Sorry--ignore this. I'll re-post it on the Antique Roses forum.

Kate

Mine is two feet tall, I grow it as a compact bedding rose. It has lovely foliage, and forms a nice small shrub.

The repeat bloom is very good. It likes summer heat and blooms well in August.

I don't think the blooms are five inch, 3 1/2 inch seems more the correct size. The blooms are lavish, and full of petals, so they do have a lovely antique appearance.

The color is variable, and can fade in the sun, so the blooms can look very pale at times.

It does get blackspot late in the season, but I've not found this to be a problem for it.

It does have some cane dieback in the winter, but rebounds well. I prune off more than just the tips.

It makes a beautiful cut flower, and I like to bring blooms indoors all summer long.

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Beautiful pictures of it Krista. SdlM is the standard "swoon for it" rose of the OGR fans. I don't care for most OGR's but even I fell prey to its alluring reputation. Then a newbie friend of mine grew it and I got to see it in person for a couple of years. Indeed it is nice. The blooms by comparison to many OGR's are large, but certainly no record breakers. Because of our heat, the attractive hint of pink is gone in alot of the blooms and I don't remember the rain doing it any favors either. The times I was able to smell it (again, it wasn't my rose), it didn't have much scent. It's repeat was only fair. OGR people love the history of a rose and that in itself is important to them, but I often wondered if the hybridizers have improved upon it...Maryl

Thank you, Krista, for your comments and lovely picture. And thank you, Maryl, for your honesty. I think our growing conditions are somewhat similar, so your perspective certainly helps.

Kate

I think she is difficult in zone 5 , also. Not very prolific...but very beuatiful.
Sometimes I wonder if she and Eden are worth their prime real estate in my garden.

I had one but it failed to survive that Easter freeze of 4 years ago. The bush never got very big, but it did repeat flower fairly reliably. The flowers were a nice, light pink. This rose has been a standard bearer for the Bourbon group, but it had some hardiness issues up here. There are a few light pink Austins that are more tolerant of late, hard freezes than SDLM, but if you have a sheltered spot it might be worth a try.

I have mine in a somewhat shaded spot (not all day full sun) and she does well. Mine is own root and about 2 years old and small, but puts out a lot of blooms. I think if you have the room SdlM is one to have.

In my garden she is known as the bloom machine - mine is own root and will be three this summer - she is already budding out. She replaced one that died after eighteen years. Last summer in only her second year, she and my climbing version which is not as generous as she but still a stand out in my garden, gave me my very last blooms, except for one from Gruss an Aachen which became the mother of a tiny rose now growing in a peat pot in my house waiting for the weather to stabilize. And with the exception of my yellow Lady Banks I think she will win the race to be first this year - although I have lots and lots of roses budding already.

This is a rose that does not take up a lot of space - is not terribly demanding and delivers and delivers all season long. Another of those perfect roses when she is at her best. The only thing that derails her is days and days of rain because she will ball, but as soon as the offending blooms are removed, she immediately delivers another volley of the perfect sort. In the summer it is fairly dry here and very hot and she obviously loves it.

Chronic Mildew in all weathers, but always willing to bloom. Small, compact, somewhat irregular habit. Light trimming to shape only encourages more bloom. Would not be without it.

5 inch blooms: here, never. 3".

Mine has an interesting growth habit. It is short, maybe 2 or 3 feet, but it is long. It is 3 or 4 feet long and about 1 foot off the ground. It looks like I have two of them next to each other. It is grafted on fortuniana rootstock. It gets blackspot here, but not a lot. Probably would not get much in your zone.