Roses - do they grow on you?

Roses really are beautiful aren't they GF ? I'm no expert so can't help with the poorly ones I'm afraid. The only thing I can say is that I planted a fragrant red rose early last year and I thought it did well .... until I saw what happened this year ! It's reached about 5' now and is on it's second flush of flowers ! So I'm sure that you'll be surprised with yours next year too !! Good luck :-))

You've done very well with your Rose collection i like Josephs coat he looks very smart,i often thought i might start a Rose garden but i'm not sure were to start [soil,pruning etc]and sad to say my hubby dislikes them in the garden,!!He's never had good taste[except for marrying me ] And" He never promised me a Rose Garden"So i'll stop singing now and take another look at YOUR Roses :o)))

You have a lovely selection and apart from the few possible failures, your's look remarkably healthy with lovely glossy leaves. How do you avoid blackspot etc? Do you spray them?

:)

Mmmm...I love roses :)) Your building a nice collection there GF....and what a great idea, putting the 3 arches together (think I'll try that!)
Like Mad says, they all look really healthy, apart from that one "fatality". You could try forking in some granular rose food next spring, then mulching over with bark or compost....roses are greedy feeders (bit like me with a box of choccies really...), and you'll get more flowers if you feed 'em.

What lovely roses, I've never attempted them but yes they are growing on me! I especially like your Iceburg and Lemon Couture, they're beautiful.

Love your roses GF & your idea with the metal arches.
The Joseph's Coat is gorgeous & so different in bud & open bloom...lovely!

I'm with you on that one, Jan. The white and lemon roses are gorgeous.

You've chosen some beautiful roses! Thanks for sharing them with us. :-)) 'Joseph's Coat' is very unusual, and special.

GF....I concure with everyone.....your roses look like they are very healthy. Lovely glossy leaves. You have some lovely varieties. Your Champagne Cocktail is very unusual. Silver Jubilee and Special Anniversary are my favourite colour in roses. Climbing Iceberg is a very lovely rose and apparently has excellent ratings as does Joseph's Coat. I'm not familiar with your other varieties but they look lovely.

Roses take a few years to really get established in the garden. Until then you may find they aren't as bushy as the labels say. If they are growing taller than they should try to make sure they are getting enough sunlight. Most roses like at least 6 hours of full sun a day....more if possible. Otherwise they can get leggy and produce fewer flowers.

Your minis should be treated exactly the same as the full size roses. The saddest looking one in your photo looks to me like it has got black spot. Are they named cultivars or are they grocery store minis? Sometimes the grocery store minis are not as vigorous and are more prone to disease than the named varieties. Minis can be just as satisfying as full size roses even though their blooms are much smaller. Usually, they have many more flowers at one time than the full size varieties. They can grow as tall as 24 or 30 inches in some varieties.

I can't provide an autopsy for you on your expired rose. However, it doesn't look like it has a very good root system.

Make sure when you plant your roses that you plant them deep. For grafted roses you can plant the graft below ground level. This helps protect the graft from damage and also from inclement weather. Even own root roses can be planted deeply. My roses all are planted at least 2 inches below ground level if not more.

Feed them well in the spring and throughout the growing season and water them deeply once a week in dry times. Any leftover banana peels can be dug in around the roots to provide the roses with micronutrients. Roses also love coffee grounds. Spread some nice clean mulch around the bushes 3 or 4 inches deep to cool the roots and to prevent the spread of any black spot.

Enjoy your lovely roses. :o)

Hello Gilli. I know the above was meant for GF, but THANKYOU so much for such a clear and consise guide as to how to grow and tend roses. I've seen your pictures and the results speak for themselves !! :-))))

Thank you everyone for your responses. Various issues and questions have been raised.

Sue - I agree rose blooms are really beautiful. I’m pleased everyone seems to have liked mine and enjoyed seeing them.

Swanky - I wonder why many men do not like roses in the garden whereas many women seem to like roses both the blooms and chocolates. What can put me off is that some seem to be very temperamental and high maintenance. Just so there is no confusion here over what or who I am referring to - I am not talking about chocolate roses. Roses do not have any romantic appeal to me. I assume they have romantic appeal to some ladies because traditionally the gift of roses to a woman has been regarded as a token of love and affection. If someone gave me a bunch of roses or any flowers I would think Yuck and why didn’t you give me them with the roots still attached so I can keep the plant in my garden rather than throw them away after a few days. Anyway it is not a problem I am likely to have to deal with. Does your husband ever struggle to find a suitable present if so buying you a rose plant might solve a problem for him. Does that help in deciding where to start? If not I beg your pardon and hope one day you get your rose garden.

Mad - Thank you. It is particularly remarkable that they look so healthy as I have not spent time looking after them. I think the most important thing I can do as a gardener is to choose the right location for my plants. I could not decide which was the best location so I planted these roses in four locations to see what happened. None of them have been sprayed. The roses which have done best have a tree canopy over them so rain does not fall on them much but instead the water drains down the bank. The canopy is that high though it does not cause shade on the roses. The miniature roses get sadder the further out they are. The saddest one of all has no tree canopy and there have been wild roses in that area before. My other secret to having healthy looking roses is to avoid getting any black spot damage in the photographs.

Crazydi – My roses have been on a diet this year but next spring I will follow your advice and feed them. Have you noticed that you and I were the only ones to mention the C word? I can’t believe the others prefer rose plants to a box of Cs – especially if they were THORNtons classics.

Jan65 and Spindle – So you both like the lemon and white roses. I think Louisa Stone is upset that you didn’t mention her so you will not believe this but she has changed colour to lemon today. I have posted another photo of her numbered 14a for you both.

Fluff and Spritz – You both seem to have taken a fancy to Joseph. I posted this photo of him on my site before starting this blog, so you might be interested in the comments of fellow admirers there.

Princess Gilli – Thank you for taking the time to provide detailed advice which I hope will also benefit other rose novices. I am arranging the prescribed extra sunshine but I fear your advice is too late for the expired rose and I do not have a resurrection spell. As regards the origins of the 3 unlabelled dwarfs sleepy, bashful and grumpy, I purchased them in November 2008. I have posted a picture of the miniature roses in flower at photo 17a and added explanatory comments.

Lol GF :)) I fear I may be a "Chocaholic".....my hubby buys me chocs and flowers every week (he knows how to get round me, lol)
Your roses will benefit from a good feed....and Gilli's advice is spot on :)
Carry on enjoying your roses....and your chocs :)))

G.F. You are a DIAMOND !!!! Excuse me ....I'm laughing TOO much ....
Feel the need for the 'drawers' draw !!! LOL

Awwwww 17 a...I remember that picture ...had the best time guessing plants...and winning prizes... :) lol

Yellow Couture....mmmmm ...Her scent is one that takes to a place in your heart where you feel sunshine and joy. Cannot help but smile remembering it.

xx ~Cat

Thanks Sue and Di. Glad you found some useful information.

GF.....I remember now when you brought home your minis. Thank you for jogging my memory. I hope with the addition of more sunlight your roses will continue to flourish.

Hi GF! I'm not in the least bit disappointed! Like Dahlias, roses are "growing one me", too. On my GOY wishlist I have two roses "Hot Chocolate" and "Ice Cream". :-))

My imagination's not too great at times, so have "interacted" online, and eaten a box too - lol!!

Great blog, btw. :-))

Hi GF I finally mosied over to see your blog. My favorites are the Iceburg and the Silver Jubilee. (Although I can't for the life of me figure out why they named it Silver Jubilee. Seems like it should be called something like Sunset Jubilee...nothing silver about it.) I'm going to look around for an Iceburg, think it will look nice near the Josephs Coat. (If it turns out to be hardy enough for my cold winters.) I like your brick wall and the variation of plants I see in photo 10. Your new roses by next year will be doubly-gorgeous!

Weedy, Weedy, Weedy............The Silver Jubilee rose was named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's 25th anniversary of her ascension to the throne...I think that was in 1977. But, I agree, the colours are much more sunset-ish.
Iceberg is rated down to zone 4.....what zone are you down there?

Princess Weeds - Thank you for your comments. I like your rose choices as favourites. They have a purity of colour and a strong form to their structure. The brick retaining wall is about 120 feet in length. It is a perfect height for weeding within arms reach without bending. In the winter water comes through the gaps in the wall and is channelled to pipes which go under ground to my ponds. The area surrounding the rose arch circle will be the subject of a future project perhaps for 2010. Bottom left of photo 10 shows an area of crazy paving using slate. This goes right around the rose arch circle. The project will be to remove the slate and plant the area instead.

Princess Gilli - Queen Elizabeth's accession was on 6 February 1952 here, probably 7th were you are. I believe the Silver Jubilee rose is a David Austin rose named as you correctly state in honour of Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee.The Silver Jubilee was celebrated in 1977. What puzzles me about this is that I understand this rose was not introduced until 1978. I know Her Majesty was crowned 12 June 1953.

Gilli, Gilli, Gilli, Is my slip showing? Sorry, I didn't understand.

Gilli (You have on your sweet face today, Cutie Pie.) zone 5 here. The iceberg should work.

GF...Let's see, 1953 and 25 makes the Silver Jubilee 1978. It all adds up. Math and roses too. You're good! (Is the jubilee counted from the accession or the coronation?)

May I ask if the brick wall was your design? It seems to have it all, beauty, form, & function. Not to mention making weeding easy!

Are you removing the slate circular path, where will you wander when you wish to whisper to your woses -er roses?

Princess Weeds - The brick wall was not my design. It was constructed by the builder who built the property. My property is on a hill and consequently a retaining wall is very sensible. I visited a property many years ago that was in a similar situation that did not have a retaining wall. As soil etc slipped down the hill it built up the side of the house. This had continued for a long time and by the time of my visit earth was up to the roof. The owners were elderly and unable to afford to do anything about it. I expect by now either someone has bought the property and dealt with the problem or the property was buried.

Well we were wondering where we will want wonderful wisteria, watsonia, weigela when we whisper while wandering within wilderness. Why were we wondering Weeds? Worry who will wobble walk when wet windy winter weather woefully wooshes westward Washington way?

My son has a home on a hillside in Oregon, an area that gets similar weather to Wales. This spring part the hill above his yard slipped. Soon he will be faced with the retaining wall dilemma.

Will your weigelia, and watsonia be whispering to your wisteria without a walkway?
Worry not, knight, when Washingtonians wamble in wicked wintry weather, Weeds will wander, warm in Welsh wellies.

Princess Weeds - I have bought the wisteria not the wiggly whatsitsname. It is unusual to get much snow here now but surely you will need boots up to your armpits.

Ha ha, has our Cat not told you just how high my armpits are? Perhaps knee boots would do. :-) Last winter was the hound dog of all Washington winters. This year will probably bring less than half that much snow. El Nino this year.

It'll be interesting to see how your wisteria grows, white or purple?

I too have a wonderful wisteria wangled from works write off wonders. Where would I weather the wonderful wisteria? Woe! woe! I wonder, wrought with worry.

Whoa, why worry, won't work...worrying wistfully about wisteria! Wisteria winds & weaves wonderfully, weather, warm or wind whistling...why not?

The winter weather for wisteria wants for warmth way warmer than we weather. What wear will winter wreak upon weak wisteria where winter warmth is lacking?

Winter Warmth? Wisteria will want within warm walls...where wild wind will whip without wrecking.

Wincess Weeds - wisteria will without white wowers wander. Why were we warbling witily with Ws words?

Wincess Willi - Wondering will Welsh weather weaken wisteria when winter winds woosh wildly without warmth

Ween Watfinch - Where will Welsh wisteria winter?

Where were we? Welsh Wisteria? Wooley Worry Warble..? well... Welsh winter whooshing winds warmer.

Perhaps partially protected plants perish promptly .... poor plants!

Did you know that "w" starts with a d? not, -wouble u but double u or dooblevay. Go figure. Does wouble u trouble you?

English uses the Latin alphabet of the Romans. This alphabet had no letter suitable for the 'W' sound of Old English. Early scribes used 'uu' to represent 'w'.......hence the name 'double u'.

Huh. Uuonder if it uuorks the same. uue might think about reuuriting the English language.

Houu uuonderfully uuierd it looks. Uuonder uuhy they don't still uurite it that uuay?

Don't you love uuords that look like uuhat they mean? Like uuierd. And dizzy. Drizzle. Meander. (uuitch is fun to look at. Might have an alternate meaning Uu itch you witch, that might be and abreviated spell.) Sorry I do ramble...

U2 uuould make a great double act on Utube

Ramblin' rose, ramblin' rose
Why you ramble, no one knows
Wild and wind-blown, that's how you've grown
Who can cling to a ramblin' rose?
Nat King Cole

Btw Rose garden was sung by Lynn Anderson and Neil Diamond sang Cracklin Rosie

Oh!..and the "Rose" by Bette Midler..is an all time favorite of mine..."Some say love it is a flower"....I remember sitting on beautiful high rocks looking out into a cove on an island called Johns Island in the San Juans..we had rowed there off a sail boat..my son was sitting with me..he asked me to sing him that song..I can still see that place and his face enjoying my singing. "Just remember, in the winter, far beneath the bitter snow, lies the seed, that with the suns love, in the spring becomes the Rose."

Some of my favorite songs. Oops, now I have Ramblin' Rose on the brain and I will be singing and humming it all day!
Odd how a song can transport us to another time and place.

Songs can transport us and different smells too. The smell of a coal fire takes me back to growing up in England. The smell of cedar bark reminds me of when we first came to Canada.

Yellow roses....Dolly Parton.....Hello, you said on the day we met, handing me a yellow rose.
Stop and Smell the Roses.....Mac Davis....You've got to stop and smell the roses. You've got to count your many blessings everyday.
Yellow Rose of Texas...
Red Roses for a Blue Lady....

The list goes on....

Paper Roses? How real those roses seemed to me, they were only imitation. da da da
Um, Ramblin' Rose is still stuck in my mind.

Princess Weeds - Paper roses - are you upset with me for putting labels on the plants in place of flowers? - please have another look at my photos - new addition today photo 5a.

Queen Catfinch, Jaques and Janey - Just in case you think I have let the miniature roses dedicated to you die, I have added two more photos today 16a and 16b. The sad miniature rose in photo 17 has lost it's leaves altogether now but a rose bud has appeared so it might just flower again.

Gilli you were right the Queens Silver Jubilee year was 1977 (the same year Virginia Wade won Wimbledon) Elizabeth 11 ascend the throne on 6th February 1952 she was not crowned till over a year later on 2nd June 1953. Her Golden Jubilee was 2002

GF I wish I could say I thought of that when I added Paper Roses, I'm afraid you were one step ahead on that one. :-) Good job! Apropos though, don't you think?

Golden Wedding is very pretty.

Very pretty and my goodness..a late bloomer! glad to see it.. :) Glad also that the mini roses have survived so far..you may want to give them some warming mulch for their roots this winter season....

Princess Weeds - I agree very appropriate. The only remaining paper rose photo 18 has still not flowered. I have added 3 more photos today: photo 13a name unknown to me, 14b Louisa's sisters and the mini red rose Grumpy in flower at photo 17b.

I love seeing the Louisa Stones sisters..amazing the soft look yes papery even look of their pretty yellow petals..so delicat and so late in the season! Happy to see grumpy has bloomed good job Grumpy!...the pink color of the unknown rose reminds me of the color of one my mother grew that looked like beautiful basket full of roses when it was all blooming..

Re-discovering this, am mad that I didn't get those roses "Hot Chocolate" and "Ice Cream" by now, and have them in and off to a good start for next year. :-(

When is the best time to order and plant, anyway? Would like to see some blooms next year.

Meantime, am thinking of adopting that literal "double u", and referring to the "hero" of our garden theme as UUilly UUonka - Many Thanx!! :-D

There is a gal on here I believe her name is Judz..anyway..she has a rose on her site called hot chocolate..is that the one you are wanting David...?

Well, over here in Kamloops it is getting a little late now to plant roses. Here I would say to wait until spring. However, I'm not sure what your weather is like over there. You may still be able to plant.
Did you know there is also a rose called 'Hot Cocoa'? There is a miniature called 'White Chocolate', a hybrid tea 'Chocolate Prince' and a climber called 'Chocolate Sundae'.
There is another miniature called 'Caramel kisses' and a hybrid tea called 'Antique Caramel'.
Did you know that David Austin's rose 'Abraham Darby' is also known as 'Candy Rain'?
You could do almost a whole UUillie UUonka garden in just roses. LOL

For someone who knows so much about roses.....you are one awful looking thing...ummmm...Gilli?

Just call me 'Frankenstein'......mwaaaahaaahaaahaaaaaa

Princesss Frankenstein - We have to be careful, be very very careful as it seems we have to stick to rhubarb and gardening or we will be filterised. I therefore have a few gardening questions. Have you heard of a group that was called Frankie Goes to Hilly Wood or a song called Great pumpkin of fire. Did you grow your avatar pumpkin head yourself? Who created the piece of art on your avatar vegetable? Stone the Crows I just realised I seem to have strayed off the subject of roses. Axl Rose is the lead singer of Guns n Roses and their signature song is "Welcome to the jungle". Is that where you got "mwaaaahaaahaaahaaaaaa" from perhaps?

lol, Gf!! :-) Heard of filtered coffee, but never chocolate!

Yes, Cat, same rose :-). Saw Judz's pic just a few days ago. Trouble with this one, however, and as discovered and commented on by other Goyers, is that it does turn out more red than maroon or brown, and difficult to get a pic of its real colour, too. :-(

Gilli, Many Thanks! :-) Many more now added to the wishlist - pity I don't have space for a rose garden :-(. Lori first suggested "Hot Cocoa" to me many months ago. All my online searches just provide US and Canadian nurseries etc, and none from UK sites. Am wondering whether this may be a rare example of the same variety being given different names which will be better known/appealing to different countries? (although I always thought that this didn't happen? That Abraham Darby makes me wonder, however? I do think I've left it too late for this year. Weather very very mild still, but could change at any time. Here, we usually begin to have first frosts in September, but none at all so far. Still tending to the garden, even as late as 11pm in the dark, in a T-shirt most days off. Thought that I'd have lifted the dahlias and choc cosmos over a month ago, but all just keep on sending up blooms!?!

What a shame you can't find Hot Cocoa David. I just did a search on "help me find" and Hot Cocoa and Hot Chocolate seem to be the same rose. Perhaps, the Hot Chocolate name is the one used in the UK. It's registration name is "Wekpaltlez" which should be the same worldwide. Bred by Tom Carruth and introduced in 2002 in the US.
There is a nursery which has 'Hot Chocolate' in the UK called Apuldram Roses, bare root from Nov to Mar for 9.95 pounds. Potted after Mar for 10.95.
You sound as if you are having very mild weather. Out in a T-shirt.....Wow! It snowed up here day before yesterday but it didn't stick. :o(
Monster face GF......I have heard of the songs you ask about. There are also the songs "My Ghoul" and "Blood Drops are falling on my head". There are some perfect roses for this time of year....."Silver Ghost", "Midnight Magic" and "Witching Hour" should be planted on October 31st.

Princess Gilli - We must take more care what we text. But alas maybe it is too late. Oh I will never show my stoney face on GOY again. In perpetuity the whole land of GOY can now read of my ghoulish monsterous facial affliction. Oh and Vampire Perth will read about the blood drops too. Oh and it is too late to plant perfect roses. O me miserum - all is lost we will be banished once the head Policewoman reads about these aberations.

GF..? My Knight..? it is ok...Halloween...is over.

Ah, the yellow roses are my favourites - although of course I'm biased :-) I think your little miniatures are battling with black stop which is weakening them. You can get squirty bottles of fungicide which are inexpensive and deal with the problem :-)

Are you casting nasturtiums again, GF??!!
Lovely blog, i love roses, especially that gorgeous blood red one! Lol!

Marie - I had no intention of planting nasturtiums and I apologise to everyone for doing so. It all started with garden sieves and I was mad and filled with sadness that the weeds discussion spread to another garden. Rather than pour fish food on the garden pond I chose to expose the shady side of what was growing to some sunshine in my garden.

This should not be taken as poison ivy. In fact I think I understood and appreciated the scheme of planting sown. If anyone wishes to misclassify my plants then I will pour weed killer on my nasturtiums and they will be gone. Let’s hope we have more sunshine and all come up smelling of roses.

Lol! What was that in English??? Hee hee!

I have only just planted these double Dutch bulbs, now you want me to recycle them? It was an apology of a floral tribute to good garden practice.

:o)

Ok, Shakespeare! I wont make you dig them up again!

Pray tell refer ye to the bulbs or the bone meal for the roses named Yorrick?

Nay, sir, I refer only to your wonderful use of flowery language!!

Shakespeare had Juliet say: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." performed at the rose theatre.

Well quoted, sir!!

Shakespeare didn't make you LOL then?

No, I loved that play! I first saw it when I was 9 (my mum took me just before she died) & I cried my eyes out at the end! Couldnt understand at the time why she killed herself over a boy tho!! :~))

Me either....Hemlock ..is that what he poured down his gullet..? It grows wild here..

Marie - It was sad you lost your mum at such a young age. I prefer to think of your account as a treasured joint visit to watch a love story in which the author got the ending wrong.There is a beautiful deep crimson rose shrub named "William Shakespeare".

Many Thanx for the rose info, Gilli. I can readily get "Hot Chocolate" here, and there are several pics of it here on GOY. On my GOY wishlist now for next year. Don't tend to get snow here locally before Jan/Feb (last year was "different").

Just remember, in the Winter, far beneath the bitter snows,
lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the Spring, becomes the rose.

A whole lot less highbrow than Shaespeare, lol!!!

:-D

David..I love that song..I sang it often for my children over the years. I always wondered about the word seed....as I have never grown a rose from seed...maybe Gilli can tell us if that is a way to start a rose?

Queen Catfinch - Don't be silly you can't grow roses from seeds. Gilli told me that the garden centre where she works has run out of rose bulbs. (see her bulb planting blog).

David - I don't go round passing comments on Scotch pets like Ribert Buns.

I love that song too Cj.
Yes, you can grow a rose from seed.....I have one which sprouted for me this past spring. It is about 6 inches tall and had a total of 4 roses on it in its first year. I was going to try some more seeds this winter but never got around to collecting any hips.

oooooooh!... the hips that is right..! was it one of your mini's?

No, it was a rose that was sticking through a fence from a garden that was very neglected. I figured hips through the fence onto public property were fair game. I think the photo of my little seedling is on page 5 of my photos.

ooooooooh...oh boy..now I can get rose seedlings lots and lots of places....hehehehehe...hush..shhhh..don't tell..shhhhhh...giggle...hehehehe..

mmmmmm....ah.....no bulbs then Gilli?

Lol! I've never heard of rose bulbs!!
But I will look out for Will!

New photos added 14 November 2009: nos 18 to 20 Hannah Gordon.

Rose bulbs are very rare.....I have one or two but they are hidden away so no one will steal them.
Hannah looks to be a very lovely lady GF.

Hannah Gordon is gorgeous..so glad you found her!...look at the white inside..what a nice contrast in her petals..crisp looking..I really like this rose. Yay!

Your Better Tomorrow Rose is so perfect..
Happy New Year!..
So lovely a way to start the new year..!

I want a chocolate...now...oh dear...

Happy New Year, Shakespeare!

Happy new year Marie. Have you made a new year resolution?

I have! But I'm not telling!!

Oo oo oo - are there any left? Darn, I always arive just after the last chocolate has been scoffed. My SpidySenses must be on the blink again.... Happy New Year Gf, Cat and Marie :-)

Happy New Year, Sarah!

Sid - Happy new year to you. Sorry but you arrived after the last chocolate had been scoffed. What do you think about Marie keeping her resolution a secret? I bet she has broken the resolution already. It must have been something embarrassing as it is a secret. I wonder how many GOY members ate too many chocolates and now look a bit like a Christmas pudding?

Happy New Year Sarah.....Fancy Gf eating all the chocolates.......and HE is talking about people looking like Christmas Puddings?..lol...well I cannot say I don't look a bit puddin like myself..lol :)

Ok, Shakespeare! I dont think I HAVE broken it!!
Its to live my life to suit ME for a change, & not according to what everyone else wants!!
Not embarrassing, just selfish!
Yep, too much chocolate, & it'll take some working off! Lol!

Marie...you are now a child again....good for you! :) Ohhhh I do love chocolate...

Yup, think Gf must be the only Christmas Pudding round 'ere ;-) Although I must say, I've been doing my best to relieve the household of all the Christmas bounty these past few days ;-) Must admit, my jeans did feel a tad snug this morning...... yikes.

Marie - good for you. That's a great new years resolution and I don't think it's at all selfish. There's nothing wrong with some me-time - don't you feel guilty about it!

You.. picking on my Christmas Pudding... Sid....?

No, I don't like raisens ;-)

lol..I have not seen any raisins on him.....?

Oh, well, if he's a raisin-free Christmas Pudding then I might have a little pick at him if you don't mind! ;-)

Why hmmmm...w....ummm...there may have been one or two raisins...just be careful....he is my Christmas Pudding ....can't have him picked at too much...

Phooey...I thought I was under control and somebody said chocolate. I must go rummaging around the cupboards to see if any got missed. I like raisins...chocolate covered ones!

It's all The Puddings fault..him and his chocolates..

On my desk I have a box of 'Praline Melts' which I lady I did some work for bought me for Xmas. In the draw of my desk I have a box of Chocolate Liqures, which somehow got left over as an Xmas pressie (such a shame ;-) ). Downstairs I've got two boxes of Choccy biscuits left over and half a tub of Roses Choccies. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear..............

Can I come to your house, Sid? I have only about 16 chocolate mints and a nice chocolate bar from Arlene left, I'm beginning to feel some panic. :o)

This is all your fault, Sir Pudding. LOL

That would be Sir "BEAR" Pudding...lol

Yeah, come on over everyone, I'm starting to feel sick......

There are frozen snow roses on now..very pretty ..maybe that will help Sarah..

I have today added two more photos 24 and 25 of the Better tomorrow rose in the snow.

Marie - What are you planning to do for you as part of this new year revolution?

Chocoholics - Thank you all for electing me chief GOY pudding. I looked up the word pudding in the dictionary. I don't think I am a sweet cooked dish often containing fruit that gets eaten as the sweet course of a meal. The alternative definition is a fat, dumpy or stupid person. I think it a good suggestion that I too lose some weight but what can I do about being stupid or is that a stupid question?

You are of course a Sweet & Sour...Pudding... My Knight! :) xx

Futher to previous protestations about being called cute (which I am not), you went too far calling me a sweet pudding; that is far worse than cute. In the light of my protest you amended your comment to include the word sour. I am afraid this does not placate me. In addition to being a sweet pudding I am now also sour. In the dictionary using the word sour to describe a person means that they are harsh, morose, bitter. Now we all know you are not a sour puss but all reading this will now think I am. So the vengance of this black knight will be severe indeed. You are hereby banished from STP forthwith and the rose dedication will be withdrawn in the event of a further cute, sweet or pudding description. You have been warned!

First off....
P~~~~~~~pppppppppp~~~~~pppppp~~~~ppppppp~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps you are the Black Pudding Knight..

Poor frozen rose...at first I thought that was blue sky behind, and then I realised it was snow.....

Cat, how did you so that? I've got little sideways sss-ie things way out past the middle of the page. Are you two bickering in the rose garden? Us kids hate it when Mummy and Daddy fight. lol

We are conversing children...no worries...lol

Love your selection of rose bushes......Rome wasn't built in a day comes to mind, I think Gillies advice was first class, nothing to add.