Yeshwant91, you might want to pay closest attention to testimonials from other rose growers near you/in your region. But here's my 2 cents' worth, anyway. If you are seeking a tall fragrant red, as you say, Mr. Lincoln fits the bill--much taller than Papa Meilland by most accounts. I have not grown PM yet, mine (virus indexed) is due to arrive from Roses Unlimited next week, as is Chrysler Imperial. I HAVE grown Mr. Lincoln, both in cool western Washington State, and in hot and humid Mobile Alabama. Both places this rose grew very tall. In Mobile it was easily 8 feet tall, too tall for my preference. In Washington it had a rich deep red color, did not "blue" nor "blow" so quickly as in Mobile, and the blooms were terrific. It also was respectably productive. It would be my pick for fragrant red in a cool summer climate (along with the much smaller Deep Secret!), but I found Mr. L's quality a little disappointing in the Gulf South. Others on the Gulf Coast I know disagree with me, though. I'm excited about Papa Meilland, largely because of ceterum's long-standing rave reviews of him. But many reviews say his form and fragrance are unsurpassed. (yea!) Chrysler Imperial is a much lighter red. I had a cheap (almost certainly) virused plant of it from Walmart a couple years back. Hey, for $4 I thought I'd try it as a disposable. The plant was runty but the blooms, when they came, were wonderful. I'm quite excited to get a healthy specimen (knock on wood) from Roses Unlimited. Healthy CIs are known to be one of the more prolific bloomers, as well as having the same long cutting stems as Papa M. and Mr. Lincoln, and similar Damask fragrance too. If you haven't already done so, check out the photos and descriptions and comments on both roses at helpmefind.com/roses. Raptorfan, I have grown Ingrid Bergman, but only for a year and a half. As rich a blood red color as they come, but the bloom form is variable, and I detect not even a slight fragrance. Perhaps bloom form is better with a mature bush? IB gets quite variable reviews on fragrance. Veteran's Honor is definitely more fragrant, and consistently excellent form, though the color is not quite so rich. Both are impressively prolific bloomers.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that Chrysler and its' three offspring are all weak. In Connecticut only Mister Lincoln thrived for me but t is a sparse bloomer and just gets too big.. Chrysler is the most fragrant but also the weakest. Here in SoCal that is not a problem but in CT it always went into decline and after three years or so it wasn't worth keeping. Oklahoma is a prolific bloomer but the blooms are cupped and smallish and the plant is short as well. Papa Meilland is the most like Chrysler but if you are going to use it you might as well take Chrysler which is really the best of them all. My Chrysler here is prolific and the blooms are gorgeous and wonderfully fragrant. But it s weak and I would be curious to know if anyone here in Z6 or below has had success with it.

Thank you everyone for the good thoughts on Mr. Lincoln and those long skinny legs. Laura I'll think about those varieties also for coverage. I love Salvia so that's perfect. Karl: On the winter dieback. Are you talking about when ML dies to the ground? Ours really didn't die back much at all. Some blackening of the tips was about all. So it sounds like I should cut him back a lot more either this fall or next spring. Buford very nice picture. Appreciate that. Hmm, so maybe I don't have to wait for the end of the season to reduce ML by say half or so. It is really tall now, about up to my shoulder (and I'm rather tall myself). Your Mister Lincoln looks really good. May I ask what rose is just to the right of him? Again thanks for all your thoughts. Hoov I will try your pick me up on this rose and maybe a couple of others of the fish emulsion and extra water. I have one or two that could use a lift. Kate

It's not the entire bush but half. Hoov, it's good to see you here again. :) I've tagged with a string the first branch with the fushia blooms. But right now I have 6 deep reds and 3 fushia. The scent is exactly the same, incredible and delightful. I've had this bush about a year. And in the past grown Mr. Lincoln in each of my past rose gardens. I cut my blooms to give to a good friend from Hong Kong who brings her daughter here for summer school to brighten up her temporary home but I will take some pictures of the next batch. If they do a repeat performance. I also bought a second Mr. Lincoln to grow nearby to compare. I am beginning to think something is infuencing my garden because my Just Joey bloomed one soft buttery yellow flower yesterday. If its the weather this is very exciting! If its my soil, I'm fascinated. In that section of my garden I also have Old Timer, acting normal. Golden Masterpiece, normal. Arizona who looks just right and the two mislabled presents that are gorgeous and consistant. I will definately keep a close eye on the blooms. As a follow up to a long ago post about my red simplicity turning dark pink at my mothers house... Its still blooming pink after at least 2 years. Owning both the red and the pink simplicity bushes I can confirm that the sport is not similar in color to either. I'm going to try a cutting in the fall. My mother has cared for 3 of my sentimental favorites for years and while she won't return them she does tend them for me and admits they are mine. :) Rosy Smiles, Carlota