Chance, I can't help you with hardiness, but there was one thing I wanted to tell you.

Some of the Teas may mildew when they are immature.
As they mature, and gain some real substance, MOST of them acquire real resistance to rust and mildew and the other fungal diseases we see in the West.

I don't know what Teas you HAVE already, but two I particularly like to suggest for a first dip into that group are 'Mme. Berkeley' and 'Rosette Delizy.'
Both are pretty much "bullet proof."

I also don't know where you are located -- and it makes a difference.
In our Southern California garden, Teas are the "backbone" of the garden.
But you might also want to look into the CHINAS, the NOISETTES (particularly the Tea-Noisettes) and the POLYANTHAS (particularly the Poly-Teas).

Now, I'm off to the hillside, to see what needs a little pruning. :-)

Jeri

Chance - re your request for a book - if you do not have "Tea Roses: Old Roses for Warm Gardens" you should order it immediately - I got my 6 copies from Amazon, but it is available elsewhere - just look on the internet. It is really fabulous/gorgeous & amazing! It is written by several women in Australia, where teas thrive.

It is the first book on tea roses to be published in over 100 years - I'm guessing because teas do not do well in England or the US East Coast, where most of the English language rose books seem to come from.

Re hardiness in zone 7-8, I live in zone 9, so I don't know. They love it here, so it seems logical that zone 8 would be OK. However, I think you should be able to get some hardiness info about them on Help Me Find Roses.

Jackie

Dear Jeri, it's good to know that as teas get established in the garden, they become resistant to mildew. That is a great comfort to know, since I am new to growing them.

I only have Mme. Joseph Schwartz and Duchesse de Brabant, but I will be ordering a few more this spring. I like your suggestions of Mme. Berkeley and Rosette Delizy. They have cheerful colors.

You are so lucky to have teas as the backbone of your garden. It must be glorious! I am in the Santa Fe area, so ordering the tougher teas is a must. (For the proper garden I am willing to move anywhere though):)

I will consider exploring more of the Chinas and Noisettes. The Polyanthas would sure be interesting to add in there. Maybe some Damasks would be cool as well.

Happy pruning to ya. I'm sure your garden will be a sight to behold since spring comes early for you over there. We are bouncing around between 40 and 50 degrees, but nights are very cold at the moment.

Thanks,

Chance

Yes, Chance, in your climate, you can definitely grow some Damasks.
You really ought to have 'Autumn Damask,' at the very least.

As to spring coming early -- this year is plain weird.
We had actual chill hours a month or so ago, AND we have had weeks of dry hot desert wind.
Not enough rain, and here comes the wind again.

But roses pruned (as much as we prune) a couple of weeks ago are leafing out as fast as they can.
If we don't get another freeze, we'll have a very early first spring bloom.

Jeri

And Jackie, thank you so much for suggesting "Tea Roses: Old Roses For Warm Gardens". I will get it since it is a recent book on teas. Wow, you say it's taken 100 years for another book on the subject? I hope more will come out soon.

Thanks again,

Chance

Chance,

I'm a newbie, and just ordered my first teas to go with my baby gallicas, damasks, musks, etc.--some of the discussions about teas on this forum showed that I HAD to try some! Sounds like you are looking for similar hardiness. I've ordered a couple you already have--DdB and Mme Joseph Schwartz. A couple others I've ordered that look like they might be hardy in this area are Lady Hillingdon, Mme Berard (listed as a Tea-Noisette) and Mme Jules Gravereaux (climbing tea). Sombreuil just made it through temperatures in the teens, but I think there's some controversy as to whether it's really a tea.

I've also ordered some more damasks to go with Mme Hardy--she is just as beautiful as the photos you see published. Have you tried gallicas or albas? Felicite Parmentier and Belle de Crecy are stunning--and smell WONDERFUL.

I ordered my teas from Vintage and from Rogue Valley Roses in Oregon.

Jeri, checked out Autumn Damask on HMF and it looks like a winner. I'm putting it near the front of my wish list.:) Nice pink blooms and bred in the 1600's! What an awesome rose to acquire.

Much Gratitude,

Chance

Lucretial, yes the damasks are looking very good to me. I have not tried the gallicas yet, but I have the Alba Felicite Parmentier on order. Your collection of roses sounds enchanting. Appreciate your suggestions and comments.

Chance

Chance -
If I remember correctly, Ashdown is the place that had the Tea rose book. Amazon apparently pulled a kind of dirty trick in regard to selling this book, though I don't know the ins and outs of it. But Ashdown definitely had it on their website, because I remember looking for it (wanted SO MUCH to buy it, but just couldn't afford it at the time. I'm going to see if I can't work it in next month). I believe they moved their actual nursery not too long ago, but I would think that their website URL must still be the same. I THINK it was just www.ashdownroses.com, but I could be wrong. Maybe others on the forum can chime in on this.
Laura

Ashdown still offers it. And I second every good thing said about it.

Jeri

Hi, just to follow up on Laura's and Jeri's posts.

Ashdown Roses is moving to a location just about 3 miles from where they are now. A bunch of us are going there in Feb to help start moving the roses (please see today's post from Carole(caroleintegacay)). And as Laura said, their web site is still www.Ashdownroses.com

Liz

Hi, Chance, there's Ashdown (S Carolina), Roses Unlimited (S Carolina), and Countryside Roses (Mississippi). Good sources for own-root roses. I got my Tea Rose book from Ashdown - birthday present from DH. It's wonderful.

Here's the link for the book at their permanently discounted price!!

Your garden will be gorgeous with the best of both worlds - southern teas and northern albas and damasks. Wow!

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Tea Rose book at Ashdown

The idea of Tea roses being strong and resilent has always intrigued me. This one 'Francis Dubreuil' has shown those amazing Tea strengths and I have to thank Paul Zimmerman at Ashdown for sending them in place of some older climbing roses. I protect my roses in a fashion that keeps them like zone 5b or 6a not at all like the zone 4a I live in. In warmer winters, the protection can be similar to zone 7. I would not hesitate in those actual zones to increase my share of Teas with the choice of plants available so early in the season from the growers (my fear in Minnesota is that by the time the Teas can be shipped here in spring, they have pretty much been picked over).
As you can see, the new growth on the Tea comes directly behind the last bloom and require little or no pruning. Also the rate at which they regenerate their bloom is so very impressive.
{{gwi:221941}}

Everyone who loves tea roses should have that Tea book from Ashdowns. I got it from them and have really enjoyed it.
In addition to the teas, the longer I grow roses the more I also have come to appreciate the china roses.

Randy

This one 'Francis Dubreuil' has shown those amazing Tea strengths

*** Except that the rose in commerce as 'Francis Dubreuil' is actually 'Barcelona,' a Hybrid Tea from the 1930's.

Jeri

And don't forget your local library--I just put the "Tea Roses" book on hold (love being able to reserve books via the web)--this way I'll be able to decide if it's a keeper or not. A wonderful way to examine all those gazillion rose books and decide which ones you absolutely must have. Your tax dollars at work!

Although this may not affect Chance, I do want to address Jackie's comment that Teas do not do well in England or the East Coast of US. I'm not sure what that is based on. Although I'm a newbie to roses, I'm finding that Teas are doing quite well here, not only in my rather new garden, but in the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, VA, one can see some very healthy and thriving Teas (Mrs. BR Cant, Mme. Lombard, Safrano, Mme. Berkeley, Duchesse de Brabant, et al). I say this so that those on the east coast who are contemplating adding Teas won't be totally discouraged.

I surely am interested in hearing the source that suggested Teas aren't good for the south east of the US.

BTW...I'm currently putting together my order for about 20 MORE Teas to add to my collection of about 35 Teas!

Robert

Geocave----I'm happy to hear you have FD in your zone------I would love to try more Teas but as my health prohibits much work in the garden I have to stick with the extrmely hardy roses

I've tried the Teas over the years but they require more work (in my zone) than I can now do---

I'm not complaining because I have many beautiful roses but the Teas are so lovely.

Good luck with FD-----

PLease keep the tea rose pictures coming---I love them
Florence

Thanks for all the suggestions and information everyone. I think while it's fun to order some of the DA roses that are irresistible, it is also important to remember to order antique and rarer roses that strike our fancy to keep them in commerce and to share their beauty in our gardens.

Chance