Kim, I won't disagree with you about the merit of selecting plants from reputable nurseries. I buy virtually all mine any more from such places. But something in me keeps me curious to see "what might happen..." So right now my Chicago Peace is my only cheapie rose. And I'm just curious to see how a rooted cutting off such a "cull" might do. I guess one reason I still ever even bother is that back when I bought more from cheap Wallmart,Lowes,HomeDepot type sources, I would inevitably have some that would turn out to be vigorous wonderful plants. That Peace I mentioned earlier was one. And sometimes, the runts, grow out of their runtiness with enough patience and good care. I guess I only bother on an old "common-as-belly-buttons" variety, because I know if it does not work out, I can always replace it with a properly produced specimen, because that variety is easy to find. I know that doesn't entirely make logical sense, but like I said, I wouldn't bother with most of my roses, and there's a certain cheap streak part of me that gets a satisfaction, perverse or not, from seeing something do well that came from an inexpensive source. : ) As for Sterling Silver, very interesting your mention of that original issue specimen. I planted one back as a teen when I was just 2-3 years into having discovered rose gardening. That plant of mine never grew more than 2 feet tall. It did, though, bloom profusely and looked bushy, though small, that first summer. Then it inexplicably croaked that fall, the only one of my roses to do so that year. I've never had one since. All these years later I keep looking for a mauve rose that can produce that magical color and wonderful fragrance and yet be a better plant. I'm currently growing a Blue Moon from Heirloom, just a year and a half old, that I'm about 75% happy with so far --fragrance to Die! for and "nice" color. The color is close but still not quite as stunning as that frustrating Sterling Silver I remember. Maybe my memory has embellished over the years! lol I forgot to mention at first that Peace, though not my absolute favorate variety, definitely ranks as a sentimental favorate, because it was a gorgeous specimen growing along my school bus route in 5th grade that caught my attention and helped spark my initial interest in giving this rose-growing thing a try. And I've never regretted taking that blunge. : ) Mike

I had different experience with Mons Tillier here. I actually tried it twice, first one got BS that weakened it to the point that it died in its first winter, second one I sprayed for two years and it was fine and then I stopped spraying and it declined too. Caldwell pink is definetely good one for me too. I forgot this one. Fields of the Wood, still feel guilty about this one. I read so many good reviews on this one from southern people that I decided to try, and also convinced several of my friends (that is where my guilt is coming). Three of us each bought FoW. I actually even bought two, FoW and Rode Island Red, which I heard could be the same rose. Well to make story short, they are not the same, but both got BS badly. Two of my friends (experienced rosarians, not newbies) also didn't have good luck. One was lost during its first winter, it was weak and diseased in the fall. Another one in different garden got BS similar to my and is dragging its feet now. My friend wants to give it three years, but so far it is looking bad. Vettin, I will post a list of my favorite oncebloomers a little later, have to run now. Olga

Riku, I'd love it if you could go back and get that sucker from Prarie Peace. I've had very good results from speaking to a head gardener and asking for permission to propagate from rosebushes in a public garden, (all 4 said yes) rather than asking the manager or superintendant of a public rose garden for permission to propagate (all said no) because the latter type of folks hemmed and hawed, none of them had any idea what I intended to do and one thought I'd be cutting a rosebush nearly in half, to make another bush from it. I'd mention to a head gardener; -Prarie Peace" is not easy to grow from cuttings, therefore the most reliable way to conserve it is from growing a new bush from a sucker. -taking a sucker does no harm to a "mother" plant, when the entire amount removed is a very small part of the whole. -I wouldn't take cuttings or suckers from any plant under patent protection. Best wishes, Luxrosa

Fungicides are the least toxic of the horticultural chemicals. Yes Daconil can burn foliage but only under certain conditions (when plants are dried out and temps outsides are hot). I've never had it burn any of my roses because I'm certain to water them beforehand, only apply it early in the season, and limit spraying to the early morning or evening hours. In fact, its a whole lot less harmful to the foliage than lime-sulfur, which is an "organic" fungicide. The only toxic side effect I've read in the literature about Mancozeb is that there is a slightly higher incidence of eye trouble in agricultural workers who routinely work around it. These people don't have the advantage of goggles, a respirator, and protective clothing. They are also exposed to much higher levels and much more often. I've never noticed a marked decrease in insects from the use of fungicides. A bit of perspective. This weekend I visited my 70 year old mother. Before leaving for what is a three hour drive I picked a new blossom of PRETTY JESSICA, a gorgously fragrant new English Rose that I acquired last year. As I was driving I'd occasionally pick up and smell the rose. The powerful Damask fragrance kept me alert and happy during the drive. Such a treat! The flower was still fresh and beautiful when I arrived. My mother immediately wanted me to buy her the rose when I let her smell the flower. I had to gently let her down. "Pretty" as PRETTY JESSICA is, she needs spraying and mom's health won't allow her to put in the necessary work to keep the English Rose looking good in her Tidewater VA garden. My mother was profoundly disappointed. Her rose garden is organic, and lovely as the Chinas and Teas are, they just don't have that certainly "quality" that we've come to expect from the English Roses (and Bourbons, Hybrid Perpetuals, Portlands; all of which are disease mongers). I'm hoping mom will be more pleased as her new garden develops. Duchesse de Brabant and Belinda's Dream in particular should please her. "It is beauty that nourishes the soul." Image of PRETTY JESSICA by Celestial Rose.