Patience isn't one of my virtues, but with climbers especially it often takes at least three years for the root system to develop enough for them to bloom. However, after that with proper care they get bigger and better every year.

Touch of Class is very pretty, certainly well waiting for. Sometimes a rose will also bloom sooner or better when it's planted in a spot that more meets its needs.

Thanks Ingrid. What you say makes a lot of sense. When I first planted my America rose, I planted it in a good location, then in 2008 we added on to that side of the house, so it probably doesn't get as much sun as it needs, it gets some, but not enough. Should have moved it then, but I didn't.

Sara, you may want to adopt the general rule that a number of us follow--namely, give a rose three years to show its stuff before deciding to get rid of it.

And if its a climber that might be, give the climber 3-5 years . . . .

With exceptions, of course. If I really dislike the rose, I wouldn't wait around for it. Or if you suspect that it isn't planted in a good spot and that is part of the problem, then dig it up and give it 3 years in the new spot. But don't go crazy and transplant it several times each season---you'll never get a decent rose out that that!

On the other hand, I do have 1 or 2 roses that I suspect aren't planted in the best spots--but no place to move them to--so there they are 5 years later still in the not-so-good spot--but suddenly making some new vigorous growth they never exhibited before.

Which takes us to another handy rule for the garden: you never know for sure! : )

Your sister's rose looks healthy and promising.

Kate

Thank you Kate - Your comment about giving climbers 3-5 years reminds me of my late mother's Golden Showers rose. I planted it for her a few years ago, never did much until last year. I planted it on the north side of her house, in the only spot she would be able to see it. I had a Golden Showers that I gave up on, but now I wish I had given it a little longer.

Especially with own root roses, you have to wait at least 4 years or more. Any of my roses that I really like looked and bloomed much better after 4 years.

Right now I'm waiting on slowpoke Love Song. She's so beautiful and the flowers last a long time in the garden but the plant has hardly grown at all even when I pinched the buds off. Maybe she's just growing roots for now.

Kitty - Hope your Love Song starts doing good for you, I'm sure it will. I planted two this past season and they were great. It is a lovely rose.

Amen to all the above. I have roses planted eight to ten years ago that took several years to get going: they weren't planted all that well and didn't get much care afterward. Still, after five years or even seven years, they had taken hold, the grafted roses went own root, and now they flower reliably and are sturdy as can be. This won't work if conditions are impossibly hostile, but otherwise time is your ally in the garden.
Sometimes you see a difference when conditions change, too. Last year an elm tree right on the other side of the property line died. It was close to several roses and other shrubs, and they immediately perked up and began sending out new growth. Elms have extremely greedy roots and this one evidently starved the plants close to it.
Melissa

Patience is the key to all gardening really, not just roses. When you plant something it's an investment in the future and you can't expect instant gratification. I'm like Kate and the others here. A rose gets a good 3 years to strut it's stuff. Sometimes that goes even long in the case of climbers or a special rose I really had high hopes for. I kept a Cl. Peace 6 years when it NEVER gave me a bloom because I was so hoping it would be gorgeous. My brother finally helped me dig out the 8 ft. flowerless thing one fall. I've had Candy Land in it's place for 3 years now and while it blooms like mad it's still only 2 ft tall, lol! You can't win!

Candy Land is a beauty. You made a good choice and I hope some tall canes are going to come on for 2014. I always feel happy when I see Candy Land in bloom.