Oh, Madame...

[leene_chan]

Madame Hardy got hit bad by the bugs this year. She had all but 8 of her buds destroyed by rose slugs. Or aphids. Or both. I'm so pissed! Madame Hardy is one of my favorite OGRs. Look at that flower! She's like a diamond...

I'm seriously thinking of planting another one in the new bed far away from this one. It seems that all the roses we plant in our backyard bottom-of-the-hill bed are subject to horrible caterpillar damage. I still don't think I can bring myself to use systemic pesticides. We have too much wildlife in our yard. Also, cancer.

James Mason got totally ruined this year. Crap! I think we're going to have to wait a few years and dig up one of his suckers to replant in a better location.

Still, we have a few roses in that bed that the bugs won't touch. Like Chloris, Madame Plantier, Charles de Mills, Duc de Guiche and Duchesse de Montebello. What is the deal?