Diane, about the only comment I can make is that I believe Rita Sammons could probably do quite well in a 5-10 gallon pot. There may be others in your group but I don't know them enough to hazard a guess.

Ingrid

Thanks, Ingrid. Rita Sammons is supposed to grow to 4-5ft so I'd feel safer with it in a larger pot. Does it stay small for you?

Diane

Can't really help you since I know nothing about the roses you listed, but I am wondering about the hybrid perpetuals you listed. If they are anything like the HP Mrs. John Laing, I can't imagine it growing well in a pot--too narrow, tall, and downright gangly for such a placement, in my opinion.

Kate

We rented a Victorian house near San Francisco, ca a few years ago, and the property had 200+ roses, most of them modern and scentless. Because California law states that if you plant a plant in the landlords property it becomes his/her plant, we started growing Old Roses in pots.
I hope this information helps:
-any plant in a pot requires c. 33% more water (u.c. davis study)
-roses on rootstock have long roots at the start, and will need deep pots.
The rosebushes that flowered best in 8 gallon pots were from these classes: Noisette, Polyantha, Hybrid Musk, Tea and China

Roses that were species Hybrids could take the most abuse, Ramblers including The Garland, Albertine, Pauls Himalaan Musk. I forgot to water some of these for several weeks and they did not complain at all.

I'd put any Hybrid Perpetual in a 25 gallon pot.

My China and Old Garden Tea rosebushes did fine in pots as far as health went but bloomed better, because they grew larger once I bought property and planted them in the ground.

if I had to do it all again I'd grow these in pots:
Mlle. Cecille Brunner
Perle d'Or
Westside Road Cream Tea
Fabvier
Cornelia (grew to be 4' tall in an 8 gallon pot)
Grandmothers Hat
Blush Noisette
Cato's cluster

Large flowered roses with 35 petals or fewer seemed to produce more blooms in pots than those with more petals, it could be a fertilizer thing.

Lux

Thanks for your opinion, Kate.

Wow, thanks Lux. Paul's Himalayan Musk in a pot?

I have a baby Devoniensis that I'll try in a pot but it may not need a 25 gallon.

Do you think I could get away with Elie Beauvillian in a pot? Was going to try letting her climb into a tree but it's a shadier spot than if I grew her in a 25 gallon.

Blush Noisette is already in the ground and I've got a spot in the ground for Grandmother's Hat but will try other Hybrid Perpetuals in pots.

25 gallons is really big. I bet you could grow any rose in a 25 gallon pot. What I caution about with pots is sometimes a root will go through the drainage hole and block it. That's happened to me. Also it is really important to add organic material every year because the potting soil sort of gives out.

I would DEFINITELY grow Belle Isis in a pot. That lady will sucker all over Hell's Half Acre, in the ground.

I had Le Pactole and Ragged Robin in VERY large pots. Bigger than 25 G. WAY big! They did not grow well until they got into the ground.

Jeri

Devoniensis seems to stay tiny for years and I think it would get lost in a 25 gallon pot. Polyanthas in general would not need that large a pot. You could probably have quite a few of those in smaller spots for lots of seasonal color.

Ingrid

Thanks Pamela and Jeri.

Do you both think that Elie Beauvillain would work in a 25 gallon?

I am drilling many extra drainage holes to make sure the water will not be blocked and yes I'll be mulching and added organic material.

Diane

Yes, I think extra drainage will be essential.

And -- With some of those roses, I think I would start out with smaller pots, and work my way up, as the plant and its roots increased in size.

We grew Elie Beauvillain years and years ago, and it just did not want to live, in our conditions -- so I'm no help at all with that.

Jeri

Jeri, all my roses stay in pots until 5 gallon size then they'll either go in the ground or into the 25 gallon pots.

Diane

POIFECT. :-)

Jeri

I would certainly give Elie a try in a 25 gallon pot. I've never done it but why not? Many of the ramblers that Gregg gave me were in 5 gallon pots for 10 years. Some of them were unhappy but most of them went on to happy lives. 25 gallons is a nice big space for roots to run in.

Pamela, you've given me hope that my crazy scheme might work. I can't believe ramblers in 5 gal pots for so long!

fogrose, I hope you're still on. How did your Elie Beauvillian ever turn out? I have anew one here and am hopeful. Mine is from ARE 1/18 and into the ground in May 2018.

That is so great to hear fogrose. I am so excited about mine. She looked spectacular in photos on HMF. Good to know about the pots, too, in case the gophers get worse here.

She's a wonderful rose. But watch out for her thorns. Deadly! We have so many gophers here. I tried Jeri Jennings method of digging holes and planting 15gal pots with lots of holes, then putting roses inside but the above ground 25s work much better for me.