She's a little temperamental for me, but she's awfully pretty when she blooms and totally worth it. I get a little black spot on her now and then. Not bad enough that I just won't grow her.

For me:

Tall, leggy, and lovely.

I have two regular ones (grafted) and two of the climbing version (own root). So far the climbing version has maybe two inches on the grafted. All survived the colder than usual Winter in zone 7 with no protection (there was cane die-back, of course). Some blackspot but improves with good soil -- my Bess in shade with really good soil has no blackspot, the Bess in sun in soil that I am still struggling with has blackspot. None on the climbers but they have only two canes each and haven't flowered yet.

Susan, I love this rose. I would have twenty-five of them.

It would be great to hear from those who have older plants, own root, grafted....

Where it's an issue, Dainty Bess LOVES mildew. It's quite fragrant and MUCH better budded than own root. Black spot can also be an issue, but that is going to vary depending upon which "brand" of the fungi you have. Traditionally, it's tall and gaunt, even budded. Kim

I am also curious , and glad you started a thread about it ! Does anyone have any full plant pictures ? I'm having a hard time picturing it since it's listed as a hybrid tea , correct ?

This used to be a very common rose here on Cape Cod; sadly most have been replaced by Knockouts. But was a real survivor here in this zone 6 climate and makes an upright bush about 4 or 5 feet high if left to on its own as a landscape shrub as most were. I remember a huge bush near my home that I used to see every day. It was covered in blooms most of the summer and certainly caught the eye. And so it goes for many of these survivor types such as City of York, Excelsa, New Dawn, and Coral Dawn, all replaced by Knockout. Another lovely single HT is Mrs. Oakly Fisher.

She runs around 5 feet tall for me and maybe 3 feet wide but she's very open and airy, well, kind of sparse, lol. This picture is from last season because I had to cut her to the ground this spring and she's only about 2 to 3 feet tall right now.

Here she is this spring.

LOVE HER! Thanks everyone for sharing your photos and experiencesâ¦I am thinking of buying her budded. I did not know she was so leggy but I can just plant stuff around her I guess.
Sidos, how much shade is she in?
Cape--I have Mrs. Oakley Fisher and really enjoy her. Wish she bloomed more frequently.
Also, since my original post Dairy Maid has bloomed and I LOVE HER TOO.
Susan

Quite a bit, Susan, though the amount varies with the time of year. The one Dainty Bess I have in shade is planted in a galvanized washtub beneath a Sweet Gum. Oriental lilies and cleomes grow up around the tub and shade her even more this time of year. It has to be mostly dappled light right now. But early in the season she gets more sun before things grow up around her and also before her tree leafs out -- while she is deciding whether or not to grow any new canes. If I keep her deadheaded she is almost always in bloom or making new buds, perhaps not as floriferous as the plant in full sun but more than good enough for me.

I just love this rose. (So do the Japanese Beetles. Of course.) You could tuck her in anywhere and everywhere!

Here is my sunny one in really icky soil. She still has her tomato cage from last year when I was trying to protect her from deer. Not a 100% sure but I don't think a stake or trellis for this rose is necessary.