Photo.

Anne -- GH is really adaptable. She an be pruned to fit a specific need, or left to be tall and wider.
My problem is with the 'no sun part.

Really? NO sun?
In that case, I fear she'd be purty ugly, and not floriferous.

Jeri

Also -- OTN ... NO sun.??.
NOT good.

Jeri

Well...no sun from Dec. to Feb. My wishful thinking is that they are resting then anyhow? Lame, huh?

Well, how much sun does the area get, for the rest of the year.

Jeri

Looking at your picture, I would be greatly tempted to have that whole area planted as a cottage garden, mostly old roses but also companion plants. It would be fabulous and most of the roses would be in the sun even now. I have a big Mutabilis planted against the house wall and right now it gets virtually no sun but gets 4-7 hours in the warmer months and it's doing fine. However, my climate is dry and very hot so that may make a difference.

Ingrid

From about 10am to sundown. When I bought GH specifically to put in this bed it was April and very sunny. Last month the sun dipped below the house and I am guessing will be back over the house next month.

Thank you so much, Anne

Depending on how much sun that location gets the rest of the year I'd be tempted to use more shade tolerant plants in that spot. In varying degrees, all roses need sun. Of course later today I'm going to prune my own GH and strip off all the leaves. It might as well be in the dark for the next month or two until it grows new leaves. However, it is growing in full sun. I suppose it would depend on how much sun the site gets during the growing season.

As for Old Town Novato, in my garden it is planted at the northeast corner of the house. It gets anywhere from half day sun (morning) to most-of-the-day sun, depending on the time of year. This rose is about three years old but has so far stayed below waist high. You could easily plant it in front of Grandmother's Hat to good effect.

Rosefolly

I don't know -- 10 a.m. 'til twilight should be ample sun for most roses -- assuming your normal weather isn't chilly and dank (as ours is, for much of the early spring). If the area has good airflow, I would probably go for it.

If it doesn't work, you can always move them. :-)

Jeri

If the area is without sun for only 2 months, then you should be fine. My rose garden is in the north part of the yard. I would say about 1/3 of my roses are without any sun rays from November to late February... maybe? Once summer is here, they get all day sun. Very similar to your bed almost. They do just fine :)

Ingrid, yes, the site and the house say cottage garden all the way. I love your suggestion of perennials to go with roses. I will tuck some herbs in there where it is the sunniest.

Rosefolly, it is very helpful to know about the growth habit of OTN and I will go ahead and plant it in front of GH. And, that is a good point about the leaf stripping and lack of sun. It makes sense. Why do you strip GH leaves? To make pruning easier?

Jeri, I will "go for it!" As much as I hate to move plants, sometimes you just have to do it. Also, Mountain View, CA is quite warm and dry in the summer. And the bed is totally sunny after 10am when the sun rises above a big Siberian elm.

Thank you all very much. I have been indecisive about what to plant in this bed and it is wonderful to get feedback. Photos to follow after planting :-)

Anne

OCBrian, Super! Great to know.

Anne

FWIW, Grandmother's Hat is not a rose we've ever stripped leaves from. But that's HERE -- In a different environment, maybe it's needed.

Jeri