I'm thinking of trying one on the north side of my 3' picket fence. The only shade it will get is from the fence. I'm hoping that'll be enough sun for it. I can move it next summer if it's unhappy, but wonder if anyone's tried this type of location? If it's hopeless, I can do something else.

For protection, my plan is to mound them with horse manure when the ground freezes, but would love opinions on that or something else. They're going to have to sink or swim ultimately, but I'd like to give them a chance.

I have no idea what they are, beyond 2 big, 2 small. :) Hopefully we'll see. The Julia Child I rescued turned out to be a very pretty, very deep red, so who even knows what'll come up. (That one really should have been Julia - I assume Julia died and whatever grew was what she was grafted to).

Thanks for any thoughts!

I don't know anything about using manure as mulch. Is it composted? My concern about manure is that it could cause stem canker so be careful not to put it directly against the base of the rose. Maybe some others who use manure might know more. I use mulched up leaves for my winter protection usually. I have an abundant free supply, lol!

Yes, it sounds like Julia died and you have the root stock growing. Probably Dr. Huey if it's red. It can be quite pretty but it's a very aggressive grower and only blooms once a season. So if that's a problem for you dig it out and get yourself a Julia Child. It's a beautiful rose and has been a really terrific grower and bloomer for me.

I got three of them in yesterday before it got too dark (well, ok, planted the third by braille - ow). I put one along the fence, and the other two in a very much full sun and protected bed by the house. By the time I know whether they'll clash, I should also know the results of the fence experiment! I hope I planted them at the appropriate depth: they came from down the road, so I just used their soil lines as my guide.

Thanks for the tip on Dr Huey. If it gets too aggressive in its current location, it can go - surprise! - along the fence. I love the red and have plenty of space, so aggression should be ok.

Dr Huey has been the subject of experiments already. I moved it unceremoniously in June, because it got too big for Julia's space and clashed, then forgot about it during the drought. It looked pretty dead, but I got it as an orphan anyway, after Julia's demise, and it came back then, so I piled it with manure straight out of my horse's stall :) , pulled it a bit away from the stem, and left it alone. It's very happy and growing like a fool. The new orphans got a shovelful of composted manure mixed in the dirt in their holes, but no more than that, because it's not frozen yet. My rose addict friend (source of the orphans) mounds her roses every year with fresh manure once the ground freezes.

Honestly, there's nothing more liberating than a plant you don't care too much about!

I may, however, need new gloves. It's one thing to have a hole in the finger when you're planting bulbs, and another entirely when planting roses!