I am the same with my michaelangelo. Everytime i see it in bloom in another's garden from afar, i think its Fab-yoo-luss. Busting with blooms. Here, it is doing great- healthy as a horse and bloomy- but it doesnt call to me. I think in my case it's the lack of fragrance.

The first year I didn't think much of Julia Child, but over the years I've really grown to appreciate this rose. Very disease resistant, vigorous, and usually covered with flowers that don't fade too badly. Overall a pretty good garden rose.

Easy Going on the other hand...Mine is a pretty good sized healthy bush, but I just can't get into it.

It seems to be a very good rose and was with me for two years but I just couldn't feel passionate about it. Not so hard to understand because I love antique-looking roses and that Julia is not. I also discovered that its color was too saturated for the whites and pinks and lilac colors of the other roses in that area.

It's just you (because I love mine) but that's OK. We all have our likes and dislikes. People rave about Mr. Lincoln and I got rid of mine because to me it was just ho hum.

It's weird..but I always loved hybrid teas the most..my rose garden is pretty lush this year but I am not liking it..lol. I am wanting more english roses..and I want to change it. I guess it's just part of the passion..we are never quite satisfied so I am back on the rose hunt. I really want Austins but I am leery about them due to all I have read.

Zyper...I changed a lot to Austins and have never looked back. I still have a few HB teas, but the austins are just super for me. ( I am in your zone). The one hb tea that is would miss terribly would be Barkarole. It is stunning and I can't believe it is performing so well for me. Don't look back and love what your doing. Char

Char, can you email me your rose list? Debfromseattle@aol.com
Seil, I DETESTED Mr Lincoln. I hated that purplish color on spent blooms. BUT I love Ingrid Bergman..and I am totally infatuated with Milestone..Gosh what a superior rose!

Maybe you just don't care for butter yellow. I'm not crazy about the color myself. I prefer clear pale yellows. I like mine because it has a lovely shape, fantastic foliage, and it blooms like mad. But I don't cut flowers to bring in the house.
Renee

well it is a bit ho hum. Here in the UK, it is called Absolutely Fabulous which, if you like short yellow floribundas, it probably is. However, if your tastes run to rampaging shrubbery style roses with many many small blooms, then its just another yellow rose.

.... But her Beef Bourguignon is TDF!

(Giggle)

2nd year and she's still only about a foot tall. Supposed to be disease resistant but did get BS. I'm going to try Winter Sun from Kordes this year. Supposed to be highest resistance against blackspot. Available from Roses Unlimited as own root.

Only a foot tall? If it were my yard it would meet the shovel, but perhaps there is something else going on in terms of fertilizer/water/sun, etc?

Zyperiris, I grow about 30 Of the Austin roses over here near Seattle. Mine were going downhill over time until in frustration I build two raised beds elevated 16" and filled them with 3-way garden mix and compost. In the 2 years since they have greatly improved in health and vigor! The only one I Can think of that I got rid of was a pale pink one that grew very tall and always balled from the moisture...will think of the name soon I hope (Geofrey someone?). Oh yes, I put my beloved Abraham Darby in a back corner because he just DID NOT show off well on the arbor down the center of my garden. His foliage was ugly and the flowers never last long then hang like old gray tissue. But when he is gorgeous he is phenomenal, and adore his pink grapefruit scent! At my previous house he climbed up into a flowering crabapple and was a traffic stopper! Jude the Obscure has done fabulous in the raised bed. and his color is much more yellow then when growing in our native soil. William Morris is a MONSTER...He wants to be at least 8' by 8' even when cut back hard! And the flowers do not last at all as cut flowers nor to they have a fragrance...but he sure is pretty when in bloom! Queen of Sweden is coming along now in her 3rd year. Munstead Woods...I Am WILD about the flowers on this one! Its one of my newest. Love Tamora, Sharifa Asma for their fragrances. Lady of Shallot and Lady Emma HAmilton were both pretty this year for first bloom then dropped their leaves and are regrowing them now. THey are both still settling in.So is Claire Austin. Her stems are pretty droopy still, but the white flowers are beautiful. I think in another year or two she will be a favorite. Graham Thomas, Teasing Georgia, And Windrush are other beauties for me. I really love Windrush when she blooms. I got rid of Othello this year...loved the fragrance but they nearly always had Vegetative centers and diseased leaves. I have other older ones I have lost the names to (Probably all pink ones) and especially since moving them wonder what the heck I have! Oh yes, I can comment on James Galway. I put him on a back fence and kind of ignored him and then am struck by the beauty of the roses when they bloom. THey shade from pale on the outside petals to deep rose in the middle...a lovely effect. Ugly leaves though.
I do not spray any of my roses unless Hubby hits them with copper spray when he does the peach tree in late winter...didn't happen this year. Some have diseased leaves but are not planted in prominant positions. I visit them, enjoy their flowers and then move on. Benjamon Britton is another one who's flowers light up the landscape, a lovely deep coral raspberry. CHarles Darwin look a bit like yellow kleenex drooping on the branches. NOt sure it will be a keeper for me...maybe one more year to prove its worth.