I've only mail ordered roses a few times, but I try to buy plants during optimal planting time for my area (fall for natives, winter for bareroots, and spring for everything else)
The only one I've grown for any length of time is Yves Piaget. I've had it for two years in a container and four years in the ground. For as long as I've had it, it has barely reached 3 feet. It is a little wider that it is tall as well. In my conditions, it tends to bloom in flushes with a few blooms in between. It does get some blackspot and rust here in coastal SoCal (I don't spray) and has defoliated when both diseases hit at the same time, but two weeks later, it is usually covered in leaves again. The flowers more than make up for the faults in my opinion. They remind me of tree peonies and smell fantastic too.

Well I order when I make up my mind that I can't live without the particular plant. It is not always efficient delivery price wise if I want something else to add later, but oh well. One thing though, for me it is either v. early autumn delivery, or spring, since if the delivery falls later than end of November I risk getting leaved out roses with temps bellow freezing outside. Drawback of spring orders though is that sometimes roses I want are not available anymore.

As for your choices, from those I grow Laguna and my one year plant was crisping in full sun rather badly (we also had it dry) - to the point that I am thinking about moving her to a spot where she won't get afternoon sun.

Can't help you with your choices, since California conditions are so different than the conditions here in my Virginia garden. The ones you have so far do very nicely here, though I know that doesn't help you.

My answer to your question is ... ANYTIME I want! Almost all of the roses I buy are own-root, growing in containers, and I buy and plant them any time in the spring, summer, or fall. For winter orders, I request late-spring delivery.

The bare-root growers have done a good job of convincing the public that they have to plant their roses in the spring or fall, and that summer is a no-no. This is not the case with a rose in a pot with a good root system that is already growing. Some areas are just too hot in the summer to plant a baby own-root rose, but many are not. I plant it, being careful not to disturb the root ball, water it well, watch it like a hawk, and provide shade at first if needed. Haven't lost a ONE like this.

For bare roots, I DO plant mine in the spring. Orders and decisions are made in the fall, delivery in the spring, flowers in the summer. YAY!!

Connie

Definitely fall or spring planting. I know here in Zone 9 SE there really is NO other time to plant roses and have them perform. As for your selections, My B.R. Cant is magnificent. My most favorite of all my roses,with the exception perhaps of my Austin rose Abraham Darby. It is VERY large, but don't let that scare you. Mine had a growth habit that eventually caused me to move it and attach it to a pergola, and I could not be happier with it. It is now 8' by perhaps 6', and loaded in buds, even this late in the season. I have recommended this rose to MANY people who wanted to dabble in OGR's and have success. As far as Bermuda's Kathleen, I am not familiar with this one. I have a single rose called simply "Kathleen" which is of antique origin that Is wonderful. It is very akin to the rose Ballerina, with clusters of light pink single blossoms at the end of almost every cane. Delightfully light fragrance and a climber with an interesting foliage. Ahhhh, Archduke Charles. Awesome rose, if a bit slow to start in my garden. I picked one up at an antique rose sale, as a mere experiment. Here everyone says roses MUST be grafted on Fortuniana, and this rose (as well as Kathleen) were grown own root. I figured I could give it a shot, since they were a mere $4 at an heirloom plant sale. It has really made a beautiful rose, exceptional fragrance, great blossom color, and a nice growing habit. I would HIGHLY recommend it as a choice. It is not the best for cut flowers as they shatter more quickly than others, but such is the case with many OGRs. Besides, sometimes it is nicer to leave the blooms on the bush. If you would like, I can share some pictures of mine later...

Hope this helps, and if you want some other rose recommendations, I will gladly give some.

Cheers!
-Ken

As a follow up:

Try the OGR Leveson Gower. It is truly a great rose with a really nice fragrance.

If you really want a particular rose you have to order when it is available. If you wait, you might not get it:-)

Masha

I generally order for spring planting, but I may place the order the previous September or October for varieties that may be hard to get or brand new. It depends on the supplier as to what and how many are available of a particular variety. The above comment from mashamcl applies. Delivery dates can usually be juggled. For non-critical, standard varieties that have been around for a while I try to have orders in by the end of December or early January for spring planting.

we start ordering anytime from now right through till March. I like to get mine in by November (light sandy soil) so I order in the summer as it is usual for orders to be sent out in order of receipt. These are bare root. I also buy the odd potted rose throughout the year.
Weirdly, Mrs BR Cant is an English rose, bred by Cants, just down the road from me BUT we cannot get it in the UK apart from beales. Even Cants no longer sell it! (and in truth, I don't much like it anyway)

{{gwi:295889}}

A mature 'Archduke Charles' in an old NoCal cemetery.
Roses here get water, and I believe that from time to time, they are violently "pruned."
'Archduke Charles' in California at least, is one of the greatest of the tough old Survivors.
Everyone should have this one. I don't consider it particularly typical of a China Rose in habit, but it certainly is China in its fast repeat.
For THAT, I'd recommend something like 'Sanguinea' (Miss Lowe's Variety) and/or 'Louis Philippe' or 'Cramoisi Superieur.'

Jeri

I think I'm going to get Mrs. B.R. Cant and put her behind my future arbor. I measured the spot and it's a 6 foot diameter from the arbor if I start from the corner. That should do ok, right?
There and Eden cl there right now, but I think I'd rather have Mrs. BRC there... I've heard a lot of folks say that Eden cl makes a nice pillar or climbing on an obelisk, so I'm thinking about moving Eden to something like that for a height accent somewhere else.

What kind of size on Archduke Charles? 5 feet??
Ken (or anyone) I'd love to see photos of your Archduke. :) Thanks for that, Jeri! :D
Jeri, I guess I don't really mind if it's indicative of a china or not. I just thought it was pretty, I suppose it's a minor plus that it's "called" a china. (it seems more like a tea to me??) but I really like the changeable quality.
I like Sanguinea... but I hadn't seen Louis-Philippe before... it looks really gorgeous from the photos on HMF. I wish I could see one in person. I wonder if there's one around locally somewhere.

Ken, I'm always open to suggestions! Leveson Gower was on my list but I'm waffling on it becuase I have a good amount of full double/complex blooms in that color range and I think I'd rather have SdlM (white). (Though I know people say that Leveson Gower probably isn't a sport of SdlM, they do look similar...)

Masha - well it is my birthday soon.... ;)

I feel the same way about most roses.
I don't so much care about what it is called (class or name) as long as it pleases me and grows well for me.
That's why I'm just as happy with a "found" rose under a study name as I am with a known rose.

It's the rose that matters, not the name.

" O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;"

Jeri

Aimee, with most on-line nurseries you can order now and request a later shipment date. For instance, I ordered roses from Chamblee's a few weeks ago and they'll be shipped on October 18. Vintage, Rogue Valley and others will do the same thing. I have Bermuda's Kathleen and I think you'll like it. Mine is in front of a giant heat-retaining boulder and still survives my summers. Blooms a lot and is pretty and delicate. I have Mrs. B.R. Cant which is a baby and is growing rather slowly. Have you considered Le Vesuve which is fabulous in the heat and grows faster? It's a fuchsia pink, deeper in color (although variable with the weather) than Mrs. B.R. Cant and looser in form. No fragrance to speak of but a great bloomer. Someone mentioned Leveson-Gower, which I have, and it's an incredibly slow grower for me even in its prime location. SdlM Rouge looks identical and grows faster. The original SdlM is pretty but for me wilts quickly in the heat. Its sport, Mme. Cornelissen, on the other hand, holds up better for me and has a unique petal formation. So much depends on what speaks to you and what doesn't. Once you have the rose, you'll then be able to see how well it does for you. Everyone's growing situation seems to be unique. Let us know what you decide on, Aimee.

Ingrid

http://s794.photobucket.com/albums/yy230/Kenfl1_photos/Roses/

for pictures of the roses. Enjoy :)

Mrs. B.R. Cant makes a big, airy, almost lacy shrub, taking up a lot of real estate without giving an impression of heaviness. Think volume without mass. It is moderately subject to PM in my area (about 15 miles from the SJHRG), as in fact are many teas. MBRC has needle sharp thorns, so it is wise to be wary of placing it where people will be forced to pass close to it. I grew it once upon a time, but eventually decided I wanted to do something else with the space.

I grow Pierre de Ronsard (Cl. Eden), one of my husband Tom's favorites of my roses, and I simply cannot imagine training it on a pillar. It boggles my mind. Take a look at Cass Bernstein's beautifully pruned PdR and you will see what I mean. My own looks very similar. I suppose you could fan it onto a wall if you were very severe with it, but a pillar?

Rosefolly

Here is a link that might be useful: Go to 'Pierre de Ronsard' and click on 'pruned'.

http://s794.photobucket.com/albums/yy230/Kenfl1_photos/Roses/

for pictures of the roses. Enjoy :)