Karen, I grow Windermere. After it's first year in the ground here I was so enamored I bought another one to pair it with! It is the only rose I have duplicates of, that's how much I like it. The fragrance is as Hoovb describes; heavenly but not as strong or "thick" as Jude the Obscure, and very citrus-y. It is extremely vigorous, very very healthy and clean, and quite winter-hardy. I had some cane dieback, but lots of canes that were hardy to the tips. This year, their second and third years, they were absolutely loaded with buds. I JUST now deadheaded the last of the blooms from it's first flush, which began popping before June even began; and they are already already throwing out new growth. I still had to stake some canes because of the abundance of heavy blooms, but the shrubs are already full enough to cut off the spindly growth. In case you can't tell, I love this rose! lol

Your rose is lovely, but doesn't have nearly enough petals to be Claire. Claire also has thorns, and for me, was not erect for the first couple of months. She does bloom continuously. Here's a picture: jannike

'Baby Austin' is a very easy rose to grow, but like most minis, it is susceptible to Blackspot if that is a problem in your garden. The plant stays quite small (under 15") and grows wider than it is tall, with clusters of many soft apricot-orange double blooms. (Note: the color fades to cream within 2 or 3 days) I have found it to be one of the more enjoyable micros to grow and it is a very graceful little shrub. (It has an elegance of architecture that most really tiny roses lack) Highly recommended.

ROYAT, Roses of Today and Yesterday, seems to be near you and might give you some input about local conditions relevant to roses. I am on the southern edge of the Central Coast at Gaviota and a few miles from Point Conception. Much of March through early July can be gloomy. But, at 900 ft or so the fog goes quickly in late July through October with some days in the low 90s. I do grow a number of Austins. Actually, I was surprised when I checked after reading your post at just how many there are - they must have snuck in when I wasn't looking. Anyway, I have good luck with Golden Celebration, Jude, Munstead Wood, Diamond Jubilee, Claire, LDB, WS 2000, TDL, BB, Charlotte, Bishops Castle, CPM, Happy Child, Huntington, PAK, SA, LofM, Young Lycidas, Windermere, and two new young ones, Heathcliff and Boscobel which are both doing well. Tradescant, Portmerion, Lady Emma Hamilton, a favorite, Pat, another favorite, Alnwick, Ambridge, Prospero, Othello, and Abraham Darby are all rusty ones and need more water. Fallstaff is stingy with blooms at the end of 6 ft wands. That said, I have moved for the most part to own root and OGRs for the future and will be choosy in replacing when need be. Own root plants don't give me the root stock suckers and with a need to conserve the ground water our well draws upon, the OGRs I've trended toward have less water needs.