Hi Rosefolly, I have been growning roses for more than a decade now in Eastern Ontario, home of the Canadian Explorer Roses. If you want foolproof cold climate roses, this is the place to trial them. As this is the Antique Roses Forum, I was initially hesitant to post about cold hardy roses for the harshest climates, but since Explorer Roses and Dr. Buck's roses have now been mentioned, I'll put in my two bits worth. I have not had a lot of luck with OGR's here in Eastern Canada. Most Bourbons and Portlands seem a bit tender here. The exceptions are Louise Odier, Comte de Chambord, Jacques Cartier, and Rose de Rescht if planted deep and own root. I have tried a few Albas and failed. Limited space has kept me from trialing the Gallicas, Centifoias, Mosses and other once blooming OGR's that I would like if I had room. However, with winter protection the list broadens a bit, particularly if you mulch a bit with straw and grow own root roses. Many David Austin Roses and Griffith Buck roses do very well here particullarly with some straw for protection. The really fool proof ones for me are: Buck; Prairie Harvest, Prairie Sunset, Quietness, Folksinger, Pearlie Mae and Hawkeye Belle. David Austin: Saint Cecilia, Mayflower, Evelyne, Charles Darwin, Crocus Rose, Mary Rose and her sports Redoute aand Winchester Cathedral, Cressida, Teasing Georgia, Alexandra Rose, Abraham Darby (protected sight), The Reeve, Lilian Austin, Radio Times. Climbing Roses are few and far between. The ones I can recomend are: Isabella Skinner (Victorian Memories), John Davis, Northern Encore, Polsterjarnin (Once Blooming), William Loeb (Once Blooming Moss), Morden Snow Beauty. Of course, all or the Morden and Explorer roses from Agriculture Canada are wonderful and hardy in the cold zones. Below is a link to the site of the Canadian Central Experimental Farm Garden in zone 4 Ontario. Both the heritage rose garden cultivars and the official Canadian Explorer Rose Garden. if you want to see what we grow up here with winter protection,lots of OGRs in the heritage Rose Garden,and the Explorer Rose Garden are listed. Enjoy and greatings form the "Great White North". Cheers, Rideau Rose Lad, aka Rick Cheers from the Here is a link that might be useful: Central Experimental Farm Gardens

Mine does not flop, but I prune it fairly hard, back to about 2.5 ft. or so, every winter, and take "more" rather than "less" each time I deadhead. This is a not-so-great photo I just took, but we are having an ultra-bright sunlight kind of day here and it's tough getting a decent exposure at the moment -- I will try to take another photo later, when the rose is all in shade. The bush is currently about 5.5 ft. tall and stays about this tidy and upright all season. Of course, this is zone 9b and waaaay different than your climates.... It is more or less a continuous bloomer here, with regular flushes and always a scattered flower or two.

Vaporvac, my soil is loamy clay and pretty good even before amendments. We don't have heavy clay, but we're pretty alkaline. Part of the difference between Ohio and here may be rainfall. We're in the dry central prairies, not as dry as the farther west desert areas of course, but we need to be diligent about making sure roses are well hydrated going into the winter. Dave you're a zone warmer than I am and not quite as dry, so I think YdA has a good shot with you. I'm surprised by the zone 4 rating too but it definitely hasn't held true for me. Still, there are plenty of roses I'm "supposed" to be able to grow that I can't, and fortunately plenty more that aren't "supposed" to grow for me that do fine. That's part of the fun in this challenge I think. Cynthia

@BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) - CdC rebloomed a little more for me than GJ, although GJ received a little less sun. I’m surprised that DA’s catalog and website say ”best for flowering” - I did get 3 flushes each season but the 2nd and 3rd were fairly meager. Both have an amazing fragrance but I did prefer GJ a bit over CdC. The blooms lasted about as long - 3-4 days? I received tiny GJ’s in 2 quart pots from DA last fall for my new garden and was able to order CdC to ship this spring - I think they’re both worth growing IMO.