On Sat, 25 Jan 2014 14:22:50 +0000, sacha wrote:

Some of our climbers are putting out leaf shoots, the Rosa banksias
have retained all their leaves so far and so has the Alberic Barbier
and the Rosa bracteata McCartney rose. They usually do, unless we have
a particularly cold winter. The R.banskia lutea took a real beating
last spring because of the prolonged cold and the bitter winds and it
flowered very poorly. IF this winter doesn't take a turn for the worse,
I hope it's going to do well this year. And the Chaenomeles on the
corner of the house is just opening its buds.

i have a lovely new bud on my ageing Zephirine Drouhin! It's the only
rose I grow as I can't cope with anything thorny. GQT were very rude
about it last week but mine is still flowering after 25 years.

Pam in Bristol