Touch of Class hybrid tea is described as coral pink with white. Some read the coloring as salmon pink in the desert. It has 5 1/2" blooms and the plant I had grew to about 6' + here because of the long growing season.

Assuming you're looking for a Hybrid Tea, I recommend 'Nantucket', a tall plant with good repeat having the very best clear salmon color I know of. It's a sport of 'Chantré', so I consider it to be a Kordes rose (even tho it was discovered in the U.S.). It produces large flowers and performs well in heat. Even in my BS-pressured zone, the health of the foliage is better than average.

Mine, grafted on Multiflora, was purchased from Pickering. I note that it's listed by Heirloom and by Vintage. I've no idea how it performs on its own roots.

They would not have to be tea roses. Maybe I have a different question altogether. I have had the best luck buying roses at HD as far as growing big and having large blossoms. The rosebushes I purchased at the local nursery or mail ordered have developed small very unrose like flowers. So I want a blossom that looks like a traditional rose.

You might get the best advice from someone who actually gardens in Phoenix. Look up the nearest rose society, and go to one of their meetings. If they are having a rose show, you can see what the roses look like as grown there. Be careful to ask people how much spraying the roses need - you want to find one which doesn't need much at all. There will be people there who grow roses for their gardens, not just to exhibit at rose shows - those are the folks I would talk with.

Jackie

There are several salmon-toned roses that do well in Phoenix. Of course, no rose is going to look like much when it's 100-120F. Where you buy your roses has less to do with their size than the type of rose you're purchasing. If the blooms are small, perhaps you bought miniatures or floribundas. Blooms also lose size, color and petal count during hot weather. One of the best places to see roses in bloom are the public rose gardens. The Rose Garden at Mesa Community College, Southern & Dobson, is the largest in the area. The Valley Garden Center Rose Garden, 15th Ave between McDowell & Thomas, is in central Phoenix. Sahuaro Ranch Rose Garden at Sahuaro Ranch Park, 59th Ave & Olive (Glendale), and the Scottsdale Artists School Rose Garden, 2nd Street & Marshall Way, are also easy to view. Few local nurseries will have roses available for sale during this time of year but you can visit the public gardens, take notes & pictures, then wait 'til fall or winter to purchase and plant. That will also give you time to research your selections for what they'll look like in cooler months. Only the Mesa East Valley Rose Society will be meeting during the July/August period but we'll all be up and going again come September.
Jeannie Cochell, Consulting Rosarian, The Phoenix Rose Society

Great idea, I will check out the rose societies in the area. The information they could provide would be very helpful. I have only been gardening in the desert for 3 years so I am finding out I have a lot to learn about gardening in this climate.

If you want huge climbers, you might consider some of the Hybrid Giganteas. I think Roses Unlimited has some.

Thanks, I do need climbers in other areas in my yard so I will check out the Hybrid Giganteas. For this spot there is a metal fence so it will be too hot for the roses to climb on.

Goodt4me - you can visit the websites for the various rose societies, too. We each have lists or suggestions for roses recommended for this low desert climate. www.roses4az-mevrs.org, www.phoenixrose.org, www.glenroseaz.org. Of course, you can also email me through this website, too:).

A chain link fence is made from galvanized metal and is usually much cooler than a block wall. It also is almost impervious to keeping weed-free but allows excellent airflow. If you're in a newer area of Scottsdale, you may have a solid metal fence of some nature and even a cactus would fry on one of those things. Rose's biggest enemies in this area, besides afternoon-only sun, is lack of water and encroaching roots... especially oleander, eucalyptus, nutsedge, cats claw and hybrid bermuda grass.

Thanks Moroseaz, I will check out your links. Yes, I do have a solid metal fence in that area. I just put this fence up. It's 6ft and now I wonder if it creates a hot spot in the yard.