Love hearing about your fall cleanup! I am especially intrigued by the bed of teas and ramblers-that sounds like a dream. I have to ask-what is on order?!?

I too, Melissa, found October best for taking cuttings here. Best wishes for it all. I'm glad your helper returned.

Me too, Sheila. The garden is looking better. I hope my assistant can get it sufficiently into shape that it won't require forever such an investment of time and money, because eventually the cash will run out. We're making hay while the sun shines, so to speak.

Kathy, the order doesn't include any great rarities, but here it is:

'Nevada', 'New Dawn', 'Paul Transon', 'Sander's White', 'Chapeau de Napoleon', 'Leda', 'Mme. Boll', 'Mme. Zoetmans', 'Charles de Mills', 'Georges Vibert', 'Salet', 'Ypsilante', 'Versicolor', 'Général Kleber', 'Felicia', 'Buff Beauty', 'Kathleen', 'Kazanlik', 'Austrian Copper'. Most of these I've tried to grow, and some I'm buying because I'm not sure they're still in the garden, but they may be. These and my first post show what I like and (mostly) what I can grow: once-blooming old roses, Wichuriana ramblers, Teas and Chinas under certain conditions, the Pemberton Hybrid Musks, though my luck with them mostly has not been good.

With twenty years of struggling to create soil that roses can live in--roses that aren't the unkillable kinds--I may be finally getting somewhere, and my helper has sure lent me a hand this year. That's why I'm trying the Hybrid Musks AGAIN. I was pleased earlier this year to see that a plant of 'Archduke Joseph', and nearby it, the Green Rose, were both doing rather well, in spite of the atrocious soil in that part of the garden. So I'm feeling hopeful about the general state of the garden: not that it's great, but perhaps it's becoming passable. I hope so.

It's good to hear from you, Melissa. I, too, am in the midst of fall planting, though I started back in October in spite of the lack of rain (I brought water in). Mine is going much slower than is yours, since I'm working alone, and my hip is still being annoying, also my right arm has problems - I'm getting a sonogram done on that at the end of December.Not to mention that I always end out struggling with these pre-flu sindromes in October. My DH has several young colleagues who have little kids, so once school starts up, the germs start partying,lol.

In spite of all this, I have managed to plant out 6 potted roses, moved one mis-placed rose, planted 2 wisterias and a couple ajugas. There's stil a LOT to be done: at least 6 or 7 more roses, a cypress, several perennials and about 3 clematis.

Then, there's the cleaning up. ACK!!!!!!!!! SO much of my "garden" has become totally overgrown and neglected during this past challenging year. It's totally over-whelming, but I did get a small start finally. Brambles have invaded an area and are killing off a large ceanothus and my Hiawatha rambler-I though that was a goner but no! still some good branches and is re-sprouting from the base. But those dam brambles and vite albas have got to go. I'm just leaving the cut off stuff on the ground, then plan to cover it thickly in cardboard,put leaves on top, and repeat.

I've got to find a helper myself...

Bart, helpers come by the grace of God (though you might give a thought to local notice boards). I hope you find one.

I share in full your sentiments about brambles and wild clematis. On the other hand, I offer particular compliments on you planting garden clematis. These have proved to be the most amazing survivors in my garden, and no one could ask for anything handsomer. So good luck with them, though you'll need luck only in the most modest amounts. They seem to like Italy.

I hope you manage to live more or less gracefully with your health problems. It impresses me how much you manage to get done on your own, but take care of yourself.