Jeri, OTN looks fabulous with the blue pot behind it! We were 104.4 F yesterday here. We are again over 100 F already and will be tomorrow too. Plants are amazing.

Sheila, my area can't match your temps, and I am grateful. We got to the high 80's for a couple of days, because this valley syphons up sea breeze. But that was after mid-winter warmth, followed by a LONG cold spring . . . And some of our roses just said: "We give up. Try next year." The yellow Lady Banks bloomed for a week. White Lady Banks didn't even try.

Jeri, our yellow Lady Banks was glorious this year. Last year the buds frosted off. The white is putting out huge canes and finally kicking in after 10 years. They must love heat.

On the other hand a Clementina Carboneri may be on it's last legs. I did run out and check her emitters and one of two was clogged. I will probably cut off the two old/dying branches and hope it can reshoot some basals. These orange Teas seem heat sensitive plus the emitter fail led to disaster. Meanwhile a Passion vine on the CC looks great.

Sheila, I sadly had to part with Clementina Carboneri here as she just couldn't stand our heat. Her flowers would crisp by around 10 a.m. even on moderately warm days (even worse than Comtesse du Cayla!). Her foliage was so beautiful -- always perfect, not a hint of fungus or anything else -- and the flowers so glorious -- before 10 a.m., at least -- it about killed me, but she just wasn't going to make it here except as a foliage plant, where days over 100 can go on for a week or more and 90 counts for a "cool" summer day most years..

CC does burn in a flash. Fortunately, most years we have periods of mild weather in spring and fall and her blooms are glorious then. I'll forgive the fried blooms in hot weather for them.

Jeri, your photos are always a treat.

Still hot and very dry here.

Hey Melissa! Our weather matches yours . . . hot and dry. There's a reason my Sicilian born grandfather came to Southern California to plant grapes.

What a beautiful rose, Jeri!

And tough as nails. Just a wonderful gift from the past.