Old Gardens:
Crepuscule
Sally Holmes
Grandmother's Hat
Old Blush
Blush Noisette

Moderns:
Crimson Glory
Dorcas - a Buck
Carding Mill
Fragrant Apricot
Chuckles

This is just what I think of at the moment. Actually....they are all my favorites, though I favor apricots.

Whatever survived zone 5a winter, best scents, and likes my alkaline heavy clay soil: Radio Times (all green and bushy in early March), Christopher Marlow, Golden Celebration, Lady Emma Hamilton, Mary Magdalene.

Nymphs Egeria-I just LOVE this rose, the blooms are beautiful, fragrant, the form of the bush is lovely, and it's a Geshwind.
Edmond Proust-a Barbier rambler-probably the most beautiful rose I've ever seen.
Reine des Violettes-prolific, exceedIngly fragrant, beautiful, cooperative!
Prinz Hirzeprinzchen-my first Geschwind, hardy, beautiful, I love it.
Blush Hip- just love it, can't explain...just love it.

Betty White - my all time fav
Yves Piaget - my 2nd all time fav
Oklahoma - blooms are plentiful and last forever on the bush - and the color is so deep and lovely (we are colder here so that may keep the darkness of the red from going lighter)
Neptune
Paradise Found - such a unique scent

Can't wait for summer!!!
Carol

'Firefighter'
'Golden Celebration'
'Tamora'
'Pink Gruss an Aachen'
'Belindas Dream'

all consistently superb here.

Crimson Glory
Queen Elizabeth
Peace
Tiffany
Color Magic

Mister Lincoln is at 5-1/2

�� The velvety, dark red HT BLACK MAGIC. Oooohhh the color and form on that one!!!

�� SIGNATURE-ditto on this HT's outstanding color and form!!!

�� Barbra Streisand-mmmmm...love her fragrance & purple coloring.

�� BRIGADOON-lots & lots of pretty blooms.

�� NEPTUNE-because I'm a space case. ;-) Ha, ha, just kidding. Really I love this rose for it's fragrance and purple coloring.

Due to lack of winter chill and long hot summers, I am living without:
Felicite Parmentier
Fantin la Tour
Mme Hardy
R. rubrifolia
Roserie de l'Hay

I grew them in their full glory up in Ohio and I'm glad I did. Now I'm loving my teas, noisettes and Chinas here.

It's not couldn't; it's WOULDN'T do without;

Madame Hardy
Jeanne Lavoie
Hope for Humanity
Heritage
Freckles

(at least till now; some others wil bloom this year for the first time in my garden.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Musings Blog

One of the first roses I ever bought was Abraham Darby (back in the 80's, I believe). Covered with blackspot, awkward, thorny canes, but the most beautiful flowers! It so reminded me of the old roses, I started studying them, and thus started my wonderful hobby of growing Antique Roses. The same day I also bought Tropicana, still have it to this day.

Also, just love G Nabbonand, Souv de le Malmaisan (sp), Duchesse de Brabant and my Cl Pinkie!

Hi Ogrose: What's DFW next to your planting zone means? I wonder what state you are in. Abraham Darby is so photogenic, but the fragrance doesn't agree with me. Too bad I can't plant the low-thorn ones you mentioned - won't survive in zone 5a.

Strawberryhill -

DFW is Dallas/Fort Worth in Texas.

Mme Gregoire Staechelin - one of my very first roses and still one of my all time favourites.
R.moyessi - the only red I had for years (remedied this lack with Scharlachglut and a couple of old red climbing hybrid teas)
R.Primula - the first wildling I ever bought and still one of the best despite having been trawled around the garden and allotment, even spending a couple of years in a shopping trolley. Has resisted all efforts at propagation so I hover nervously over it every time I have shunted it around - it may sulk for a season but always recovers.
Moonlight - my favourite Pemberton hybrid musk.
Leontine Gervaise - I love, love, love Leontine - the star and anchor of my rose 'fedge'.