I can speak ONLY to 'The Dark Lady,' and I have ONLY grown her on her own roots.

As an own-root plant, she is of modest size. I hope I live long enough to see her reach 3 ft. THAT SAID, she is a generous bloomer, even as a small plant, and the blooms are large, richly-colored, and fragrant. (Good in a vase, too.)
If we still exhibited, I would plant ten of this rose.

In my climate, she is very disease-resistant -- but note that our problems here are rust and mildew. Blackspot is a rare visitor -- so I don't know about that.

She is a child of 'Prospero,' I think, and that is a big favorite here. I would grow her budded, if I could.

Jeri, Coastal Ventura Co., SoCal

Brittie and Jeri, much appreciation for giving your experience with the varieties in question that you grow, Lady of Megginch and The Dark Lady.

I'm hoping to hear from some others also.

I am a newer rose grower, and I grow The Dark Lady in a no spray garden. She was purchased own root in a 1 gallon pot in early spring 2011, and is now about 18 inches high. I agree with Jeni, she is a very high bloom producer and repeats very rapidly! She also hasn't done the "I want to be a climber" thing that so many of my other Austins have done in our hot Tennessee summers.

My only complaint is that she has weak necks. I'm not sure if its because she's only in her first year, or if her blooms are just too heavy for the stems. That being said, I would still 100% reccommend planting her. Our biggest disease problem here is blackspot, and I haven't had many issues with her compared to other suppossedly "disease resistant" roses. She's definitly a great purchase!

~Tammy

Tammy, thank you very much for relating your experience with The Dark Lady!

I decided on Lady of Megginch and The Dark Lady for now. Hopefully, I can provide a positive report on how they do in hot San Antonio, Texas a year from now :-)

A couple more I'm really wanting on Fortuniana roots is Carding Mill and Young Lyucidas since I've read good reports on them here, but they won't be available until next year.

Good Luck with your two new roses----I've been wanting The Dark Lady for a long time----Hope to soon see some lovely pictures of yours.

Florence