Hello Patrick, I also love 'Wild Blue Yonder'...she reminds me a violet zinnia...and I absolutely adore anything ruffled! Here's my experiences with my two WBYs: I live in fairly humid central Illinois, and I've found WBY must be sprayed in order to keep the BS to a minimum; otherwise it will defoliate. I use Bayer Advanced, so my spray program is every 2 weeks. My WBYs are own-root 2-year old plants. Since our winters are brutual, they start out every spring being pruned back to the ground, but regrow quickly to a rather tall, angular bush of about 3' x 2'...rather airy-looking. Rebloom has been OK but not spectacular...maybe it's because they are both young....but the blooms are well worth the wait in-between flushes. I feed RoseTone exclusively, and all my roses thrive on this organic mix. As far as vase life, I haven't cut any to bring inside...but they do last on the bush. So...yes, do definitely add this to your collection of purples and violets...she's a beauty. -terry

Jerijen, That is a beauty and I will keep it in mind...think the bed is full of roses now. Thanks to you others for suggestions too...Stopped by my favorite nursery today and came home with 3 Fred Boutin Lavenders (Silver foliage), "happy returns" mini day lily, a small peachy cream day lily, 6 surfinia lacy blue petunias (on sale) a lavender blue parahebe with blue foliage,a new white coneflower with green center called "Alaska" and a couple of pots of blue and cream pansies. HAve decided to watch for other cone flowers and make them a secondary theme in this bed. I do love them, if I Could just keep them growing! The nursery owner tells me they need more lime here so that is what it will get. OH yes, also got a mauvey doubledecker coneflower...so labeled but it looks like it may be a different compact variety. I have decided to move the boundary on this bed to take in a large "purple smoke" baptisia growing next to it...love that foliage for a background! And we have the perfect day for planting them...63 degrees at almost 1PM, ocean overcast just breaking up and a possible shower tonight! I may add some soft apricot next year, but for now I think the bed may be full...off to plant it out!

I don't think Ebb Tide or Rhapsody in Blue work in a vase. Ebb Tide blooms in sprays and has a vase life of less than a day for me. Rhapsody in Blue also blooms in sprays and only lasts about a day or two on the bush. I haven't managed to cut one yet as mine hasn't bloomed much. Instead I'll recommend The Prince. It is darker than WS2K and lasts a couple of days in a vase. I'm also trying Fragrant Plum which is a very nice lavender but I bought it in the summer and it hasn't bloomed very much yet. I'm getting Blackberry Nip from Wisconsin roses next year which looks like it should be a very good cut flower. Beth has some pictures on the gallery of it.

I am a west-coast rose grower and would recommend one that I grow, the floribunda "Love Potion." It fits your width restriction, has glossy, disease-resistant foliage and gives plenty of fragrant, lavender blooms. (re: real blackspot -- that shouldn't be a problem in your area, but it resists that too) I will put a link to the HelpMeFind description, and you can click on the photos tab for more pictures. Heirloom Roses does carry it and you might check with Armstrong too: Here is a link that might be useful: Love Potion