I grow a few of these. I have Lady Pamela Carol in a large pot in my pot ghetto - I hope to get her planted in the next few weeks. Last spring I planted Mrs. Sam Houston, Thomas Affleck and Anson Jones. Within the last few months I added Sweet Pea, Rockwall Sesquicentennial and Engelmann's Quest. Anson Jones, Thomas Affleck, Mrs. Sam Houston and Lady Pamela Carol all produce lovely orange hips. I haven't had the others long enough to comment on them.

I am also excited about the new introductions for this year, and I am eager to find out more information about them as they are not yet on ARE's website.

So far Lady Pamela Carol is my favorite. She blooms in regular flushes throughout the year. Although her butter colored flowers do fade somewhat, they never fade to white, and they look nice until the petals fall. Here are some photos of her growing in a large pot in my pot ghetto in March 2013.

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Judith, I've been enjoying my Stephen F Austin for several years now. I don't normally care for dark yellow or orangey roses, but this one is light yellow and charming when the centers show. It bleaches to nearly white so I plan the bed accordingly. I love it, and I always feel happy when I look at it. Fragrance is wonderful. Lou

Thomas Affleck is one of the most outstanding roses in my garden. I have 2 or 3 of them. I like Star of the Republic, and was prepared for it to not be a heavy bloomer.

Sweet Francis is pretty, and I think I will like Old Baylor, Nancy Gay, and Miss Lillian.
F.J. Lindheimer needs spray in my garden. It was either weak, and the black spot killed it, or it was a good rose, but had to be sprayed.

I also have Lady Pamela Carol and Stephen Austin. They do not show Lynn's Legacy, and I am not sure about it.

What I like about ARE is that if you want to know about a rose, they will give you quite a bit of information. Also some roses may be more vulnerable to disease than other, and they will be honest about what is best for our climate.

I am anxious to find the time to look up the new roses. I need to do that soon since our weather has been colder and dryer than I can ever remember. I have not felt confident to turn on water all year. If the lines are frozen, the pipes go, and we have a real mess.

Sammy

If I still lived in TX, I'd definitely have some of these in my garden. I've heard good things from friends in my state of origin. I'm curious to see if anyone from my area is growing any and, if so, how the roses are faring in this climate. Lady Pamela Carol is lovely...and named after a founding Rose Rustler! Carol

Haven't tried any except Sweet Pea, which is doing fine. I don't live close to ARE so it's nice to read your reports--they aren't stocked much locally.

Glad to read how good Thomas Affleck is--& what a great name to give it.

I adore Thomas Affleck - and Sweet Pea too. I was lucky enough to get the one plant they had a couple of years ago of Lavender Pink Parfait - its now a big bush. They may have more in stock now. I don't see these lovely roses discussed much so hoping those of you who grow them will comment and post photos. I cant wait to go - hope I can get quite a few of these new Pioneers. We go in April when the bluebonnets are in full bloom and have a picnic on the breezy hill - just heaven!
Judith

Unfortunately I think I chose the wrong one, Meir y Teran. I don't see it for sale anymore. it must grow better in Texas than it does here. I've had it in the ground for a few years and it hasn't grown or bloomed.

Sorry to hear that. It was one I wanted to try.......I have a Graham Thomas that was healthy but never bloomed. I was advised to fertilize it with Carl Pool BR 61 and that did make a difference. You might try different fertilizers on it - maybe it is missing something.

I'm thinking that it must have a good dose of tea in it. Sometimes they take a long time to build here. I really like the idea of the Pioneer Roses. If it wasn't a drought year I would try some others.

I just discovered that most of the new Pioneer roses have now been added to the Antique Rose Emporium's website.

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Pioneer Roses at ARE

I grow Miss Lillian, Thomas Affleck, Rockwall Sesquicentennial and Joe Woodard. They are all excellent
roses.

Thomas Affleck is a stellar performer in my garden. Healthy, tough, productive and beautiful.

Randy

I plan to make a visit to ARE as soon as I get a break from foaling mares [am sitting up with one tonight]. I want to see their spring flush. I have Thomas Affleck and love him. Joe Woodard has lots of buds on it right now. Miss Lillian isn't a prolific bloomer for me, but I love the color and scent. Forever Irene is a 2 yr. old and it is starting to bloom well - like the full rich rose pink colored blooms. Old Baylor is full of white blooms. One of my favorites is Star of the Republic - beautiful full pink/apricot colored blooms with a nice scent. Sweet Verlin is a really pretty pink, but I would like to see the bush fill out a bit more. I am interested in all the new Pioneer roses they have - want to try several.
Judith

I would love to visit ARE this time of year, or a little later.
I have many of the Pioneer roses, and except for one, they have been very nice roses.

At this point my garden is a mess. I cannot even tell for sure what has died, and what may come back from the roots. That is the great thing about this nursery. Even though the winter has been cold and dry, even though there are dead brown or even black canes, if we wait, they may return. I have about 8 roses waiting to replace what has died, but so far I am not sure what roses to give up on.

We discuss other nurseries here, but I can rely on ARE in my climate. Not only are they own root, but they are grown without spray, and I feel that they have good customer service.

Sammy

Sammy, if you don't mind my asking, which Pioneer has not done well for you? Of mine, though I love the color, I want Sweet Verlin to leaf out more and become a bigger healthier bush. They all grow well and have had no winter dieback, but east Texas doesn't have, probably, as severe winter as you do. There are so many interesting new varieties this year - I hope to get up there maybe this week and would like to try most of the new ones. They do have excellent customer service. Once when I couldn't make it there [its a 3 hour drive] I ordered and got huge beautiful plants. Wish they would get some of the rare Vintage roses and start selling them.....
Judith

I went today! Everything looks really beautiful. I didn't see any of the new pioneer roses, but it is possible that I was just totally dazzled and missed them. There were a lot of empty spaces in the Pioneer section.

Judith, of all the successes, the one was F.J Lindheimer. The black spot was very bad then it died. I will not even consider spraying, and they do not spray either. As I mention this rose, I need to say that I had one, and considered it a weak rose. It could be that there was something wrong with the rose that weakened it first, then it became vulnerable to black spot.

Thomas Affleck is a success. Star of the Republic is beautiful. I ordered another Sweet Francis. I have Joe Woodard, Lady Pamela Carol, Stephen Austin, Old Baylor, Odee Pink, Lynn's Legacy. All of the roses are a success.

I prefer ARE because I feel that the weather is similar to ours. They can advise more about the heat than other nurseries. Also the shipping cost is much more economical than any other nursery.

Our zone is about the last one listed for Roses Unlimited, and the cost is very high to purchase one or many roses.

I do not know much about Vintage except that I love the letter or notice that the owner wrote about "myths" of rose care. When I am desperate, and need to get through my beds as quickly as possible, I need to know what will be bad for my roses, and what will be bad if i am going to compete or show my roses. His "myths" addressed that.

I have also gotten beautiful roses from Chamblees, but many of the Buck roses are very vulnerable to black spot here.

I intend to add to my Pioneer Roses each year.

Sammy

Sammy, I have FJ Lindheimer - mine is doing well, and even though I don't think it is an optimal spot, it has good growth. It gets some morning sun, then filtered afternoon west sun. It is a 4-5' bush. I had a good spring flush, then will get scattered bloom. Probably needs more sun. I spray, but not on a regular basis. It does get blackspot but guess I spray enough to keep it in check. I have seen a group of them in the sales area that are just glorious in full bloom. A gardening friend lost his......maybe it just isn't a strong rose and I have gotten lucky. It is a beautiful color.

Like you, I want to add to my Pioneer roses each year. They are suited to my climate and do well. Star of the Republic is just dripping with blooms now - lovely!

I love ordering from Roses Unlimited - just got a shipment of 6, but you are right - shipping to our area is almost prohibitive so I get from them roses I cant get elsewhere - they really send nice roses.......all mine grow and do well, so it is worth it and Pat is just lovely to do business with.

I adore Chamblees and go as much as I can. I love a lot of the Bucks, tho you are right, some are BS susceptible...but he produced so many pretty ones! Great landscape roses.

I am waiting on my last mare to foal, when she does, I am off to ARE, hoping to catch the spring flush. Their gardens are a marvel - I spend hours just wandering around looking at everything. Anyone within driving distance of this wonderful nursery should go! Brittie, glad to hear things are still in bloom! I cant wait to go!
Judith

I've become interested in these roses lately and since the threads I could find on the subject were all several years old, I thought I would revive the discussion. What are you experiences with these roses? What are your favorites? I'd like to try Cole's Settlement or perhaps Old Baylor, as I'm looking for a large white semi-double bloom. The plant sizes are all listed as huge, but I'm guessing that's with the Texas climate, and they'd be smaller up here. Star of the Republic also looks beautiful. Thomas Affleck gets a lot of attention, but I have Earth Song already, which seems similar. There are so many others that you hardly hear about.

Pioneer Roses at ARE

-Chris

Chris , I have star of the republic and sweet Frances. Oh my gosh do I love sweet Frances. It’s a lovely Bush , disease free , very free blooming and the blooms do nod a little but honestly in a sweet way . Not in a droopy ill manner . In a demure , shyly flirting manner. Haha . Star of the republic is beautiful too ! Large creamy blooms that have repeated well I think . Fragrant and just unlike other roses I have .

Lily, thank you for those gorgeous pictures! I'm glad to see how beautiful Sweet Frances is since I received it from ARE a while ago. Star of the Republic is just stunning. I have Deanna Krause, and it's one of the few shorter roses that the rabbits haven't decimated, perhaps because it has very thick and rather coarse-looking leaves. Cole's Settlement was doing well, and it actually has a bloom or two, but the squirrels excavated a large hole under it and at least half the roots are gone, but it's somehow soldiering on. A true pioneer!

Lily, thanks for letting us know about these Pioneer roses and posting these great pics. The only one I’ve grown is Thomas Affleck, and he’s excellent.

Your Star of the Republic is a head-turner!

Randy

I grew Ann's Beautiful Daughter for a couple years, but it wasn't terribly happy in my garden. It didn't grow much, had small flowers (less than 2") which did not appear to be anything special, and had almost no scent. I bet it would be nicer in a lower elevation garden, perhaps with more humidity.

Thanks for the input everyone! I appreciate the effort in the breedng of these roses towards disease resistance, using species roses etc. . Lily, how big are your two pioneer roses? Our zones are a little bit more in line with one another for comparison. Ingrid good luck with yours!

-Chris

I now have 3 of the pioneer roses with Sweet Pegge on order for next year.

All 3 are in ground, and just planted in October, so they are babies.

Anna's beautiful daughter doesn't look like anything I expected, had a couple of books so far, look more single than double. Waiting to see how it does next year.

Rockwall Sesquicentennial has been spectacular. Did not stop blooming, and blooms are so pretty.

Belindas blush, I picked up on a whim, I was at ARE, they were put of most roses, and this was there. I generally don't care much for a HT bloom form, but surprised how much I like this rose. It's probably the color and bloom size, and she has been blooming on and since planted.

I'm looking for feed back on Lady Pamela Carol, Stephen Austin, James Woodard, F.J. Lindheimer and Margaret McDermott.

I have FJ Lindheimer and Joe Woodard. I really like FJ Lindheimer - mine needs to be in more sun but have seen one in full sun in glorious bloom. Joe Woodard for me is blah. Small nondescript little blooms. One of those if it for whatever reason doesnt survive, wont be replaced. Thomas Affleck is divine! Coles Settlement is a big white bloom with a subtle scent I love, gets tall. I love Star of the Republic tho its a stingy bloomer. The Pioneer roses I grow are very good - just pick a bloom you like and you will be pleased! I am trying Brazos Belle this year - its still in a pot, looking forward to planting it out soon and seeing spring blooms.

I am getting Brazos Belle and got Star of the Republic last year. Now, I'm just trying to decide on one of the others. I had worried that that Thomas Affleck would be too bright. Do you find it so?

Thomas is a great rose! Not too bright at all, and a good grower and bloomer.

Lots of interesting ones for sure. I would love to convince a local nursery to carry ARE stock so I could see all of them.

Thank you both. These roses are for a friend's garden I'm helping with and he's used to very healthy roses. In past years we got Carefree Beauty, La Marne, Darlow's Enigma and Double Pink KO from Chamblee so he's spoilt. The pressure is on to keep it up! Berrypie, I'd LOVE to see them all in bloom. Too bad noone takes pics of the ARE gardens.

I am 3 hours from ARE - when I get some spare time I will look through my photos, I know I have taken some of their gardens, they are a marvel! I hope to go again this spring; the last couple of years I havent had time to make the trip. Thomas Affleck is bold but not too bright at all, I love this one, and so healthy! I am trying Mier y Teran for the first time, anxious to see that one bloom. The ARE gardens are so wonderful, I spend hours just wandering around them, seeing something new every time.

alameda, that would be awesome!!! I'm going with TA for sure. You are so lucky to within driving distance of their gardens. It must help so much with plant selection.

Vap, you will love Thomas Affleck! I just found some photos from 2012 - not my best ones, but will go thru my camera later and post as I find some. I have gotten lazy now - its a 3 hour drive, and if I want some ARE roses, I will wait til they have free shipping, but like last nite - I wanted to get a few before their prices changed Feb. 1 so I ordered Sweet Pea, Beverly, F.J. Lindheimer and Nacogcoches [I live 30 minutes from there - and remember seeing this rose and a huge pink growing under that big shed at this old run down motel. I would stop alot and try to identify these roses. I think the big pink was Queen Elizabeth. The yellow, which turned into Nacogdoches, I couldnt figure out unless it was Sunbright, a rose that stays dark yellow].

Wow! I didn't realize it has such charming buildings! I'm getting many of these roses for friends new yard. Ironically, his old one looks just like the quaint log in you last picture.

I have better ones elsewhere - probably just not on the computer. Their flowerbeds are immaculate and absolutely gorgeous! There are picnic benches on a little hill under trees.....we take a lunch, rest and eat with the cooling breezes then go stroll again. Its a meandering garden that you just want to go over again and again. Here is an old church - has Rev d'Or growing on the side of it. There is alot to see!

It's like a dream! I wonder what that yellow rose growing on the tree or mature is. I recognize the climbing Peggy Martin behind it. That's the picture they always use

I live an hour away from ARE.I bought FJ Lindheimer, Star of the Republic, Lady Pamela Carol and Great Western. I have realized that whatever grows well at the ARE grows well here.

Thank you for your comment KE. Have you had them long? I'm especially interested in FJ L and LP-C as I already have SotR.

Does anyone have an update on Sweet Francis how she does in a bit of shade ?