Hi Kate For what it's worth, I have Alfred Colomb and it doesn't blackspot particularly worse for me than the moderns in my yard, and I know we have similar climates. I don't have the other two, but I've tried Comte de Chambord a time or two and it wasn't remotely winter hardy for me. A zone warmer with you might make a difference on that one. In general, as you're considering classes of OGRs for your yard, you may not have to restrict yourself to moderns and Austins even with your reblooming and disease resistance criteria. What you may end up doing is picking and choosing among members of a particular rose category, since there's a lot of variability among them. My favorite example is Noisettes, which aren't even supposed to be considered in zone 5, but Madame Alfred Carriere is bullet proof as long as she has any surviving cane to work with. Similarly, Madame Isaac Periere and Reine des Violettes are from classes that are supposed to be blackspotted messes, but they're equally reliable for me. Some hybrid musks melt like butter in my winters and some are rock solid. I have several Bourbons and Hybrid Perpetuals that do fairly well, and I'm still working on Portlands, but I haven't given up on them as a class. And then there are the teas... I'm like you that rugosas tend to be plenty hardy and terribly unexciting for me in my yard. Therese Bugnet is highly recommended and has yet to bloom once in 3-4 years in my yard. Rountuit is a Moore creation and it has scruffy quarter sized blooms for about a week in spring and then flops around on an ugly bush. Yet Linda Campbell is a lovely self sufficient true red that reblooms reasonably well and convinced the neighbors they wanted a rose just like it growing into their Black Lace elderberry bush. Just encouraging you not to get discouraged about reblooming OGRs if you want to pursue them. By all means, grow whatever you like and moderns obviously do well for you, but it doesn't necessarily mean particular classes are written off for you because of your requirements. Cynthia

Suzy, Good luck with your new home, and have fun gardening!! I know you'll have a wonderful place. I wish you the best. Our garden has grown very slowly, partly because of poor preparation, partly because of summer drought, but when I look at it at least I can see there's a garden there and not the sun-blasted field we started with. I'm hoping that all the digging I'm doing this fall will improve rose growth significantly. The trees need to grow! Your remarks about the camera are noted. Actually for documentary purposes I could send out my husband with the camera; he likes to take pictures. "...my life work and legacy". Yes. Exactly. Sherry, I enjoy talking about garden design, thanks for inviting me to do so (again). Actually, Pam would be a good person to hear from, as she has a very large garden and many roses and is interested in garden design, I think. Oh, Niels!...in your photo the ground is so flat....and the dirt is so soft....and the grass is so full and free of weeds and so very neatly mowed! Obviously you live in a different rose universe than the one I inhabit. Your suggestion is a good one. My husband is talking about hiring a digger for the holes, and I think it's a great idea. Cydney, so, tell us about your garden! Where, what, for how long, why? We need information! Melissa

Jeri J, Thank you for bringing to my attention, a correction in the October 2005 “AEN” supplementary “Rose” List. Should a correction be noted on ARS or my part, the correction will be addressed in a following post. The November post will reflect a correction, removing the name Bevoniensis from the list. As stated in the header, the primary purpose of the “Supplement Rose List” is to compliment the 2005 AEN, by address Corrections / Additions / Deletions a continuing process. Devoniensis is listed in the 2005 AEN, indicating eligibility for Dowager Queen (the reason it was originally included); therefore its removal from the list is in order. Happy Holidays. Ronald Schwerdt

Holà , Nadine! Ici dans ma fraîche Belgique, je viens de récolter tous mes cynorhodons -15 jours d'avance cette année-. Inutile d'attendre jusqu'en Décembre que les oiseaux les mangent... A propos des "déchets", des "chétifs", je ne partage pas non plus l'avis des "pros", qui, il est vrai, n'ont ni beaucoup de temps ni assez de place. Je ne jette jamais un semis, même noir de Marsonia, chétif, mal formé etc, avant quelques années. En effet, des fleurs diformes peuvent devenir superbes sur une plante de trois ans, mieux "musclée" pour les nourrir ; une sensibilité aux maladies est le plus souvent l'indice d'une préférence pour des conditions de culture particulières (mi-ombre, sol frais, ou le contraire). A l'hybrideur amateur de les découvrir! J'ai pour l'instant un semis issu d'une reconstitution -supposée- du croisement qui a donné "Géant des batailles". C'est un petit truc rikiki, 11 centimètres de haut, tout blanc d'oidium tout l'été (plus rien maintenant), des folioles de 0,5 Cm de long....et des fleurs minuscules, semi-doubles, noires, oui, vraiment noires avec des reflets bruns, et des étamines jaunes qui ressortent d'autant plus. Et du parfum! le désespoir du parfumeur, bien que pour l'instant je l'appelle "Dracula" (humour belge). N'importe quel pro flanquerait celà au compost dans la seconde ; pour ma part, je vais le bichonner ququ années avant toute décision, rien que pour cette couleur et ce parfum. Et ce temps me permettra de savoir où et comment le cultiver pour éviter l'oidium! Bien amicalement, Pete.