If it does not suffer from Blackspot for you, the Austin rose, 'Cymbaline,' may answer your purpose.
It's that sort of color -- much paler than Grey Pearl.

It's not the most floriferous of Austins for us, but it is very disease-resistant here, with a big arching habit, almost to low-climber status.

Jeri

I love Grey Dawn......kind of a muddy mauve, which to my eye resembles grey. Good rose. I'll post a pic when it blooms.
Michael

Both 'Ash Wednesday' and 'Grey Pearl' will suffer from Blackspot rather badly if this is typically an issue for you. 'Grey Pearl' performs quite well in a somewhat sheltered location and in a hot climate, so it might still be a good candidate for you. It is essential that you buy a grafted specimen, as own root plants are worthless. 'Ash Wednesday' on the other hand has more vigor and will get to be a large climber in your zone, but it has one major disadvantage: it is a once bloomer, with maybe a few few blooms later in the season once well established. Both are a fascinating color, to be sure.

Regards,
Paul

Here's GREY DAWN:

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THanks everyone for all the input i am currently looking into Grey Dawn and Ash wednesday and trying to see which will be the better performance! I just have to check the blackspot for grey dawn

THanks!!!

What does it mean to display or give Grey roses?

Here is a link that might be useful: colors of flowers and the meanings

I got 'Ash Wednesday' last Fall and it is very happy here. Very vigorous. It is getting ready to bloom and I can't wait. No BS so far where we've had a horribly cool Spring with lots of my other roses suffering terribly. So far, it seems that all of my Kordes roses do very here.

Beth, your Grey Dawn is so pretty!

Jeri, Cymbaline is very pretty too! :o) I never knew about that unique Austin.

May I suggest the HT Stainless Steel. Although it is classified as a mauve, it turns almost steely grey (hence the name) in the heat. Fragrant with a lovely bloom form that often ends up on the show tables.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stainless Steel

I love Cymbeline. I moved it to a more prominent spot last season, and I'm certainly glad that I did. I put in Ash Wednesday this year, and it's showing some great vigor so far!

Certainly not grey roses,..but two other odd color roses that have my attention in my garden are Distant Drums and Hot Cocoa...

Robert

I'm wondering if own root Aschermittwoch is also worthless as Paul mentions about Grey Pearl. My A from Vintage is certainly a dud. Like another off beat colored Kordes, Magenta amd also own root. It truly is worthless. A wonderful color, form and fragrance. As were the first blooms on it before it proceeded to wither up and die.

I guess it is too tempting for a hybridizer when something turns up that is unusual. Introduce it forget up all those other standards used when judging a new rose like vigor, hardiness, disease resistance, etc.

Well, to get a grafted A is not possible here as my usual Canadians don't carry it.

Jim, I'm rather new to roses, and I'm intrigued by your comment. How many clones of these roses you mention have you tried, and how many different areas have you tried to grow it in order for you to dismiss them as worthless grown ownroot? I can't imagine categorically dismissing a rose unless I've tried four or five of it on ownroot in various locations in my yard as well as comparing it to the same variety grown on the different rootstocks. Just curious...

Robert

Jim, my Ash Wednesday is an own-root from Sequoia bought last fall. It seems pretty vigorous to me. It is even sending up a nice large basal. I've been feeding all of my newly planted roses with Alaska.

The only own-root I have that is really doing awful is Distant Drums. I also planted it last Fall. Does it need some time? It is really pathetic looking compared to all my other ones planted at the same time. I am able to buy it grafted very close to me at Raft Island Roses. Do I need to be patient or is it a better rose grafted? I am seriously thinking about switching it. It, so far, has done nothing. I'm not sure where Raft Island gets theirs from. A lot of their roses are from Hortico. I bought a Hortico grafted Cafe there last year that is doing wonderful. Another odd color Kordes. They have Magenta too........

I have found 'Ash Wednesday' to be a perfectly decent rose on its own roots. Here is a photo of mine taken yesterday.

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Wow, that is just stunning Paul ! :o)

I have to second Stainless Steel even though technically it is called a mauve, it is gray to me. The World War II Memorial Rose and Monet also appear as more gray to me than any tone or shade of mauve/purple/lavender, etc....Check out the light mauve shades as they all tend to gray at some point in my garden anyway.
John

In our climate, Lagerfeld is grayish most days. Nice scent, though.

My planted last Fall Ash Wednesday is blooming again! This is one happy rose that has grown a ton this summer. To my surprise as I made
rounds today I noticed some buds on it. I didn't think I'd see it's haunting, grey flowers again till next year. What a treat! :o)

After I posted lambasting Ash Wedneday and Magenta. I didn't follow up by watching later posts.

Robert, AW has since begun to show some vigor and maybe next spring will do well.

As to Magenta. I've tried 4 differnt ones. Two own root, one grafted and one a "maiden". Planted in two different spots plus one in a pot.

Now for me to bad mouth a Kordes it has to be pretty bad. But I must add a disclaimer. That is in my garden that is far from typical for rose gardens. I have very shallow soil, heavy clay and a cold climate. That is a challenge for many roses. So my comments need to be taken with a lot of salt. Sea salt of course!

I normally hate gray/tan roses - but Paul - THAT IMAGE IS STUNNING!