered an OR one. It shipped today!

Thanks witchygirrl. I'm an apartment dweller with no garage or in ground-garden space, hence the search for cold hardy plants that can ride out winter with me. I will try and experiment later this year with some interesting tips I found, like styrofoam boxes and insulation blankets

You can’t keep potted roses outside during winter months in our zone, I keep 50-60 potted rose trees and roses in the garage and another 50-60 tender roses in the basement during the winter months. I am 2 hours away from Toronto in the US. Does your landlord allow you to grow roses in the yard? A few years back I lost all my rose trees that stored in 2 sheds, 46 of them, a painful lesson.

I'm listed as zone 6a but more like 5b. No evidence of even buds yet since most of my roses have just started showing robust growth. I usually don't haves roses until the beginning of July. If I'm really lucky the 3rd week of June.

Winter losses include Kordes Solero, South Africa and Queen of Hearts. Plum Perfect is struggling and First Crush, Savannah and Bliss lost all their canes over the winter but are putting out new growth. Also a lot of cane loss on Knockouts. My best roses for hardiness seem to be Kordes varieties Honeymoon, Polar Express, Florentina, Earth Angel and Zaide. These all had little to no winter damage. David Austin Windermere, Queen of Sweden and Heritage do well here. Clair Matin is also quite hardy. All are own root except for three Windermere and two to three years old.

sharon

I’m in Baltimore. First blooms were this week, most are covered in buds. Spring flush will probably start in 1-2 weeks. My new bare root roses have leaves and no buds.

This is a very helpful thread as I like to zone up on most of my roses to avoid heart-ache. SR, I had no idea you grew so many potted roses!!! Have you posted many pics of them? They must be wondrous. I'l love to know your secrets; perhaps I'll find another more appropriate post for that info. ; ))

Enchanted, you justified my cancellation of SA and PP., although FC for me did well over the winter. Great to hear about Zaide and Florentina as I just put the later in the ground mid-March and she's already rewarding me with her first buds! Yeah! I can't wait to see her in bloom. The only planted rose I lost is Candy Land who was a NOID that came as a freebie. I meant to move her so neglected to bury her graft. She struggled with freeze/thaw. My bad. : (( She was a cheerful looking rose with a sweet fragrance.

vaporvac- Surprisingly 'Poseidon' is hardy. PP is still growing just slowly. At least it's not dead. It seems the sunbelt series roses struggle here and Eleganza are not very hardy either, although 'Crazy Love' and 'Polar Express', both Sunbelt series, are fine. Madame Anisette had no winter cane dieback just heavy snow damage. Quicksilver had cane dieback above the snow line. Lavender Crush seems more hardy here. Innocencia is one tough little rose. Cream Veranda does okay as do Fire Opal and Jolie Veranda, some winter damage but they do recover. Winter Sun is gone as is Golden Fairytale and Golden Gate climbing rose. Love Song did poorly and Twilight Zone is dead. Purples seem to struggle here as do yellows but both colors are known to be less hardy than other colors. Downton Abbey 'Pretty Lady', a violet-red, survived with virtually no damage. But Austin's 'Munstead Woods' and 'Darcy Bussels' had so much cane death that I shovel pruned both. Easy Elegance 'Music Box' is near dead as is 'Champagne Wishes'. They are not as hardy as stated, at least for me.

We are listed as agricultural zone 6 but we consistently get winter temps of -15 or colder, many times with no snow cover since it seems our snow patterns have altered where we usually have very little snow until mid January or later. I try to buy roses that are hardy to zone 5, 4 is even better, but even that is a gamble. Easy Elegance are rated for z4 but all of mine suffer severe damage over the winter.

sharon

I've had them come back from the roots (own root roses) as late as September. This year, I have growth coming from one I planted in '16, was totally convinced it was dead spring of '17, but didn't remove because I didn't have one to replace it with, and lo and behold, there is a lot of very healthy, robust new growth from the ground this year.

flowers- I'm pretty sure that these are dead. The roots are dried up and completely brown.

sharon

FrM, did you just say you didn't have one one to replace it with? You obviously don't have enough roses or have much more restraint than I! LOL!! ; ))

Ha! Vaporvac, one never has enough roses and I have very little restraint, so I don't know how this happened! I think I ran out of oomph.

Sharon, sounds like yours are indeed goners.

flowers- I think so. But there's always another rose to take its place! I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing ;-)

sharon

I’m starting over again, with more knowledge this time & renewed hope. My Morden Blush & Prairie Princess, purchased last night. They’re much smaller than the already-large & blooming plants I bought last year so I don’t know when I’ll get flowers but these were the healthiest looking plants from the Canadian series stocked at the shop.

Hi summersrhythm. I'm so sorry about the loss of your plants. I lost my three beginner's pots this winter but I've read some encouraging comments from more experienced gardeners about 1. viewing the plants as annuals and 2. winterizing differently, with some interesting tips from professional gardeners who manage public gardens in Montreal and Minnesota. I have no access to the ground, unfortunately. But I have an inexplicable love for roses (don't we all :-) and if I can experiment and find even one that I can keep alive using some different methods, I'll be a happy girl.

Thanks. We all learn from our mistakes. :-) May be you could store them in your friends or family’s garage for the winter months, you’d need to water them once a month. Or bring them indoors, do you have unheated basement in your apt building? If you were in my area you could rent my carriage house apt, you’d be welcome to plant a lot of roses there. :-)

Wouldn't that be lovely! There's no where else to store them unfortunately but I'm very grateful for the chance to even try growing them in pots. I'll make sure to post about my experience.

Update: I spied Mr. Lincoln throwing up some buds yesterday! So excited to see progression! They also look like they've appreciated the fertilizer they got last weekend. :)

I am in zone 6a and zone 5b. Just start to see a few early blooms in both locations.

Yeah for you! It's such a thrill!

PoseidonPrincess, I would love to know some of thes "secrets" from the professional gardeners at the public garden in MN and Montreal if you'd care to share sometime. : ))

Hi Vaporvac, I'll post the links for you shortly. It was very interesting to see what pro gardeners recommended.