Existing naturalistic slope more visually attractive than terraces would be. Most critical detail is getting rid of all the perennial weeds before planting. Because weeding among long thorny rose canes is Hell.

Sorry about the sun interference in my picture. It’s bright out already. ‘The Faun’ has a great, low habit for a slope. Mine laid down quite a bit the first year, but it now stands at a mannerly 3F, five or take a bit. This is with zero care other than occasionally sheering all the spent blooms off with a hedge clipper. I do need to get in there to reduce the size of that lavender and trim away some of Mel’s Heritage wandering canes. This is a long, steep slope that runs the entire length of my backyard.
This brings me to another point. I don’t know how old you are, but slopes get scarier as we age or have balance problems. I didn’t give this a thought when I first planted my slope. I just scrambled up between the roses and plants and did what needed doing. “Several” years down the road, I began having problems keeping my balance up there. I just planted away not considering that the slope would someday be an issue. You’re wise to start with your plan for safe accessibility! I wish I had been as wise.
Like Vap does, I build berms or moats around the roses on my slope. I don’t worry about what it looks like. I heap stones, those brick like partial circles that are sold everywhere, and my clay soil to form a circle (sometimes half circle) around the rose to keep water and compost where it needs to go. The roses grow to cover my ramshackle berms soon enough. I’m not the neat and tidy type of gardener anyway. I tend to let things grow where they please unless they cause problems. I like a natural look. Unfortunately, my “look” is a little too natural right now. The slope is pretty messy, and difficult to maintain as it is now. I have been adding a stepping stone here and there on left side. Just the few stepping stones have helped tremendously. I haven’t been up on the other side of my slope since the week of my hip replacement surgery. I’m still not brave enough to get up to the left side of the slope. I’m sure the time will come soon, but I’ll be adding some more stepping stones.
I just thought I’d throw in my experience here as a cautionary tale. Ten years ago I scampered up and down my slope multiple times a day without a thought. I’m more careful now, and wish I had made it safer to start with. Good for you for asking the right questions and making a plan before just planting up a boatload of roses on your slope:) Lisa

You make a strong point Ken. Thank you, except that in spite of my advanced years my expectation is to still live many additional years in spite of my limitations. I have a lot more to accomplish. I'm not even a hundred yet!

Moses.

Moses,

Roses Unlimited is winding down , Pat plans to retire. They have very little left in stock, so you should probably ask soon about availability, and likely need a backup plan.

Vapor,

II wanted to support your post but because of the ravages of the reinfestation of rose midge fly in late summer, and the devastation of saw fly and cabbage butterfly caterpillar damage, my flower output for the fall flush was/is abysmal.

I will say though, that the flower of Reminiscent Coral is huge and has a presence that draws you in. There is one fading bloom now on my one and only bush, which was outstanding at its peak. I was planning to remove Reminiscent Coral because it defoliated from black spot to an unacceptable level, but that lovely flower has caused me to give it a reprieve. If I need to spray it next year, I will, reluctantly, because of my goal of having a black spot free a rose garden as is possible, is not being kept....but that flower! Hopefully it will mature out of its black spot susceptibility.

Moses.

Tottering Gently By is giving a fall flush despite having set loads of hips. It is on my remove list because it defoliates so badly, but… it is not without its charms.

Plum Perfect is always especially pretty in the fall

Clotilde de Soupert is always lovely in the fall too. Tall ageratum is onenof my favorite annuals for pairing with roses. The powder blue looks good with everything.

I had the third and best flush of the year for Buff Beauty late October-early November. I was surprised since we have already had our first (very mild) frost. I brought a rooted cutting of Buff Beauty with me when I moved here out of affection for it. Mine came from a Mendocino County nursery no longer in existence. It is very easy to root from cuttings. I have since pruned it back since BB can be large and rambuncious, and I need to keep it to a moderate size. My new garden is much smaller than my previous one, and I have fewer than 2 dozen roses here.

I pruned my roses today and one fat branch just fell out like it was dangling out here dead. Looking at the crown and the base of the branch at the crown level made me remind of crown gall. The plant is still green and ready to give new growth. What should I do? Suggestions please:( it is my favorite and the strongest in my rose garden. Easy does it.

Without an image of the spot in question, it's hard to say, so I'll just speak generically. To me, it is possible to be too paranoid about certain issues; after all, crown gall is not Rose Rosette Disease. If the shrub seems vigorous and healthy,I cartainly wouldn't get rid of it out of fear that it just might have a touch of gall!. I would take a very sharp, clean, dis-infected knife and try to slice off as much as possible of the iffy-looking stuff,being careful to do no damage to the rest of the plant. Then I'd dis-infect the wound with bleach and water and seal it off once dry. I have saved roses with obvious gall by doing this sort of operation, just cutting out the sick part ,disinfecting, and sealing off.

Thanks for reviving this, DDinSB — it is reassuring to hear a rose can keep going after crown gall shows up, and Claudia's video tip sounds well worth a watch. I had a similar scare with a grafted rose years ago and ended up leaving the neighbours alone rather than disturbing their roots, just cleaning my pruners more carefully between cuts. Fingers crossed your plant keeps thriving, and please do update us if that 2024 study changes how you handle it.

For you Diane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frj2CLGldC4

Thanks, Sheila. More later. Diane

Happy birthday Nana doll!

Update -- even the dahlias that looked good in the huge pots kind of crumpled and crisped in our heatwaves in August/September. I think the soil maybe just got too hot and it was hard for the plants to regulate themselves. So, unless it's a tiny dahlia, no more pots for me. I'll post a couple of photos of roses and dahlias together for your enjoyment:

This was a hillside garden in Malibu -- pretty steep hillside planted with perennials, dahlias, roses.

And some from my garden:

Those Malibu hillside photos are lovely, DD — the roses and dahlias really do look wonderful growing together like that. Sorry to hear the potted ones crisped up in the August heat; I've had the same trouble with pots drying out faster than I expect in a hot spell. Helen's container setup sounds like a good middle ground,

though I'm with you on keeping the bigger dahlias in the ground where the soil stays cooler. Thanks for sharing the update and the pictures!

Kentucky, I got my Ashley from Grace Rose Farm in 2024, and I think that was the only year they were able to carry this rose. I think A&A sell a few of the newer Tantau roses that Tantau allows. I don't know about Canada. Hortico doesn't seem to carry Tantau Roses and other interesting roses like they did years ago. They are more conventional and limited in their offerings. A lot of forum members did not like Hortico, but I had no problems with their roses. I got several Bernstein-Roses and a Blue Bayou back around 2009 from Hortico, and in 2013, I got Augusta Luise and Royal Bonica from them. Those offerings are long gone, of course. I think I got my two Ascots about 2011 from Palatine. There weren't a lot of forum members buying from them, and I found out about this company and Pickering on my own. Palatine was very negative about selling Tantau roses, saying that Tantau had no US rep, etc, etc. I was trying to get them to sell Augusta because so many forum members wanted to grow her at the time. A few years later, I think they did sell AL briefly. Sorry for the digression, and thank you for your kind words. I hope someone will sell Pink Ashley because I don't think A&A does anymore.

Trish, I was mostly joking about Stumpy. I wouldn't try to take care of any of that type of bird. Elaine's granddaughter and her husband had a huge parrot with his own room, and he lived in a gigantic cage within the room. He was impressive, but sort of intimidating. When her husband passed away, she sold the parrot, Elaine told me. I don't blame her. OK, now I need to go outside and feed my pet birds--ha. The little guys that are total slobs and enable the quail to eat sunflower seeds, too, by dropping half the seeds they get from the feeder. So, I feed mine enemies by default. Arggh.

I'm trying to make comments on all posts above, and can't make much headway. Back later. Diane

Deer food last week--one of the last Evelyn blooms

Ballerina is still blooming. The deer don't like her.

Ashley--the last of these were deer food last week.

Diane, the deer food was beautiful. I wish they'd find somewhere else to nosh. I think at least one of the three possum repellers I bought has stopped working :(

Brugmansia Pink Panther this morning

Hansestadt Rostock/Always Remember this morning. It's a late bloomer, so cops the grasshoppers and caterpillars, but it's one of my favourites.

Francis released the 4 varieties they are starting with. It’s an exclusive release, sounds like these will eventually be available from big box stores but you can order the bare root from Francis during a 48 hour window.

Adventure, Rozen. lightly fragrant.

Le Temps des Cerises, Delbard. Strongly fragrant.

Rallye des Gazelles, Delbard. Strongly fragrant.

Sandrine Kiberlain, Delbard. Strongly fragrant.

all are $65 which includes shipping. rated for zones 6 and warmer.