Hi all,

I wanted to share how the roses I planted in my new garden have done. Karl was kind enough to send me instructions for embedding photos so I'll try to do that within the next couple of days. This spring I planted 2 Sally Holmes, The Fairy, Memorial Day, Angel Face, Rainbow and Sunny Knockouts. A large Bonica was already established here.

Sally has performed superbly. I absolutely love her! I have one on a trellis at the end of my driveway in a narrow bed near the dividing line of the next driveway. The other is in a difficult space, a very large, long planter with an embedded trellis which rests against the side of my garage (concrete, so I can't plant in ground there.) They've turned into big, lovely bloom machines in only one season, so I'm really excited for next year. They are so dainty and pretty in bud and bloom, too. Not a whit of blackspot, either.

The Fairy is another bloom machine but she got blackspot pretty badly in early August. It's odd, we had high humidity and a lot of rain in June and July but the blackspot didn't hit until about 3 weeks ago. I have always wanted a Fairy but her tiny wicked thorns seem reach out and get me every time I go near her, so she's a trickster fairy.

I complained here about Memorial Day in June because he was just sitting around not doing much of anything. In July when we had our heat wave with temps over 90 much of the month, he took off like crazy and is still now budding and blooming. And the fragrance!! So I take back what I said about him ;-) Apparently he is a heat lover. No blackspot at all.

Angel Face has been my bitter disappointment. I have a sentimental attachment to her since I grew her in So. Cal. - my daughter and I planted Angel together there when she was a small child, and I find the scent wonderful. She doesn't seem to like it here, though. Really bad blackspot, few flowers. I know she is a new planting so I'm going to give her some time. I didn't want to spray but I may have to reconsider that next year.

Rainbow Knockout is neither rainbow nor especially pretty. I planted it in a large pot (as I did with a few of the above to see how they would do before I put them in ground and while I mulled over garden placements), and I think I'm going to give him away. I wasn't impressed at all. Sunny Knockout, on the other hand, I do like. He's moderately fragrant and I like the impression of the several different shades of yellow as he progresses from bud to bloom to aging bloom. Sunny may earn a spot in ground.

Not sure what to say about Bonica. The shrub's about 25 years old, 7 feet high, and has been badly pruned and has many crossing canes and wild growth. It's bloomed prolifically and almost constantly, and on your advice this spring I only took out dead wood. I'll be asking for more pruning advice in March to get her under control. She also got the worst case of blackspot of any rose in the garden.

Blanche Neige, White Quill, Ice Follies, Grace Abounding, and Compassionate Friend are bands from Eurodesert that I potted up into gallon containers in June. All except Blanche are about 4 times the size they were when I got them! I'll be putting them in the ground in spring. Does anyone grow Blanche - is she just a slow starter?


I've been poring over catalogs and websites making some selections for next spring as I keep indulging this rose obsession. Not to try your patience, but input about how the following perform in this zone would be greatly appreciated:

Rosa Mundi and Rosa Gallica Officianalis (also asked about these in the Antique forum)

Gruss an Aachen (lt pink FL)

Molineaux (yellow Austin)

Jude the Obscure (Austin)

Julia Child (yellow FL)

Marie Pavie (white polyantha)(suggested to me by Karl)

Chrysler Imperial (redHT)- just a sentimental pick as my granfather grew it.

Climbing Night Owl (purple)- could this be trained to a pillar?

Are there any other suggestions for roses that are great performers here? I'm trying to stay with roses that don't have monstrous growth since my garden is rather diminutive.

Thanks for all your help and support!

-Maeve