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prairiemoon2

Northeast 'no spray' rose growers - help narrow my list?

I have a list of roses that I find very attractive. Some are said to be disease resistant and some aren't. If you have anything to share that will help me narrow down the list, on whether they are fragrant, vigorous, disease free, and hardy, in your garden, that would help a lot. And if you have grown it, where did you buy it and would you buy it again?

BishopâÂÂs Castle
Mayor of Casterbridge
Eglantyne
Windermere
The Alnwick Rose
Munstead Wood

Sharifa Asma
St Swithun
Prospero
Heritage
The Mayflower
Lichfield Angel
Hyde Hall
Molineaux

MacyâÂÂs Pride
Pope John Paul II
Our Lady of Guadaloupe
Twilight Zone
Portland from Glendora
Henri Martin
Charles de Mills
Marie Pavie
Bolero
Colette or Nahema climber
Mystic Beauty
Aloha (Boerner)
Carefree Celebration
All the Rage
Sweet Fragrance
Ascot

This post was edited by prairiemoon2 on Mon, Nov 11, 13 at 10:57

Comments (37)

  • seil zone 6b MI
    10 years ago

    Nice list! The only one that I have is PJPII. He's is small and not terribly vigorous and a little black spot prone. BUT, he's also VERY hardy and the blooms always open, never ball, in high humidity. He also smells wonderful!

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks Seil, it is such a pretty white, white in photos and seems like a large bloom. I have a few whites on the list that I can't decide between. Windermere, Macy's Pride which has yellow in it, Bolero from Roses Unlimited so I guess it would be own root and is on the Peggy Rockefeller list, but I think it might be a smaller bloom. PJPII seems to be popular and is sold out at Palatine.

    Actually, I can only find three of the Austins at Pickering and none at Palatiine. Roses Unlimited has a pretty good list of them but they are own root, which I didn't want to do.

    Palatine has four on my list, but three are already sold out. (g) And I thought I was early getting an order ready. The three that are sold out are PJPII, Ascot, and Nahema. Twilight Zone is still available.

  • ratdogheads z5b NH
    10 years ago

    I'd suggest avoiding Hyde Hall. I tried to grow it without spraying but it blackspotted badly and defoliated 100%.

    I do spray most of my modern roses. I'm just beginning to grow antiques, some of which have yet to show any serious BS, and those I have not sprayed. It's not on your list, but one that has been clean, healthy and spectacular without spray is Tuscany Superb. I got that grafted from Palatine.

    Di

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    10 years ago

    You might check with the nurseries you are interested in. They perhaps have not gotten around to updating their websites and actually do have your desired roses available or will have them available after the first of the year. I don't usually order until after Thanksgiving, sometimes not til after Xmas or even New Year's day--just because I'm not sure their websites are all up to date yet.

    For Austins, especially the newer releases, you will probably have to go directly to the American David Austin site. My impression is that Austin lets other places only offer the older Austins, as a rule; Austin wants the run on the newest selections to go to the Austin site. The Austin roses are grafted on Dr. Huey, unless stated that they are own root (most are not available that way, however).

    I can't make any final judgment on the roses you listed. Great list of beautiful roses--but I'd guess most could not be grown no-spray in your region which has strong bs-pressures. BS isn't quite as bad a problem in my region, but a good number of those roses would need at least occasional sprays to keep them reasonably decent--which is why I think they would have even more problems in your region.

    But maybe I'm wrong--I haven't grown roses in your area, after all. Let's see what others have to say, but don't get your hopes up too high until, or unless, you get positive reports from your region.

    That list is so nice that I, myself, would have no problem spraying them several times in the spring and again in the fall, the two time periods when BS-pressures are strongest. But that, of course, is up to the preference and choice of each gardener.

    Good luck.

    Kate

  • ratdogheads z5b NH
    10 years ago

    To my great surprise and delight, as of last night, Regan had the 2014 David Austins in stock! They now have three fewer :)

    My experience with DAs from Regan has been that they're grafted on Dr Huey and have been about equal in quality to what I've received directly from DA, at a better price.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    ratdogheads - Thanks, IâÂÂd actually meant to take Hyde Hall off my list, so thatâÂÂs a done deal. Is there a difference, do you know between Tuscany and Tuscany Superb? It appears that Pickering offers both.

    Kate, they are so busy at Pickering you canâÂÂt get through to them and they donâÂÂt call back either. So you may be right, that they update everything after their fall shipments. They do have a note on their home page saying spring orders will be confirmed late November. I canâÂÂt imagine that they expect to be out of stock before filling any spring orders.

    On the Austins, I know that is a lot of names, but I only want to buy two. DA keeping the newer varieties to sell themselves is something I had not thought of. But
    Pickering is offering Munstead Wood, which I thought was a newer variety. But that is the only one that is. Palatine appears not to offer any Austins. They have a large
    inventory of Kordes. Only two Austins made the Peggy Rockefeller list and they were low on the list, Crocus Rose was one and I forget the other. * Sophy's Rose was the other one.

    I have read that someone who ordered from David Austin received a rose with a virus and that would make me hesitant to order from them.

    The Austins definitely would not be BS free and I would not buy one that would completely defoliate, but the Golden Celebration that I had, lasted me 4 years and never did drop even half of itâÂÂs leaves and I was pruning it wrong all that time, so I hope I can find at least one Austin that would do better than that.

    Some on my list like, MacyâÂÂs Pride are considered Superior on the Peggy Rockefeller list, which should indicate very good disease resistance. Bolero, Colette and Nahema were also on that list. Carefree Celebration, All the Rage and Sweet Fragrance were listed by a couple in RI who have a project started for determining roses that are âÂÂsustainableâ and they recommend those. I just wondered if anyone had tried them. I got their names from a link in a forum memberâÂÂs post, gaelicgardener RI.

    Oh, I forgot I saw Quadra on one of madgallica's post today and I wanted to add that to the list.

    This post was edited by prairiemoon2 on Mon, Nov 11, 13 at 16:37

  • pat_bamaz7
    10 years ago

    IâÂÂm in a completely different climate here, but BS is a huge problem for us, as well. I do spray most of my moderns as needed, so canâÂÂt completely comment on BS resistance of those. I grow PJPII, Bolero and Marie Pavie from your list. PJPII and Bolero both do well for me with some sprayingâ¦here they are more BS resistant than the majority of my moderns, but both will BS some if not sprayed. I tried growing PJPII own root years ago when it first came out. It was not vigorous in my garden as an own root plant and was replaced with a grafted one. ItâÂÂs been great for me on Dr. Huey. Blooms a lot, strong citrus fragrance, flowers last a long time cut and on the bush and are always perfect HT form. One of the best whites IâÂÂve grown as far as rain toleranceâ¦blooms arenâÂÂt ruined by rain like so many other whites. Bolero is very good rose for me, too. It stays short here for a floribunda, blooms a lot and is highly fragrant. It is not the pure white that PJPII is and sometimes opens with a pink blush in the center.
    Marie Pavie was new for me this year. IâÂÂm growing her no spray and she has stayed completely BS free for me, so far. She has tiny little blooms that pack a powerful, wafting fragrance and is almost never without at least some flowers.
    I visited the Biltmore Rose Garden over the 4th of July holiday. I believe they grow their roses no spray. Leading up to our visit, weather had been terribleâ¦long spell of torrential rains and uncharacteristically cool for that time of year. Several of their Austins (Lichfield Angel, Carding Mill and Golden Celebration) looked better than most of the other roses (except, surprisingly to me, the HT Francis Meilland), including their OGRs, as far as BS resistance when we were there. Francis Meilland, was disease free and blooming her head off. HTs that do well no spray in our humidity are few and far between, so I may give her a try to see if sheâÂÂs as disease resistant here. Maybe, that would be a good one for your climate? IâÂÂm not currently growing any Austins, but have ordered some for spring including Carding Mill based on seeing it at the Biltmore and Munstead Wood based on high praise from this forum (including Kate).

  • lynnette
    10 years ago

    In my garden I grew the following:-

    BishopâÂÂs Castle...did well and had good rebloom with it's very double rose pink flowers, made a medium bushy plant
    Mayor of Casterbridge...he went to 6 feet and was very upright but I liked his pale pink Centifolia type flowers.
    The Alnwick Rose...medium tall thin bush with double peachy pink blooms. Not very generous with repeat.
    Munstead Wood...not happy in my garden so got Darcey Bussell which was a winner. Munstead Wood likes the rich life.

    St. Swithun...tall bush with good repeat of blush pink flowers

    Heritage...when it was good a beautiful flower but when it rained or you said a cuss word, it looked pathetic Not one of his best for the PNW

    Lichfield Angel...I liked this creamy white because it has shading in it instead or a dead white. Good repeat, medium bush

    Molineaux...too much rain where I live.

    Portland from Glendora...a good Portland which repeats well has nice shaped flowers and fragrant
    Henri Martin...nice rich but bright carmine colour. It does tend to bow over with the weight of the double blooms.
    Charles de Mills..he's not coming in my garden anymore. Georgeous flowers but can he sucker, like everywhere
    Marie Pavie...nice tidy small bush
    Bolero...if the climber, single peach flowers and loads of BS
    Colette or Nahema climber...Colette was a poor rose in my garden. Nahema is a lot like Austins Heritage but the perfume is very rich. This ones is a winner. You can also keep it as a large bush.
    Aloha (Boerner) ...a rose that should be in every garden. You just can't beat this rose pink which can be a large 5 foot bush or pruned to grow into a climber

    Quadra is a rose for cold climates only. It doesn't ( like most cold hardy roses) like warm weather and gets BS

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Pat, So PJPII grafted. I take it you enjoyed the rose enough to replace it when the own root was not working out. Marie Pavie sounds like what I was expecting. And IâÂÂll have to check out Francis Meilland too. Thanks for your detailed description. Sounds like it worked out to see the Biltmore gardens after all that rainy cool weather so you had a chance to see how all the roses responded to that.

    ratdogheads, I took a look at ReganâÂÂs offerings and I saw another Austin, I had never heard of, Jubilee Celebration. IâÂÂm confused, ReganâÂÂs lists it as introduced in 2011 but HMF lists it as 2002. It was described as vigorous, healthy grower, disease resistant. DAâÂÂs site has a photo that is different than ReganâÂÂs. I also see that the DA site lists nurseries where you can buy them. At this point, I wonder if there is any reason not to wait on an Austin purchase and see them in pots at the nursery when they are in bloom in June?

    Lynnette, Thanks, you certainly have a lot of the roses on my list! I was wondering, what the difference is between Munstead Wood and Darcey Bussell in appearance. Is DB a clear red rather than a burgundy shade? I didnâÂÂt realize Charles de Mills suckers. No, Bolero is a white shrub. Is Nahema pink or peachy pink?

    I had a feeling there arenâÂÂt many members on the forums that grow roses in the Northeast. But it still helped me to hear how these roses are doing for all of you. Thanks for filling in some blanks for me.

  • ratdogheads z5b NH
    10 years ago

    I'm not sure of the difference between Tuscany and Tuscany Superb. I forget why I picked it actually! The deep color of the bloom is phenomenal and the foliage is lovely. I don't know of Jubilee Celebration and can't guess at why the discrepancy in dates.

    If you decide to wait until May/June, a couple of places where you can see some Austins in bloom and get a good idea of full size plants in New England are Fuller Gardens (near Hampton Beach) and Uncanoonuc Mt. Perennial's display gardens in Goffstown, NH. Uncanoonuc sells potted Austins (they specialize in only cold hardy varieties).

    Most of my roses have been bare root grafted roses planted in early April. They grow quite quickly but by comparison, roses that I've purchased potted from garden centers and planted in May, June, even in July, are always bigger at the end of the first summer.

    I'm going to stick my neck out and say that I do think that Munstead Wood would be worthy of growing without spray. Even when you do have a spraying regimen, you get a sense of the susceptibility of a plant, and my recollection is that I didn't give MW or Lady of Shalott much attention with the sprayer because they didn't seem to need it.

    Di

    This post was edited by ratdogheads on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 8:53

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    10 years ago

    About Jubilee Celebration, I got mine 6-7 years ago, so it dates back BEFORE 2011.

    Again, I can't say how it would grow in your region, but here in the Midwest, mine is not (and never has been) very vigorous. In fact, its first few years, it was a downright wimp. It does have beautiful fat full blooms--salmon-pink with gold touches in places--but is a bit slow on the re-bloom. Most disappointing, it often has BS problems--not enough to defoliate it completely, but enough that I have to spray it sometimes--though none of mine get sprayed in the hot summer. The leaves tend to be a bit yellow-green even when I feed it a little extra nitrogen--but I've never bothered to use other "corrections." It has never grown over 3x3.

    In other words, I keep it around because the blooms are lovely, but if it suddenly died, I probably would not replace it.

    Maybe I just got a dud. Certainly, Austin's description is much more positive and favorable.

    As to Austin sending a virused order, don't be put off by that. Probably 95% of the places you order from are sending you virused roses. They are nearly everywhere in the industry and have been for many decades now. Only a couple places have taken the time and money to clean up their virused stock--which is why a lot of posters here like to order from, for instance, Pickering. The rose mosaic virus probably will not harm your rose and the symptoms might not even appear for 10 or 20 years--and will disappear when the weather changes. (Check the search function below--many, many threads on this subject.)

    Hope some NE rosiers join in the conversation.

    Kate

    Edit: inserted missing "not"

    This post was edited by dublinbay on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 18:02

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Di, IâÂÂm mulling it all over about the Austins. Thanks for that information about that rose garden to visit in the spring. I have not been to that one. Since Pickering does offer Munstead Wood, I am planning on ordering that bare root but I think I will be better off waiting to see Austins growing before ordering more. Thanks for that added info about the disease resistance of MW and Lady of Shalott. Sounds encouraging.

    This morning I checked DGâÂÂs Garden Watchdog to see what the information there was about rose nurseries. I havenâÂÂt had time to look it all over, but I did check out David Austin roses and overall, they had 102 positive posts with 23 negative and 13 neutral posts.

    Kate, thanks for that report on Jubilee Celebration. Sorry it didnâÂÂt work out for you. There are so many to choose from and just needing a couple, IâÂÂm sure IâÂÂll find one I really like. IâÂÂm glad to hear that Pickering has taken steps to protect their stock from viruses. Another reason to order from them. IâÂÂm crossing my fingers that they donâÂÂt say at the last minute that they arenâÂÂt shipping to the U.S.

    I did want to correct what I said about the Austins on the Peggy Rockefeller list. I have two lists, the 2009 and the 2010 list. Crocus Rose and SophyâÂÂs Rose were on the 2009 list toward the bottom, then on the 2010 list, there were five Austins on their list and they were actually pretty high on the list too. Easter Basket had the highest score of 9.25 and Austins on the list wereâ¦.

    Heritage 8.8
    SophyâÂÂs rose 8.75
    Spirit of Freedom 8.75
    Carding Mill 8.5
    Scepter Isle 7.8

    How much that information can be relied on, is anyoneâÂÂs guess. At least it is a starting point until you find out otherwise.

    I have gotten a lot of information already and I think you were right about not needing to order until after Thanksgiving, so less of a hurry about it. I could actually make an order from Pickering today if I needed to. Thanks. :-)

  • Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
    10 years ago

    This may not be much help but of your first 14 listed I grew all and all had to be sprayed here to be reasonably healthy. I grow Macy's Pride, Sweet Fragrance and All The Rage without spray all are extremely heathy thou not my most vigorous that easy elegant award goes to Sunrise Sunset. All of my Kordes roses are growen with no spray and are very healthy, vigorous and prolific in bloom I love them all. Pat

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Patty, that's good to know. The first 14 are all Austins and I'm just trying to find one or two that can grow no spray. Evidently many of you have been looking for that for awhile. :-)

    The others are not available at Pickering, I wonder if you remember where you bought them? Was it Roses Unlimited?

    It appears that many people are liking the Kordes roses. Nice to have roses that work, after trying so many that leave something to be desired. Thanks.

  • Krista_5NY
    10 years ago

    I grow a number of Austins in my no-spray garden. They get blackspot and defoliate, but they do well.

    Eglantyne, Bishop's Castle, The Alnwick Rose, and Sharifa Asma are some of my favorites.

    I've found the Austins to be hardy and they are wonderful roses.

    I've grown them for a long time and can't recall where all of them are from... many are on Dr. Huey rootstock. Some of them I have gotten from Pickering.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Krista, I remember photos of your roses a few years ago when I visited the forum. Very pretty and Bishop's Castle was one of my favorites of your rose photos.

    When you say they defoliate, would you say they retain 75% of their foliage? Are some years worse than others?

    I'm surprised that they are hardy enough for zone 4. Do you plant the bud union below ground level?

  • Krista_5NY
    10 years ago

    They don't retain 75 % of their foliage. It can vary from year to year, individual varieties can vary; the foliage drop is significant. They do grow new leaves, however.

    I'm in zone 5. I plant the bud union a few inches below the soil line.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    10 years ago

    Again, I'm zone 6 in the Midwest, but if it helps any, here are the most bs resistant Austins that I grow:

    Munstead Wood----still new, so final word is not in yet, but looks very promising so far.

    Lady of Shalott----taller apricot/gold/buff blooms; just finished its second year here. Good BS resistance.

    Mortimer Sackler----taller, lighter shades of pink. 5 years old. Excellent disease resistance.

    Queen of Sweden----supposed to be 3-4 ft tall, but closer to 5-6 ft tall in my garden; exquisitely wonderful light pink/apricot highlight at times. 4-5 years in my garden. Very good disease resistance.

    Pretty Jessica----smaller shrub, big fat full pink blooms. 3-4 years old. Excellent disease resistance.

    Mayflower----4-5 ft tall, pink. Had it for 5-6 years. Excellent disease resistance.

    The Wedgwood Rose--climber----this has been its first season in my garden, and it looks very promising. Austin claims it is "excellent" on disease resistance. Pastel pink/white.

    Scepter'd Isle----first season in my yard, hasn't done much of anything one way or another. Supposed to be fairly good on disease-resistance but come back and ask me in a year or two. : ) Beautiful bloom, light pink.

    All of the Austins are supposed to be hardy to zone 5.

    By the way, you mentioned Easter Basket as being at top of the garden list. I grow this little floribunda--she's wonderful and very bs resistant. You might consider her also. Wonderful fluffy, ruffly blooms in several pastel shades. (Not an Austin)

    Another non-Austin that resists everything is the floribunda Home Run--bright red single. Seil will back me on that one!

    Another non-Austin: get Mystic Beauty (from Roses Unlimited)--nearly identical to Souvenir de la Malmaison which everybody on the Antique Forum raves about. It is that good. Pastel pink/white bourbon.

    I also have some polyanthas, but they are only a couple years old and haven't done much (probably because I moved them twice), so it will take another year before I can judge them. But they are generally thought of as bs-resistant --and very bloomiferous.

    Those are some of my best ones in Zone 6 Kansas. Can't guarantee how they will do in your zone.

    Hope that helps.

    Kate

    This post was edited by dublinbay on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 18:58

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks, Krista. Sorry I saw the 4 in your screen name and thought that was your zone. Well, you would never know your roses suffer significant foliage drop, the photos always look so good! They must be doing well, to have had some of them so long. That is encouraging. I love all those varieties that you listed.

    Kate, you do have a collection going there. :-) Well it looks like some potential there that something might work out for me. I see you have a mix of old varieties and some new ones too.

    Yes, I saw you mention you had Easter Basket at some point and I wanted to let you know it was the #1 plant on the Peggy Rockefeller list. Is she fragrant at all? Behind disease resistance, fragrance is the one thing I am looking for the most. I actually decided today to add this to my list after seeing a photo of it.

    Home Run is also on the PR list, Kate.

    I saw the photo of Mystic Beauty on the Roses Unlimited website and loved it, so IâÂÂm glad you have that and you like it. Fragrance?

    I like polyanthas. I might try that.

    Thanks Krista and Kate, canâÂÂt wait for spring. :-)

  • Krista_5NY
    10 years ago

    Prairiemoon, sorry about the zone confusion. I don't know how to change my zone in the name..... I only take whole-bush pics in spring, the rest of the year the roses don't have nice looking foliage...

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Krista, do you have a way to disguise the roses when the foliage is not at it's best? I mean, if I had an area away from where I spend the most time in the yard, to grow them and could let them recover without looking at them, or if I only had a few that were mixed into a perennial bed that grew up around them as the season went on then that might be manageable. I know myself well enough to know I couldn't walk by a bush with unhappy foliage for half the season without wanting to rip it out. (g) Maybe if it was across the yard from my windows and I could walk over there and look at the roses in the spring and then ignore them the rest of the time, but I don't have that option.

    So aside from the fact my property is small, that would be another reason I would stick with just a couple.

    I know you also grow old roses, that are more disease resistant, probably once blooming. Do you have any that would grow in part shade that you like? I was looking at Konigin von Danemark and loved some of the comments from happy growers, the one problem I keep running into with the old roses, is pink is not my favorite color and I've been wanting to change some of my garden to hot colors. I also have an off white house which is boring enough without pastels next to it. (g)

    This post was edited by prairiemoon2 on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 21:34

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    That is a very pretty rose and I like that darker color. I like the way the buds and stems present themselves too. I see it available at Pickering, but I sometimes have a hard time with the photos they offer for a rose. Your photo, the rose looks gorgeous, their photo, below, doesn't look the same. Just makes me wonder if I order from them, am I getting one that looks like your photo or is it different.

    They list it as 4x2 after the first year, do you remember what the size of the one you saw was? Has strong fragrance according to Pickering, which I love.

    I have an area that is 4 hrs of direct sun,from 11am to 3pm, and I have another area that is 6hrs of direct sun, but it is closer to tree roots. Not thinking that equals 'some shade' and Pickering doesn't have it on their list of shade tolerant roses. Hmmâ¦.I do like that rose, I'd like to find a place for it. Thanks for posting the photo of it.

  • pat_bamaz7
    10 years ago

    For âÂÂhotâ colored disease resistant moderns, have you considered WeekâÂÂs Easy to Love series of floribundas? I think you mentioned in this thread or another that you grow Julia Child from the series. I grow Julia Child, Easy Does It, Easy Going, Livinâ Easy, Hot Cocoa and Cinco de Mayo from the series. They are the most disease resistant moderns I have in my garden. Easy Going, the least âÂÂhotâ colored of them, is the most disease resistant for me (virtually disease free with no spraying), but the others can be grown no spray here without spotting too badly. Julia is by far the most fragrant of them, but the others all have a nice mild to moderate scent depending on the weather. They are the closest to everblooming roses you could hope for hereâ¦almost never without at least dozens if not hundreds of blooms. They do grow to be big shrubs hereâ¦mine are all 6 to 7 ft tall by at least 4 ft wide with the exception of my two Julias, who I try to keep pruned to around 5 x 3 along my front walk. Most of my OGRs are pastels, but Rose de Rescht is a hot magenta and as fragrant as any rose I know. I have two, but have only grown them for a year now. So far, so good on disease resistance without spraying, though. They have a big spring flush, a decent fall flush and scattered blooms in between. Mine are in full sun, but I believe are supposed to be shade tolerant, as well.

  • lainey2 VA
    10 years ago

    I'm SE, but I can vouch for the Easy to Love series. They do get some black spot in my no chemical spray garden, but they keep most of their foliage and respond to fish emulsion spray when they lose leaves. I also have had good results with Lady Elsie Mae, Hot Cocoa, and Knockouts.

  • Krista_5NY
    10 years ago

    I have annuals planted near the roses, and some perennials, to brighten the garden.

    I don't have any once-bloomers, but do have some repeat blooming roses growing in locations where they do not get all day sun.

    I grow Stanwell Perpetual in part shade, it does well there.

    Mme Ernst Calvat and Lavender Lassie also tolerate some shade.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Pat, I didnâÂÂt realize that Julia Child was one of a series from Carruth. IâÂÂve been so happy with JC, I should try another one. Since you are growing them all, IâÂÂm wondering how you fit them into your design? Do you add them in with other roses that are different heights and size blooms?

    I am starting to realize that I end up asking so many questions that would be answered in short order by seeing the rose in bloom. I think I will help myself tremendously by visiting some rose gardens next June. I like the color of that Cinco de Mayo, at least in a photo. As far as shade tolerant, I did start off with JC in a pot in 6hrs of sun or a little less and she did fine there, so you may be right.

    Thanks Lainey, another no spray garden, wonderful! Would I be correct to assume that in the Southeast, with a measure more of heat and humidity that you might have more pressure from blackspot then I do? I use Fish/Seaweed emulsion too. I hadnâÂÂt thought to spray them when they lose leaves. Sometimes I fall down on the job with fertilizing, so I hope I can do better next year.

    Hot Cocoa seems like a different color, have you found it difficult to work in with other colors? How does it look with purples, violets, maroons and reds? I would imagine it looks good with yellows and whites of course.

    Krista, I went back and looked for some of your rose photos IâÂÂve seen before and I hope you donâÂÂt mind if I repost one here. Whatever you are doing for your roses, they look really healthy! Look at that clean foliage. IâÂÂm going to have to go back and read more of your posts to find out what your secret is. Because you are right, the healthier the rose, the better it can tolerate some of the foliar issues and keep coming back fresh every spring.

    Thanks for those suggestions for a shady spot. I am only familiar with Lavender Lassie which I've heard is a great rose. I'll check out the other two.

    Do you have a favorite perennial to grow with your roses?

  • pat_bamaz7
    10 years ago

    Maybe series wasn't the proper word...Weeks calls them a rose group instead. In the rose group they call Easy to Love, some are Carruth and some are Harkness. Here's the link to them on the Week's website: http://www.weeksroses.com/_RoseGroups/EasyToLove.html

    I do grow them all since they really are very easy, disease resistant, bloom machines here in my climate. For the most part, they are mixed in informal beds with other roses and perennials. Hot Cocoa might be hard to mix with colors other than yellow or white. I have Hot Cocoa between two Easy Goings which I intentionally planted close together so the blooms would somewhat interweave with one another. The combo looks nice, but I do regret putting them so close together...they are very thorny bushes and it's impossible to get between them to weed without coming out looking like I lost a fight with a bobcat. Cinco de Mayo is with flowers in shades of gold, yellow, purple and blue.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Pat, thanks for the link and the conversation. This was a great suggestion because they seem to have all the basics, the disease resistance, the blooming vigor and even some fragrance. Definitely worth trying. Especially since I love Julia Child!

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well, I've revised my list. I've thought about the Austin Roses and I'm going to buy one from Pickering, and then wait to see them growing locally before deciding which others to choose. Pickering didnâÂÂt have any others that I was looking for at this point any way.

    Munstead Wood
    Marie Pavie
    Aloha Boerner
    'Tickled Pink' - the Peggy Rockefeller garden added this in 2013

    I decided against The Fairy.

    And maybe Rosemary Harkness

    From Roses Unlimited
    Mystic Beauty
    Memorial Day
    Maybe Peach Drift
    Maybe Nahema Climber

    Palatine
    Twilight Zone
    a few others were sold out

    I really want to find âÂÂFrancis Meillandâ but I havenâÂÂt seen it offered anywhere except Edmonds.

    In addition IâÂÂm thinking about the âÂÂEasy to Loveâ group that Pat recommended. And I came across some new introductions for 2014 of the âÂÂEasy Eleganceâ group of
    roses by Ping Lim that IâÂÂm also very interested in. I see four local nurseries that should carry them next spring, so I am going to wait and try to choose which I like the best in the spring.

    I want to get something for my shadier and more difficult back garden but IâÂÂm going to have to spend more time researching that, maybe on the Antiques forum.

    I love Nehema but having to figure out if I have somewhere to put another climber.

    I ended up with more pink then I wanted but other qualities outweighed the color. At least I should be getting a couple of dark ones.

    ItâÂÂs been an education and I enjoyed hearing about everyone's roses, it was a big help, thanks!

    This post was edited by prairiemoon2 on Thu, Nov 14, 13 at 12:09

  • ratdogheads z5b NH
    10 years ago

    Regarding CInco de Mayo. I'm extremely fond of CdM. It's my earliest bloomer, one of the most consistent re-bloomers, a vigorous grower, love the flowers, the shape of the shrub, the foliage, which is bronze when new.

    However, I thought I'd mention this since you do want to go no-spray - it's been horribly blackspot ridden in my garden. Probably my least disease resistant rose. I grew it a couple of years without spray and the foliage was an ugly mess for most of the summer, though curiously it held onto most of the leaves.

    I find it interesting that it rates excellent for disease resistant on HMF, and I hear many people on this forum praising its healthiness. I've heard it said that there are several different types of BS, so what is resistant for one garden might not be for another. I guess this is an example of that, or perhaps it's just in a bad spot in my garden. It gets a bit of afternoon shade and doesn't get good air circulation because it's growing close to the house and these things would contribute to a damper conditions.

    I'm thinking of moving it next summer to a more open location. I think it would look good next to Hot Cocoa (which BTW has been a very healthy plant).

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    10 years ago

    I can't remember whether Easy Does It was listed as part of the Easy to Love group, but I would recommend this continuous bloomer. If you don't already grow it, I would put in a good word for Golden Celebration, but a bad word for Eglantyne, several of which I have grown at two different locations (and still grow). However, it seems to do well for others in other places and certainly has a beautiful bloom and scent. I like Ascot (have two) and love Augusta Luise, both Tantau. roses. Here's a pic of one permutation of AG's constantly changing color. Diane

  • Krista_5NY
    10 years ago

    That pic was taken in spring... IMHO, I think roses are tough and resilient. They defoliate, grow new leaves, and continue on.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    ratdogheads, thanks for letting me know you did have BS on your Cinco de Mayo. The thread âÂÂHow much store do you put in photos of roses?â had a discussion about the different strains of BS and the conclusion was that there are multiple strains and it isnâÂÂt know yet, which area has which strain, so I think you are right to say what is resistant in one garden, might not be in another.

    Diane, I just looked it up and Easy Does It is a part of that Easy to Love group. ItâÂÂs also in the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden. I see it has some fragrance too. I had GC but it did have BS in my garden, and I am ready to try something new. Ascot is very nice, Palatine was sold out. ThatâÂÂs a pretty photo, the shading on the rose is so different. Thanks.

    Krista, IâÂÂm looking forward to having more roses next spring, so IâÂÂm glad to hear you say they are tough and resilient.

    I can see where this can be a very addictive hobby. IâÂÂve already decided to order more than I originally intended to, lol.

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    10 years ago

    Just wanted to mention that the above photo was taken of Augusta Luise on June 19 when the rose was 3 months old after being planted as a bare root at the end of March. Now here is a pic taken August 8. I think this pretty amazing for a baby rose. Diane

  • lainey2 VA
    10 years ago

    prairiemoon, we do have more bs than you. In my garden, when a rose begins to lose leaves, if I spray with fish emulsion, new leaves pot out within a week. I use a little one quart hand sprayer.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Diane, that is one vigorous rose! What a lot of rebloom you had with it and especially for a first year. Very pretty photo.

    Lainey, I'm so glad you told me that, because I've never tried that and I wouldn't have thought that you could see new foliage that quickly. I have a sprayer I use fish/seaweed emulsion with too. I'm going to have to try that. Thanks.

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