1. Heritage is a continuous bloomer, Abe takes a rest in mid season. 2. They are equally fragrant, but their fragrance are different 3. Heritage's flowers last 2 days at the most, Abe's twice as long. 4. Flower forms are different - it's a matter of taste. Abe's are much bigger (the largest I have ever measured was 6 1/2 inches across), but Heritage bears large clusters. Abe's flowers are more informal, with slightly wavy petals, Heritage flowrs are uniformly cup shaped, neatly arranged. 5. I have the two side by side, and Heritage does not get black spot in our garden, whereas Abe does - there is about a 50% foliage afflicted at the peak of the black spot season. 6. Both are vigorous growers - they reach up to 6 feet, and likel will get taller without pruning. Heritage is a narrower bush than Abe, which tends to sprawl more. 7. Heritage holds it's blooms upright (it's one of the few DA's that do not have flowers that bow!), whereas Abe's flowers do droop (I think because the flowers are so big and heavy). 8. Heritage has relatively few thorns, whereas Abe has quite fearsome thorns. They are hook shaped - all the better to grab your skin! 9. Abe has great hips (not the human kind). In conclusion, there is no choice between the two - you need both. And why not? I thought Olga has the best picture of a big bush of Abe?

Thank you everyone. bodica - today seems a bit calmer but they are expecting more winds later in the week. you know the funny thing is we keep running into Ladybugs everywhere. We were at the beach this weekend and there were Ladybugs all over the sand! My little one's kept picking them up and putting them on the plants around so they would not get swept away - these were nice big fat ladybugs too! Then my daughter said that they have ladybugs in their play ground and that the kids were playing with them, she was trying to get them to leave the ladybugs alone "cos they are good for our plants" - lol - she's a good gardener that one - and only 5. I also spot a lot of them on our walks at the park - but they don't really seem to make it out here in the numbers that we find else where - bummer! Thanks Carla & Judy. Judy I have a love hate relationship with this rose like Kathy. It's been quite small for me for the past 3 years, but the blooms are so stunning that I keep it, I am hoping it will do better this year. Kathy - I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same way about him. We'll see how he does this year. I might try and get him own root and see if it does better. Leslie - he's a big nodder, the blooms are so huge that his skinny neck can't hold up :o) - I just hate aphids! We got two bags of Ladybugs, some stayed and some left - oh well, that's how it goes! Jean - ouch, that sounds horrible! Don't you just take it so personally when things start attacking your roses? I do get so worked up over that and curse and cuss at the critters! lol DH thinks I've lost my mind. He's most probably correct! April, you should give it a chance. I think he takes a while to settle. The blooms are just so beautiful that I forgive him most transgressions. My main problem is that he does not repeat as well and that basically for the past 3 years has grown maybe 1 inch with no new shoots. We are hoping for some progress this year. Pauline - thank you. I can't imagine having to wait that long for blooms. But your garden is such a dream that I think it's well worth the wait. Wendy - sure come on over :o) Thanks Karima. You will love this rose. Aprille

I would call David Austin roses in Tyler Texas and ask them if these two roses are recommended in your climate. They have a list for every state it seems and the are super helpful. In my opinion both of these are excellent. But my climate is very different from yours. These are both heat loving roses (or they wouldn't grow well for me) so they may not like colder areas, but some roses do well in both hotter and cooler climates so you never know. I know AD gets black spot for many people, and it does for me too, but this is one of DA's most popular roses and it didn't to be this famous for no reason :)

Haha! Titian - I really laughed at the description of your "feral" hollyhock! I could just picture it in my mind!! Do you have a photo? I'd love to see it! Yes, my hollyhocks have been a LOT of bother too. As I said, they've had rust and spider mites and white flies and every-other-pest-in-the-garden... the lower leaves turn yucky & yellow and fall off, leaving bare knees... and the individual flowers only really last a day... but still, I really love them. :-) I've cut down all the big "first" stalks now as I read online that this will encourage new - shorter - stalks to grow from the base and that seems to be working. So hopefully I'll get another crop of flowers before the summer is over. Do you know if they'll flower again next year? Should I leave them in the ground or dig them up and start again with new seedlings for next year? I know normally, they're biennials so you leave them the first year - but mine have all flowered now in their first year so I don't know if that means they're finished? Oh, I'd LOVE to try and teas and other OGR's but sadly, I think I'm already running out of garden space. At least, of the prime spots for roses... I really only have a tiny garden, with very narrow beds. . Kristine - thank you for the compliment! :-) I'm sad to report that I had a look at my Abraham Darby yesterday and oh dear - he DOES have some blackspot on the lower leaves!! :-( It's only very little and the overall bush is still very green & healthy and he's blooming again... but it's a bit ominous that he's doing this in hot, dry, summer weather. So it seems everybody is right about his disease susceptibility. Just thought I'd let you know so you're prepared - I hope he does well for you, though! ~ HY