So much depends on which ones you have. For instance, if you have William Shakespeare, you get some perpendicular shoots and the shrub is strange, not attractive -- so I have planted other things around it to support it and so that it looks better in the garden becuz the blooms are heavenly and worth it. Definitely need to plant them level. Some Austins have drooping heads, that's just how they are and rain does not help, so. My best ones are Mary Rose, Crown Princess Margareta (pictured). I also have and love Sharifa Asma, Christopher Marlowe, Heritage (blooms shatter too quickly) and just bought Jubilee Celebration. Such full blooms will sometimes need support (in rain especially) until the plant gets larger and stabilizes. I have owned but got rid of Jayne Austin, Sophie's Rose, Tamora and am proofing LD Braithwaite (not vigorous so far), and Golden Celebration. I would put up with a lot to have these glorious blooms and fragrances. Jubilee has an out of this world fragrance. . .I'm addicted.

I lived and grew roses for 20 years in Winter Haven and Port St Lucie for 10 years before retiring and moving to NE GA in 08. All the DA roses I grew were in PSL and grafted onto fortuniana root stock. Abraham Darby---Grew into a HUGE shrub. Bloomed profusely all year long Scepter d' Isle---I let it grow and staked the canes for the first 3 years. Once it got some strong canes under it this rose took off. Big, upright bush that blooms all year. I liked it so much I brought one with me when I retired. This is what it looks like in NE GA. It gets every bit this big in FL. Molineux---On fortuniana this blooming machine gets about 5 ft tall and easy 3 ft wide. It also does very well on it on root. 3'x3'. Own root, it does fantastic in a large pot. Pat Austin---What every one says. Can't go wrong with it. LD Braithwaite- should love FL. I got one from Nelsons on one of my trips to central FL. This is my bush that is 4 years old. Great grower and bloomer. Another great DA that loves Fl is The Prince on fortuniana. I had 2 by my front walk way in Port St Lucie. 6'x3' bushy bush always in bloom. Finding this rose is almost impossible. I lucked out and got 2 bush's from K&M before DA pulled the plug on it. If you can find bud wood, Coolroses might be able to do a "no name" custom graft for you. This is my 2 yr old The Prince. It should double in size this (3rd) year. It's already 3'x2', and the blooms smell fantastic.

Pat, thank you for the thorough explanation of your weather conditions. We can freeze as early as Thanksgiving but usually its around xmas. Then we might have many or no freezes depending on the year lol. This year we had a couple light frosts and that's it! The nights do bounce around in the upper 30's- upper 40's F and days 60-85F ish during the winter. Feb is usually the coldest month. Our last freeze is usually around 1st of March or so. That's normally when I pull all my tropicals out of the greenhouse. Our winters are normally dry and summer it starts raining and it all goes to h*** and its Gumbo Soup outside (as they say in Louisiana) lol You are probably right about Eglantyne giving more blooms here in the winter. Crown Princess is the same way and gives a nice spring flush. I really think she likes cooler weather than I have here. At least she isnt a bs magnet. Diane, your Eglantynes are so ♡Lovely! Her fragrance must be delicious if you have five of her! She must also be extra tasty to deer. I recently saw deer here at night in the front yard near the house. None of the roses were touched, amazingly! I think they were after all the new green grass sprouting. Still. its making me nervous. I havent seen deer in our front yard ever and only a few at the back of the property when we first moved in and the place had been empty awhile. Hey Diane, Guess What? I just ordered Colette :) but as an own root plant. That place on etsy has her (freshgardenliving). I ordered from them last year and the rose was small but doing well still. I'm so happy, maybe my Colette will be as pretty as yours in about 5 years lol. ~Sjn

Thank you Nick, Dave, Helen, and Sultry for your comments regarding my David Austin order. I guess I am not sure what I will do since I am so non-confrontational. I always end up just letting things go (bad personality trait). I will admit I was disappointed they weren't willing to do anything, specially because in the last 2 years I have ordered 98 roses from them and feel like I am a loyal customer. I was only hoping to combine them to use the money for more roses, which was going to end up in their pockets anyway =) lol. Anyway I might just keep the orders I have and shop more wisely next year. I hope you are all having a wonderful January and remember Spring is coming! Sorry Erasmus for some reason I couldn't see your post until after my post submitted so I am editing. The lady said I could call and add to my order, but my orders where place online so they wont do it. Helen I am so glad you are going to grow RTC in your garden. I can't wait to see the spectacular pictures you will be no doubt posting of that rose very soon.