Hi, SFL, I don't know how similar Zone 9a and Zone 10b are. I imagine you get NO chill time, and I'm wondering how is your soil? 300 miles is a long way, putting us pretty much in different worlds even in the same state. But I'll give it a shot. The main similarity is heat & humidity!! There's a good small book called 'The Southern Queen: Growing Beautiful Roses in the Tropics' by Latimer C. Farr about growing roses in South Florida. I got mine in a local rose society drawing, and I can't find any for sale online. As to the nematodes, if you're going for HTs and other moderns, they definitely should be on Fortuniana. I grow Tiffany on Fort and two Chrysler Imperials probably on Dr Huey so they're in big pots. Both are on Farr's HT list. I have a very early HT (pre-1895) called Madame Abel Chatenay (own root) which I love, she's healthy but loses her leaves in Jan & Feb. Farr has a pretty long list of moderns that do well down there. Probably your local rose society would be the best source for a list. I don't grow David Austins. Belinda's Dream is a good modern one. She gets very big here. Hmmm, don't they all? Old Garden Roses, especially Chinas, have some resistance to nematodes so they can be grown on their own roots. (I have 100+ roses, mostly own root.) And it has been found that nematodes don't like organic matter and heavy mulch including concrete slabs & foundations, so organics is the route I take for nematode deterrence with OGRs like Teas, Noisettes and polyanthas that aren't 100% China. I incorporate a lot of composted horse manure and pine fines (close to 50%) into the bed before planting and topdress every spring with composted horse manure on top of the old mulch and add new mulch. (I didn't know that clay could be obtained and added to the soil when I did my beds, but if I were starting over, I would try to get some for water and nutrient retention. I don't know what type of clay is preferred.) This year I've started watering daily with a micro system for 30 minutes in the early morning. When I watered every other day, my bushes stayed almost leafless all summer even with thick mulch. So! Which roses? Louis Philippe is the best, a beautiful red/pink flower with cherry candy scent. Easy care, virtually no BS. Another China that I love is Le Vesuve along with Jean Bach Sisley & Old Blush. Teas are great. They love the heat and come in a variety of colors and bloom forms. Some favorites are Maman Cochet, General Schablikine, Mrs B R Cant, Anna Olivier, Duchesse de Brabant, Madame Antoine Mari, and many more. The Bermuda Roses work well. I like Carnation. Noisettes and Tea-Noisettes are generally climbers that like heat and tolerate our humidity. They get fairly huge here. Cile Brunner Spray, LeMarne & Perle d'Or do very well in Florida. I have had less success with Hybrid Musks probably because of my soil pH and they tend not to like heat & afternoon sun. For climbers Don Juan does well enough here but does get BS. Mine is on Fortuniana. I have own root Sally Holmes & Pink Perpetue, both are recommended by Latimer Farr along with New Dawn, Sombreuil & Clair Matin. The short Bourbons in the Souv de la Malmaison clan do well albeit with some BS but have beautiful flowers and extended blooming, and Farr says Maggie does well, too. I found that Maggie got more BS than I could handle so she's gone, but you have to establish a tolerance level for that. Hope this is helpful. I hear the soil in South Florida can be really shallow on top of limestone. What's your situation? Hi, lagomorphmom! Sherry

In a word, don't. These grafted specimen types often succumb to Winter damage just like many roses do in colder climates, and you can easily lose everything above the snow line. IE: you get nothing next Spring except the stem of understock. On the other hand, if you are willing to jump through a few cultural hoops, you can dig one side of the root ball loose and lay the plant, top to bottom, in a shallow trench in late Fall and bury it for Winter protection. Not worth the extra work, IMO, but thats your call.

Placed my order with Corn Hill! I ordered DOORENBOS (Scotch) DOUBLE SCOTCH PINK (Scotch) STANWELL PERPETUAL (Scotch) MAIDEN'S BLUSH (Alba) QUEEN OF DENMARK (Alba) ROSERAIE DE L'HAY (Rugosa) WASAGAMING (Rugosa) I decided to just buy 2 Alba's this year and no Gallica's, to test-drive whether they will survive in my cold, fairly exposed garden. Can't wait!

I have four pink knock outs that are doing well in full sun for their first year. They are huge. Over four feet would be my recommendation unless you are making a hedge. These, to me, are HEDGE roses. They are twiggy inside. The cherry reds are all over my town and most look pitiful.. On the other hand they grow HUGE if put in good soil. Six year olds that have had good soil but no special care are now full of bs, less than the other roses in the bed, but bugs too. Leaf rollers, etc. I think they are like any other roses , but best in a hedge or as a single focal rose. They are too dense for a rose garden and will carry just as much disease as anything else. I am actually sick of the Cherry red. There are better looking roses, like Carefree Delight, etc. My biggest issue is They have no perfume. Nice for a mall, not a rose garden.