It might blackspot. I'm in Norcal Zones 8-9, and in a rainy spring, it will defoliate.

It does well enough, but it will Blackspot, sometimes fairly severely.

When I lived in Olympia, Washington my favorite roses were the once-blooming old roses: Albas, Gallicas, Mosses, and others. I grew and adored the David Austin roses; they didn't respond with equal passion, but I think that had a lot to do with all that I didn't know about growing roses then. My impression was that a lot of Hybrid Teas needed a definitely warm and sunny spot in the garden, and I never tried Teas, though I longed for them; but they would want a heat sink, I think, to do much. Chinas also need a warm sunny place: I had 'Mutabilis' for several years before it was done in by water from a downspout. I think Hybrid Musks would adore the Pacific Northwest, and if I were gardening there I would definitely try any and all ramblers I desired. I had a large and glorious R. brunonii on my front fence; and have seen the double yellow Lady Banks growing very well in the PNW. I didn't have a lot of luck with Bourbons and Hybrid Perpetuals, which rather soured me on repeat-blooming old roses NOT for warm climates; but I think I just wasn't good at growing them: this was fairly early in my gardening career. I bet the early-flowering species would do well, and they're lovely roses.

About black spot in the Pacific Northwest: how big a problem is it? I was not much troubled with it, because, in spite of how rainy that part of the world is, summers are generally dry. I didn't do any disease treatment or prevention, and, although the foliage on my roses wasn't immaculate, they looked respectable, not defoliating or dying. The problem roses were generally in too much shade and susceptible anyway.

Have fun with your new roses!

Melissa

Thanks so much! I love hybrid musks so I will definitely try them.

I have lots of Hybrid Musks and in your zone 8 they should do even better for you. They are later to start blooming so miss some of the spring downpours. Grandmothers hat has not done well for me but I am trying again. Bourbons and HP's can grow here well but need more care. I would not add alot unless you want to spray. The SDLM family are an exception to that. I spray in the spring but quit as soon as the main rain stops (sulfur) so I tolerate some blackspot and cercospora. Damask perpetuals in general get crud though Comte de Chambord is an exception-I grow and love them anyway as that is a summer thing. I grow many many once bloomers. I love Gallicas and Mosses. Most of the repeating mosses do well without sparying. Albas are wonderful here-there are no bad Albas. Ramblers are wonderful during the summer. Keep them well mulched and watered so as to avoid powdery mildew and they fill up the summer when not much else is in bloom. those Hybrid Musks keep pumping them out though. You can also grow Noisettes and Tea Noisettes(continuous bloom) and should be able to grow Teas. Lance down in Tacoma does really well with Teas but they do not thrive here. Heirloom is not much on found roses and prehaps Rogue Valley just never added Grandmothers Hat. I would not assume from that that it would not grow well for you. How fun to be in the planning stage. Today it is finally dry and I am out to spray and plant out a new bed of Gallicas and Mosses-poor dears have been in pots for a year.

patricia