Hi Barry Kate's advice covers some basic principles of winter protection for cold zones. David Austin sells both grafted and own-root versions of both of those roses, and if you just ordered these I would presume they were own-root, since it's too late in the season to be planting bare-root grafted varieties that DA usually sends. Either way, the best insurance you can do for the time being in the rest of the summer/fall is to ensure a healthy root system going into the winter. Keep it watered but not soaked, and if you can stand it pinch off any buds before they bloom to encourage the plant to send down stronger roots. Don't fertilize other than maybe a weak diluted fish emulsion or alfalfa, and I'd stop even that by August to avoid having weak spindly growth that won't be as hardy over the winters. If you do have a grafted plant and haven't buried the graft at least 2 inches below the soil line, you should consider either gently lifting the plant slightly to dig some of the soil underneath and burying it deeper, or mounding soil around the graft and a few inches above it (and sloping it off gently so it doesn't wash off with rains). Don't prune it heavily or even at all in the fall (except dead wood), since you want as much healthy cane as possible to have something to protect, and allow the inevitable winter kill to leave some cane behind. In general, I've found in my zone 5 that Austin roses are pretty hardy in general, and those two Austins have survived well for me without much protection. The basic principle of winter protection is to have an organic material that buffers the plant a little from the winter extremes but doesn't hold excess moisture against the plant canes (except of course for snow, nature's best insulator). You only have to protect the roots (in an own-root plant) or an inch or two above the graft (for grafted plants) for the rose to survive and grow again next spring. Roses that die to the ground but regrow are considered "root hardy" and all they'd need (if anything) for winter protection is a little insulation on the ground, like a few inches of dry pine straw, bark mulch, or non-matting leaves (like oak leaves). Most of my Austins would survive zone 5 without even that, but if you're in zone 4 it's liable to help a new rose through the winter with a little help its first year. Once you see how the previous year's canes survive the winter, you can judge how much you do or don't want to protect next time, since most roses become better able to survive the winter as they mature. You'll hear as many methods of winter protection as there are northern rose gardeners, so pick what works for you. You don't really have to protect at all if you've picked roses that are at least root hardy in your zone (and I suspect these are) or if you have consistent snow cover during the coldest months. Don't worry about temperatures or any winter protection until it's consistently cold even in the days - my rule of thumb is to wait till the highs average in the 20's. Protecting any earlier runs the risk of mice and other critters invading the cozy next you've built, and encouraging canker and other fungus diseases in the trapped warm air. My idea is to keep the roses acceptably cold, not really to try to keep them warm. It's not like you're going to be able to keep the ground in Wisconsin from freezing, and if you tried it would create conditions conducive to fungus diseases you don't want. Hope this helps for the time being! I plan to post something on general principles of winter protection as we move into fall, since I've been mulling over ways to describe the idea of what we do in winter zones that doesn't dictate exactly HOW to accomplish those purposes in the multiple equally-correct methods we might individually use. Cynthia

Well, I have Claire Austin, and I'm not impressed with that one. Primary problem is that you cannot cut the blooms -- they shatter almost immediately after opening, and especially quick if you try to cut them from the plant. They shoulda called that one something like Icestorm -- you mostly see petals on the ground. I still think Ambridge Rose is the best of the Austins, but if you NEED to try a new one, then The Endeavor (AUSdisco) is a good one, and I think it is available only in the US and Australia, and not England (go figure). But I've had it for a year and like it. Kathy

That's great it's doing so well for you!! Lady of shallot is also one of my favorites. I hope you'll share more photos with us as you grow more . :)

Thanks gretahoney. LOS is a fast grower, you should be getting some beautiful blooms this year. Thanks K S. Roses are soooooo hungry. I feed my container roses Osmocote and every so often water soluble Miracle Gro or the Walmart equivalent. If I had the opportunity to plant them in the ground I would use Alaska Fish Fertilizer and real, aged manure or research the forum for Diane in Boise to see how she does it. Kristine. Remodeling can be so stressful. Just focus and dream about what your roses will look like when you can pamper them properly. They and you will be so happy. sun2shine, yes, there is a small trellis I put in with the plant when I planted it. I'm not sure I would do that again. Maybe. I never know what I'm doing with Austins. You can see by pictures above that the canes are getting thicker. I wouldn't worry about thin canes. Here is a picture from last summer that shows a bit more of the trellis. I think I got it from Home Depot. Good point, Cyndita. Yes, I always put a small plant in front of my roses. Not much in bloom right now, normally I would not put that bright yellow in front of LOS. It's an Osteospermum Voltage Yellow, was in a 4 inch pot last year. Putting small planters in front help shade the rose pots, so they don't cook when it gets hot. They also hide the ugly rose pots and bare rose knees and I think they look pretty. Here's a picture from last year to show how I place them. Thanks Sara-Ann. The color is why I chose this rose. Glad it's my first rose bush blooming.