Question: My roses this summer have looked terrible. The flowers were great in the spring, but they have fewer petals and terrible form now that it’s hot. Some of the pink and yellow roses aren’t even the same color that they were in the spring.

Answer: While northern roses are the stars of the summer, in Texas they suffer from the heat. Some varieties are worse than others, and some years will be worse than others. Many of our common garden flowers are paler in the heat than the same flowers produced in cooler months of cooler climates, and that’s true with roses, too. Just keep the plants themselves vigorous and you’ll be rewarded with great fall bloom. October roses can be the best of the year, so the battles are worth the effort.