leep33•3mo ago

My grandmother's rose bushes finally gave up after 40 years

Last week I dug out the last of the rose bushes my grandma planted in 1984. They had been dying back for the last 3 years no matter what I did. I put in some native shrubs instead that only need water once a week. Has anyone else had luck replacing old flower beds with plants that handle the heat better?

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rosebennett3mo ago

Are you sure they were REALLY dying from the heat, or could it have been something else like rose rosette disease or even just old age? Those hybrid tea roses can get SO finicky after a few decades, especially if the rootstock starts failing. I feel like a lot of people blame the weather when it might actually be a soil problem or a pest that's been building up for years. What kind of native shrubs did you go with, and are they actually handling the full sun or do they need some shade?

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quinnbailey3mo ago

Okay 20 years is definitely not 'a few decades' unless you're a mayfly. Those roses were practically senior citizens by rose standards. Honestly I've got a geranium that's only 8 years old and I treat it like it's already in hospice care.

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