How tall will the standards of rose trees grow? Or will they grow at all? Maggie, I know you have a rose tree. Pleeze...what is required in the way of maintenance?

The trunk will not grow in height, anymore beyond the point of its graft. Treat the top growth as you would any rose shrub.

Thanx Mags.

Did you get some in your stocking request Caro, or are you shopping for some now?

Got them at Costco last weekend. We've been taking advantage of the break in the weather, and have been gardening madly!

They had standards??? They must have arrived after I was there! Good thing tho, since I'm still trying to fit in the bushes that I did get :) Isn't it great to get newbies in, just before a rainy spell. Such a good feeling.

I was just thinking that it would be a good thing to hit the lawn with corn gluten meal before the rain starts today. You can clearly see where I spread it last fall and where I didn't. Little dandelion puffs just right up to the dividing line. I am excited about my soil, though. With all the digging in the lawn areas installing shrubs, I have found that there is at least 2-4" of black topsoil on top of the clay, and lots and lots of earthworms. When we moved here almost 2 years ago, there was nothing but clay, and I never found an earthworm until last year. I love organics!

And shhh! I bought 3 standards.