There's the rub...the gene (s) which are supposed to permit the formation of delphinidin, the blue pigment, is/are patented. IF you raise a rose containing them without permission and without paying for the "right", you are in violation of patent law and subject to litigation. Think Monsanto with their GMO products and the numerous litigation cases they've brought against people who have raised crops containing their inserted genes, deliberately or not. Even containing that gene, there is no guarantee of the expression of "blue". I honestly wouldn't put it past them to have bred in sterility as they have in the "suicide crops" already generated to prevent farmers from saving seed from one year's crop for the next. Brazil is currently considering whether to permit those seeds from being sold within their borders. The "suicide crops" supposedly create workable products the first generation, but seed from that generation are sterile, preventing further crops from being generated from them. That requires anyone wishing to raise the product to buy new seed from Monsanto every year. Kim

Other plants in stardrifting's original list besides mugwort that, in my experience, are spreaders and take up a lot of room or are abundant self-seeders are costmary (this one really sprawls!), milk thistle (seeds will germinate all around), anchusa (I have seen this take over a roadside area), agrimony, and sweet cicely. These last two do not spread terribly fast, but they do self-sow in my yard. Climbing milkweed, while a native and attractive to pollinators, can become a problem since of course the seeds drift off in the wind. Depending on how much room you have, including a greenhouse, and the various ecosystems in your yard (sun, shade, moist, dry) many in the list above are not practical to try to grow in zone 5. Be especially cautious with non-natives in that a species may be introduced here that can be detrimental to the local habitat. (Witness kudzu, Elaeagnus spp., vining & shrubby non-native honeysuckles, multiflora rose, and countless others!)

If you grow Blue for You, allow it to set self seeds and raise seedlings. Lavender Crush looks very much like what many Blue for You self seedlings mature into. I've raised many just to see "what if" and most have matured into mauve shades, varying from almost white to very dark. Most are semi double to double and all are very vigorous and very well scented. If you check out some of Blue for You's offspring on HMF, they are very likely self seedlings as they very much resemble what self set seed produce. And, Blue for You (and the seedlings I have tried) all root very easily, grow well own root and seedlings should be free from RMV and have made useful root stocks for me, including 3' - 4' long whips for standards. Just a suggestion for anyone interested in playing...

Hi Kristine. With all of the amazing experts and great advice on here, I bet you got more than you bargained for! Are you still reading? ;-) My advice would be a little different, but also similar to what has been mentioned. Researching roses is great... and fun! But if you have a public rose garden nearby, walking the grounds and getting a feel for what roses look like in your actual climate is probably the most helpful. Seeing a rose in person, smelling it, touching it, these are all important things to me (being a very kinesthetic - touchy feely - person). Also...Don't feel Iike you always have to follow rules or common knowledge, unless you want to. It is your garden, your time, your hard work and your money after all. Simply enjoy yourself and enjoy learning more as you go. I would also tell myself to always braid my hair before doing any gardening. ;-)