Mom planted 2 roses in the abbreviated garden of the home we moved to when I was 7. Still remember her & my grandma cutting the tin can pots they came in with big tin-snippers. One was Peace & the other Crimson Glory. Peace showed pretty flowers, but Crimson Glory was strait from Heaven. Still homesick for the mature acre of garden we'd left on the East Coast in our move to the Midwest, that one rose consoled & inspired me, becoming a nearly angelic beloved friend. When we were moving back East 5 years later, my folks promised another Crimson Glory in the new garden (and a horse, too, lol), but that didn't come to pass. Yet I kept the rose in my heart. By the time I was grown & beginning my own garden, discovered Mom had forgotten its name. Don't think I'd ever known it - simply The Rose to me. Searched nurseries for years trying to find The Rose. Though I grew & enjoyed many roses along the way, the one that began it all proved elusive. Twenty-five years into the quest, I found her again, waiting patiently for me amid rows of roses, my long lost friend - recognized by her unique song & familiar perfume - Crimson Glory! Yet she didn't thrive in my gardens, and faded away over time. Ordered her bare root when no longer locally available, only to face the same decline. Twice more, from different sources, same result. In that long ago Illinois garden, she grew well. Perhaps these later versions suffered from virus that sapped their strength? This year determined to try again, looking to find her both bush & climbing virus indexed/VID. But when I saw own root CG in the K & M sale for such an enticing price, went ahead & ordered. Not finding any info at K & M on virus indexing, assuming their roses are not. Anyone know? Sue

I'm not in So Cal but things get huge here just like in Cali (I'm originally from there). Anyhoo, Munstead Wood has grown to 6ft here in a few years time and would have been bigger but has been cut back a few times. Mine is grafted on Doc Huey and in a pot. So if it was in the ground it would probably be even bigger. One of my best Austins. It did originally put out long branches some people call octopus arms. I trimmed them back and it has rounded out more. I just got WS2k..so I didnt know about its growing habits lol.

@sbrklyn_7bny Thank you. I agree that Earth Angel is such a beautiful rose that it's justifiable to have more than one. @Kristine LeGault 8a pnw Thank you Kristine. I think K&M have Dave's roses now even though they haven't listed them on their website but they did mention them on their Facebook account. @berrypie7 Thank you. The secret to a good picture is only capturing the best moment/angle. My garden has overgrown weeds like most other gardens but I love mine with weeds and all, lol. Helen

I can't share a picture at the moment due to where I am and the device I'm on, but I got an own root bare root (not a potted 2-quart own root) from David Austin Roses in spring of 2017. 2020 was its third full year and it finally started putting out thicker and much taller canes (approaching four feet, but only two good basals last year). Its first two growing seasons yielded short, thin, and spindly looking growth that was still thorny as all get out yet still bloomed decently. My own root bare root Lady of Shalott from David Austin Roses was also from spring 2017 and has followed an identical pattern of growth and development. Grafted plants may have a better leg up, and I understand many prefer Austins grafted in northern areas for vigour and size, but honestly, I have an own root Charlotte/Elgin Festival that gets 4' x 3' every season regardless of die back and my Austins on Dr. Huey haven't done any better growth-wise (except Chianti) honestly, so it is going to depend more on variety, zone, and micro climate more than the simple statement of "grafted do better" up north. I'll try to share an image if I have one of 'Munstead Wood' post pruning. It still has decent cane left much to my delight. Steven