Crown Princess Margareta is not a hardy climber in zone 5. Well, it is crown hardy, but the canes don't survive winter. I bought it last year and am using it as a bush rather than a climber. Part of the problem that you are likely having with Westerland is that it doesn't survive the winter very well and has to regrow every year. That means it blooms later and Westerland is one of those roses that likes to get big before it blooms. A hardy rose like Quadra will have better bloom because it doesn't have to regrow every year.

Holly I think I got lucky with the 3 icebergs. I had driven down to the large rose supplier to pick up the main roses for my new bed (5 of them) and since I had to use the freeway interchange right by Lowe's, I decided to stop for a pair of Russian Sages since I could not find them locally and they were listed in their ad. There sitting with the roses were a few 1g pots with 3 small icebergs started in them. All were listed as Iceberg-Brilliant Pink-Burgundy. I left the elastic tags on the plants just so I could figure them out later. I think the darkest is a bit close to hot pink, but with so much white they really are Brilliant Pink. I prefer the paler pink but if you are doing a bright colored bed, I think either would be fine. Like many, I have a love hate relationship with Icebergs. I hate that they do so well and are so common-loving the unusual and uncommon. But I LOVE that they do so well, bloom so well, grow so fast, seem to not care where they are planted. The two 1g's I bought last season are just as happy as the rest of the bed, even though they started smaller and do not get the care that the rest of the bed gets (less water-more heat)

I live near LAX and have a Royal Lee and Minnie Lee. The Royal Lee is a big vigorous tree entering its 5th year. My first Minnie Lee died in its 3rd year, but its replacement is now 2 years old and also vigorous. There is a very brief overlap in their flowering periods. Both trees start blooming in February. The Minnie Lee finished blooming in early March, while the Royal is just finishing end of April. The Minnie Lee was quite productive, the Royal Lee less so. Pity, because the Royal Lee produces better fruit. There is a new self-fertile low cherry called Royal Crimson which also serves as a pollinator whose bloom period reportedly spans Minnie Lee and Royal Lee. I drove to the Green Thumb nursery in Simi Valley to find them, but I bought and planted two Royal Crimsons last year. They are still practically twigs, but one of them actually bloomed and produced a single cherry.

Lilyfinch.....that is very good information and pictures. Thank you! Your Goldflame is beautiful, even if it did engulf Blossomtime :) I have a small arbor that's very similar to yours. Maybe two Autumn Sunsets and a Goldflame are too much for even that! One question for you: does your Goldflame suffer with powdery mildew? I am reading reports of this from others who've grown it smithdale....I'm so sorry you lost your dog. 19 1/2 years! What a long and wonderful life he had. and dog-reminiscences are never off topic:) Embothrium....I've never grown lonicera before...partly because I've heard how they can become unruly. If Lonicera periclymenum even more vigorous I'm in trouble because I just bought 3 periclymenum from Brushwood: Graham Thomas, Munster, and serotina Florida. I do have a relatively large property, thankfully. But I may have to rethink growing them on structures. What's the best way to grow them? pat_bamaz7....your experience with Autumn Sunset echoes what I've read: it's quite vigorous. If I do decide to grow the Goldflame with the Autumn Sunset, I'll just do one on each side. I originally planned to plant two Autumn Sunsets AND the Goldflame! oh dear...