Rosylady, I had a problem for a few days a few days ago, but I've been able to access it fine for the last few days. i just used it again a moment ago, so that's very odd that it's not working for you.

Rosylady,

Hi Andrea.. Yes the page is blank. What you could do is...

Google Search, type in HMF Roses

at the results page, click on the link 'Roses Peonies Clematis' etc.

this brings up another page - click on Roses

This takes you to the HMF page search box.

Save this new link to bookmarks and delete the old one.

Just to add, I think the issue was due to the web browser you use. If Microsoft Edge you should follow what I wrote, but on Google Chrome your link should still work ok.

Trish, are you using Google Chrome?

I am using Google Chrome. I asked my husband who is a computer engineer, and he said the problem is on helpmefind's end....but he only glanced at it.

Can you guys tell me who runs/owns helpmefind and what the latest news about it is? It's such and incredible resource, and I donate money regularly. But I heard somewhere recently that they might be having some problems or issues?

I recently did a short interview with Fine Gardening magazine about growing roses in the PNW. They want me to tell my secrects....and one of my best "secrets" is using helpmefind.com! I would like to mention it in further articles/videos.

Oh ok, so you're already using Chrome, well I don't know what the problem is then but I found it to be a browser issue here.

No idea who owns the site but they've been having ongoing problems for a long time. I do know they've changed their server recently.

Hacking attempts continue so fighting off the hacking attempts is a daily/nightly task. I spent most of the past week unable to access the site. No matter how I tried to access it, the request was timed out. From what was required to regain access, I would suggest a few things. First, clear the cache of your device. Two people using cell phones to access the site reached out to me with the issue and after clearing their caches, were again able to access the site. HMF moved to a different server company at a different address. If your device has stored "cookies" directing it to search for the site at the previous address, the request will not go through. Clearing the cache requires your device to access the Web to find the new address.

I found I was unable to access the site through my wifi and cable provider but my cell could access it using my data. I left my cable modem unplugged for several hours to help force it to clear its cache. Didn't work. But, by reporting the issue to The Help Desk through support@helpmefind.com, I was asked to verify my ISP which you can determine using this link. https://www.showmyip.com/ I guess they found it in the error logs and determined what the issue was as my cable will now connect to HMF as well as my data through the cell. It didn't happen over night. I was blocked out last Sunday and it wasn't until late Friday night access was restored.

Responses from the Help Desk may require some time as there are still many issues being addressed re writing the entire program to be compatible with the new server system and its security. You may have noticed that not all features of the site fully function yet. For instance, you can't upload lists of plants; you can't comment on photos nor post an error about a photo. Much of the search feature functions (once access is restored). It's an ENORMOUS program and requires time to re write to make it all work. And, while it's being accomplished, literal daily hacking attempts continue. I can tell you from my limited moderator time on the Rose Hybridizers Association Forum, AI and bad actor attempts come through constantly. It's frustrating as all Hades and requires SIGNIFICANT patience.

So, try clearing your cache to see if that helps. If not, send an email to support@helpmefind.com with a screen shot of the results from your accessing https://www.showmyip.com/ to show what your ISP is. Including a screen shot of the error you receive when attempting to access the site can also help. I would also add your HMF membership name and the email associated with your membership. Explain how you are accessing the site such as through a saved link, typing in the address, Google search, etc. as all of that information can help direct where to look for the issue. I'm sure there are other pieces I'm forgetting but all of this can help pinpoint where to look for the problem. If you have saved or bookmarked a link to go to HMF, erase or delete it as that can also be the old address where the site is no longer. Fun stuff.

Wow...thank you roseseek. That was incredibly helpful. I had no idea they were switching their server until Marlorena mentioned it. You have explained it all very well. I will show this to my husband and have him do the things you suggested (I am completely clueless about using computers/technology....I guess because he does it all for me).

Who are the folks that run and operate helpmefind? How was the website started? Do they have volunteers that help run the site? Is it a group of people, or just one person? I am curious about the history of the website.

Are you accessing it from a saved link or bookmark? I was having trouble last night, but after I got to it through a regular web search and updated the bookmark, it worked fine after that.

@Rosylady (PNW zone 8) I hope it helps. Much of the day to day questions and answers are handled by volunteers. You'll see who they are by what membership names are repeated regularly across the site. Years ago, when nursery listings were attempted to be maintained, it was up to the volunteers to accomplish that. But it became too much for the few hands to handle and most nurseries don't view their inventories being current on the site to be of much benefit, so they often are out of date. If you're interested in volunteering, sending that offer to the Help Desk at the Support@helpmefind.com will accomplish it. Other than answering questions on the Q&A and Comments sections, there isn't much to do until the re write is completed so all features and functions are up and running as designed. The best I can offer is what is posted on the Donations page. https://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/donations.php 

HelpMeFind is a member-community funded website; your financial support ensures it will continue to grow and thrive. If you value HelpMeFind and appreciate not being subject to constant advertising please donate to show your support.

HMF was founded in 1997 to provide a commercially impartial tool to collect, organize and present rose information. Our mission is to bring gardeners from around the world together by providing a tool to share their insight and experience. We have barely scratched the surface of HelpMeFind's potential. Our "To-Do" list of enhancements is continuously growing with our own ideas as well as your suggestions. We are also constantly refining our website to (hopefully) make it easier to use.

Unlike most websites, HelpMeFind is not a commercially-driven, thinly disguised marketing tool and that makes funding a challenge. HelpMeFind funding is supplemented with subscription fees from some of the commercial organizations featured on the website but this sponsor pricing is modest to avoid dependence on individual companies and potentially allowing them to influence our website's content, direction or policies. We need YOUR support.

Donations of any amount are appreciated but if you can donate $24 or more we thank you with a one-year premium membership upgrade. To take advantage of this offer, please be sure to register BEFORE you make your donation.

bellgallica9a....I am accessing the site through Google searches most of the time. I am probably on their site about twenty times a day...researching roses and looking at photographs. I rarely or almost never go there to find out where to buy roses. My local nurseries don't even know the inventory they have on their lots, so it's no surprise they are not able to update it online.

roseseek....thank you! I need to explore the site more. I must admit, I find it somewhat difficult to navigate. One thing that would be so nice is if you could scroll through the photos instead of having to click on each one, then back out and go to the next one. But I am not complaining! I am absolutely thrilled and so appreciative of all the hard work and dedication of the folks who operate the sight.

How I would like to recommend to people use the site is to look at photos of a rose they would potentially want to buy to see how it looks in an actual garden setting. So often we are shopping and see just a close up of a bloom, but the candid pictures posted by members on helpmefind are so helpful in determining if a rose will truly live up to our expecation. Or conversely, we see a rose bush in a nursery, or more often a big box store, and it looks very underwhelming. But when you see the photos on helpmefind you see the rose's true potential.

When Fine Gardening asks me for my rose growing tips and tricks, I am going to mention how much I use HelpMeFind to research and choose roses. Interestingly, no one there seems aware of the the website. It's a wonderful resource that more gardeners should know about, and I want to spread the word!

I know I'm old fashioned, or maybe just old, but I use a desktop and Firefox to access HMF Roses, and have never had a problem. I just checked once again, and no problem. I think I've been visiting HMF since about a year after it began. I saw HMF recommended somewhere on a website and have been relying on them for rose searches and gardeners' photos for an unbiased look any rose I want to know more about. Diane

I used my desktop at work today and my iphone now and no issues for me. Hope it can smooth out for everyone. HMF is a wonderful site.

Rosylady it would be nice to see your interview with fine gardening. Where are they publishing it? Your garden is beautiful.

I use a MacBookAir laptop and have had no trouble with HMF this week, but I did a couple of months ago when they did their big server change, and Roseseek's info back then about what was going on was really helpful. I do hope that all of you who use HMF will consider the $24 annual membership to support them. It's one of the very best things I spend my money on!

I got the blank page for a while too, but my original saved link is back working now. I use an iPad.

I use a laptop at home and my phone when I'm at the nursery researching roses, and niether of them were working. Thankfully the day after I posted this, it started working again perfectly! My husband said he cleared the cache when he was checking my laptop, and he also tried accessing the site on his work computer and it didn't work at the time for him either. Anyway, it seems to be fixed now and I am soooo happy!

My local nursery had an 'Anna's Promise' on clearance and I couldn't decide if I wanted to get it without looking at the photos on HelpMeFind first:)

dianlela....it's a short video showing a bit of my garden in late October. It's more about how I came to love roses and make a rose garden. You can see it on Fine Gardening's website if you have a subscription. If you don't, you can see it on Fine Gardening's YouTube channel. It's called "Growing Roses in the Pacific Northwest". Hopefully we will do a series showing my garden in different seasons and how I grow the roses.

I learned everything from all of you here on Gardenweb:))

I love the video, Rosylady. Your garden is spectacular. I love your edging and grass too which set the garden off so nicely.

Thank you Sheila!! It was so incredibly hard for me to agree to be on video...it took a couple of years before I finally said yes. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it. We've barely scratched the surface in those few minutes :)

I used it 2 days ago to double check the zone for Marchael Neil lol. We had a freak 27F night and I have 2 baby MN plants. I know they are a little tender. Hmf was working fine for me then.

sultry...I would LOVE to grow Marechal Niel...I hope it does well for you!

I love MN, but I should have kept him in a pot here, and tucked him into my alcove in the Winter. He was not up to in ground planting here.

Wow, even in your zone eight he couldn't make it outdoors, Sheila! A truly tender rose.

You tempt me Sultry. I loved MN.

What an endorsement for a rose: a favourite of the leafcutter bees. They know a good rose!! You are warmer than we are here...my garden is a 9b now. But we don't get warm they way you do down there. The constant damp, murk, and cool temps just seem to do MN in.

All comments at HMF for some roses have disappeared.

examples: Garden Delight Mother of Pearl Carefree Celebration

Rifis, I just checked Garden Delight and got the same thing. It's funny, because I happened to use HMF a lot earlier today b/c I was looking up a bunch of roses. Two of the ones I looked up had that same "if you know anything about this rose..." thing, and I thought, how odd... this rose should definitely have comments, but I dismissed it. I could read all of the comments on most everything I looked up earlier today. So it looks like a new glitch perhaps in progress. Otherwise, it has been working great for me today. Edit to add: I just checked Tiffany and Double Delight, and their comments are fine, but The Pride and Martha Stewart have no comments.

Sultry, I'm surprised that RPN has had MN in stock for as long as it has. When I saw it all the way back in September I think (?) I thought it would be snagged in a flash haha. I was checking DAILY like a freak for another rose to come back in stock and when it did at the later half of November it was still in stock.

I'd like to mention that my membership for HMF has expired and when I attempt to renew it the paypal screen says that the "organization's page is not working". Maybe not textually but something to that effect.

Bummer cause I was really in the mood for some deeep diving. But I don't blame anyone of course. I know it's not easy to maintain a site.