Well I'd let it dry out (if that's possible). I am sometimes amazed at the reviving... It is so hard isn't it? I went thru that here with peony season which is my favorite - they were just out and then it was in the 90s and it was all ocer in a flash and I cut them off and cried quiet tears.

You will probably need to cut back - but oh my the gorgeous display you had. enough to make you come back for more again and again and again...

it's just water heavy. Is there a way you could put a circulating fan out there to blow on the blooms (gently).

I am so sorry. It happened during the height of iris season too. They recovered pretty well, and if the roses can dry out, they probably will too. But I'm not a rose expert at all. They were so gorgeous, it is a shame,
kay

Gorgeous, gorgeous roses.... Just gently shake the water out of the flowers and they should straighten up at least a little.

Thanks cindy, ianna and kay for commiserating with me!

Tomorrow is the only day forecast for no rain, if the weatherman is right! So after work I am going to see if I can lift them, layer by layer, and shake off some of the water. Maybe try deadheading some of the blooms too, to help reduce the weight as well.

My sister just commented tonight that this year the peony blooms didn't get dumped on with the rain and she is right. Normally the peonies end up on the ground. Everything is blooming early this year, so the roses got the rain instead of the peonies I guess.

Marylou, can you find some sticky sticks around? I saw Martha Stewart once support plants with forked sticks or "sticky sticks" - a branch with many smaller branches. She tucked them in and under plants and they got completely hidden but supported the plants. Gosh, this happens so often in the South, I'm sorry it happened in your beautiful garden!

They should dry out. Can't tell you the number of times I have staked up rose canes after some big rains. If you do have to cut them back, remember that roses love to be prunned. About 6 weeks after a heavy prunning they will give you another glorious flush. In fact I ALWAYS cut back my roses fairly heavily after this spring flush and so I get a wonderful second flush in August. After that I pretty much only deadhead them and let them get bigger and taller until fall. I leave them all winter and them I prune VERY HEAVILY in early spring. I cut everything but the climbers down to under two feet this year. JUst like last year. And the spring flush on my roses is amazing. They love being cut back, come back shrubbier and stronger than ever.

I like GGG's idea. Stick some branches under them to prop them up. I gotta tell you that even in their misery they are still as pretty as ever.

MeMo

I vote for letting them dry off first. I didn't know about the pruning tip, NYR. Thanks for that idea.

my concern about propping up water heavy plants is that it may cause soft branches to snap. Best approach is to gently shake off excess water and pruning past blooms.

How do they look today?

We had a dry, warm and very windy day today. When I got home from work tonight I took a broom handle and lifted and shook the canes gently. It did help some, especially on the Champlain roses. The Morden Belle not as much. The MB canes are long and naturally arch downward. So that is not much help when trying to lift them. But the good news is the MB bushes are already throwing long new canes skyward which will help to fill in the "empty in the middle" look. So....not all is lost. Also lots of buds on the MB down canes and they are turning upward toward the sun.

Thanks for checking back and asking!

Hey, be greatful for the rain but know I'd feel the same way you do right now. I think once the sun comes out and dries them up, they'll bounce back. Just give them time..then go to plan B. Mother Nature works wonders with her beauty!

hi cindi rod and kidsss my plants goin well u'd b impressed luv u all and miss hope to c u soon big hug and kisses to all xx