For me--madly luscious, exquisitely quartered, other-worldly, silver-pink blooms covering a well-foliaged bush.

(Fragrance, health and bloom stamina are givens.)

Colleen

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Perfection. Can you imagine what the creator of this rose said to himself when he saw its first bloom?

That has to be Souvenir de la Malmaison, BCGirl.
And to answer your question, I'll bet he said "Whoo Hooo"!
SdlM is a winner for sure.

But my imaginary ideal rose would be the perfectly cupped, softly colored, warmly fragrant blooms of David Austin's 'Heritage' growing on the arching, super-healthy, lushly foliaged 'Nur Mahal'.

Randy

I love Cramoisi. My 2 yo bush reminds me of a teenaged boy, all gawky arms and big feet, not yet grown into himself.

But I sigh like a lovesick girl at the color and scent of its blooms.

I keep a harem, because I love them all.

Melissa

Actually is that rose 'SDLM' or 'Claire rose'? I can't seem to distinguish the two.

I also love roses that are heavily cupped with all those intertwine petals inside. For example, DA's cut flowers, 'Juliet'.

I'm a sucker for lilac pink, many-petalled roses such as Harlow Carr and Huntington's Souvenir d'un Ami. As for the bush, my Angel's Camp which is very dense and full, nothing gawky or awkward, that would be my ideal. But, I also love the arching, graceful form of a rose such as Mutabilis, ditto it's many colored single flowers. Gold roses are another great love, such as Lady Hillingdon, although she's so gawky for me. The climber is much superior, although I saw a picture on the forum recently of a bush Lady H. that made me green with envy. Overall the tea roses are my favorites but you didn't ask for a whole group so see the above. Oh, and how could I forget, lilac and purple roses of any kind, but especially the flowers of Wild Blue Yonder.

Ingrid

the bigger the bush the better. If it's a monster bush, and only has little pippy
Nondescript flowers, it doesn't seem to matter.

I like bushes that keep to a medium - large size with yearly pruning and stay dense, well-folated, and vase or round shaped the best. Minimal bare legs and minimal octopus top growth. Good looking bushes include Rose de Resht,Rosarie de la Hay, and Felicite Parmentier.

I love many different kinds of flowers types -- from the delicate singles to the quartered old garden rose, the cupped-shapped petal-packed Austins, and the simple damask rosette with or without a button eye. Fragrance is a must, especially an old-rose damask or alba scent.