In my experience LH is not a rose for a hot climate. The petals are extremely thin and delicate, and there are not a whole lot of them. A cool-summer rose.

My Lady Hillingdon is going to be moved this winter because she is doing nothing in a fairly hot area. I think I would skip if I were you.

I'm surprised to hear LH doesn't do well in a hot climate, as it is highly recommended in Australia, but I've never grown it. Have you thought of Crepescule? I much prefer to see it grown as a shrub rose, rather than a climber. It makes a large weeping shrub, definitely wider than it is tall, and the new reddish growth combined with the older green growth gives it a tapestry effect. Plus which it is hardly ever not in flower.

Thought a photo would help, though it doesn't really do it justice.

Thanks Titian1 for the photo of Crepuscule as a bush. I purchased two this summer...one came as a band with two long canes. The other came as a 2G bush. I was wondering if I'd gotten two different roses. This is really pretty.
Susan

Kippy-the-hippy and hoovb, thank you for being candid. Your information is the extra I needed to skip Lady Hillingdon for my garden. Titian1, I find Crepuscule to be beautiful but had fear that it will become too large for the space. Four - five feet is about the height limit. Thank you for the image showing the color combination:)

Lynn

There are two forms of Lady H, one a shrub and the other a mannerly climber. I grow both, having fallen in love with it in England. Of all the teas this is one that is a bit hardier and can tolerate a slightly chillier climate than most. If there is a warm-colored rose I like even better, it is Crepuscule.

My own climate has lots of summer days in the 90's but most years only a few in the 100's, putting us a welcome notch away from full desert heat.

I would suspect that even if Lady H did well in a hotter climate -- and I do not know that it would not -- the sun would bleach the color out. Even in my own garden, all the yellow roses bleach several shades lighter, many all the way to cream. In your climate I would recommend getting a yellow that is deeper than you actually want to compensate for this, otherwise, something recommended as not fading in the hot sun.

Hi Rosefolly,

I absolutely agree. The rose has to maintain the yellow color, as it will be near white roses and cream would just defeat the purpose of my trying to make an impact with this color. This rose will also receive sun filtered through the canopy of a large tree for most of the day which could help...?? But what rose. Julia Child is gorgeous but I believe it will be too large. I have considered Molineaux but do not know how large it will become?

No. YOu don't want Lady Hillingdon for this. She might enjoy hot temperatures, but not your dry desert hot temps, I think. YOu can run this by Ingrid, but that's what I think.

Crepuscule will be too big for you.

Have you considered something like 'Julia Child'? I'm thinking, many of the older yellows were soft yellows, not infrequently fading out to a very pale color. OR, if they did not fade, the blooms just don't last long, in hot, dry weather.

I know my coastal conditions are very unlike yours, but we do get these fall periods when the temperatures rise, the humidity drops to single digits, and the wind blows. If a rose turns to potpourri HERE at such times, it's probably not what you want.

Lady Hillingdon (shrub) here is looking to be at least 6' x 6' and does pretty good in the heat (it's no Etoile de Lyon, but who is?). It blooms very frequently. I (one who does not hesitate to rogue out under-performers) am very pleased with this rose. I first planted it in a not-so-good spot where it did not thrive. Pulled it out and got a re-sprout which I planted in a decent spot where it has become a real beauty.

My neighbor's Julia Child (in a large pot) has nowhere near the same grace and elegance as Lady Hillingdon (admittedly, my aesthetic) -- it's a 3' clump of ho-hum flowers that fade in the sun and not in bloom as frequently as Lady Hillingdon. In any case, if you think Julia Child might be too big (if it weren't in a pot, who knows?), LH will definitely be too big.

I love the look of Duchesse D Auerstadt. It is perfect....except for the size of course... :(

Lynn

This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Thu, Oct 24, 13 at 0:12

I've grown Lady Hillingdon in two different garden, both of which are hot and dry, and she was a rather skimpy bush with fleeting flowers that turned pale. I'm much more fond of Cl. Lady Hillingdon, which is much sturdier and fuller, with lots of flowers that for some reason don't seem to turn quite as pale. Julia Child, while a good rose, did not charm me, probably because she just looked too modern. Many people love her and mine was certainly problem-free. Crepuscule would be much too large; it's really a chunky, spreading climber. There is another yellow to apricot tea rose but for the life of me I can't recall its name now.

Ingrid

I love my Julia Child Standard (solves that too big issue)

I have a Lady Hillingdon bush (it was mis-labeled as the climber). It is in partial shade (which is a good thing in my climate) and is pretty good in my climate. It was one of the first roses to bloom this fall after the summer heat. I would say it is worth trying in a desert climate but I would try to get the climber if you can find it (and you have room).

I have Duchesse D'Auerstadt and would recommend her for a hot desert climate. She is probably my healthiest, strongest tea noisette (well, except for the weed, Alister Stella Gray and I don't have Reve D'or). But then, I could whine forever about tea noisettes as I love love them but they are sooo difficult. I have Chromatella that has hung on for about 3 years and has never done much (but, I'm grateful it hasn't died!). It has never bloomed but I will probably never give up on it since I will faint when I finally see one of its supposedly exquisite blooms.

But, I am getting off the subject...

In previous post I got a little off the subject but I have found Etoile de Lyon to be very healthy in my climate and would recommend her. She might get too big for your spot but she is very healthy and blooms all the time. Lovely rose.

I re-measured the space.

Option #1: The space can accommodate a bush that is about 5' wide and tall, but about 3' around.

Option#2# There is a tree in my front yard that filters the sunlight. The tree trunk and main branches are growing in the normal manner creating a crown??? and then there is a major branch that extends away from the trunk toward the sidewalk. This tree branch is 70" high and extends over the area where the rose will be. I have seen rose canes wrapped around a trunk, but wrapped a major branch???

This has become soooo difficult.....

Lynn

jaspermplants,

How large is your Duchesse D'Auerstadt? My fear with Etoile de Lyon is that for all intents and purposes it will be cream for most of the year and this rose must truly be yellow or a soft yellow.

Lynn

Lynn -- I suspect that, in your climate, Etoile will indeed be cream.

Jeri

Lynn, must it be a rose? Given your growing conditions, I would be tempted to introduce the yellow into this planting scheme by means of a perennial instead of a rose. After all, a garden is healthier if you avoid monoculture. Two plants came to mind, one being Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow' and the other Eriogonum crocatum 'Saffron Buckwheat'. I'm sure there are many others.

Rosefolly

Lynn, Duchesse D'Auerstadt is a climber and is planted on a trellis. Not sure how long the canes are as I have it wrapped horizontally along the trellis. Not a huge out of control climber but big nonetheless.

My Etoile de Lyon is in partial sun and it seems like it is a soft yellow rather than cream. No blooms on it right now though and if I can find a picture I'll post it.

Here's a picture of my Molineaux from several years ago so you can get in idea of how big it gets here. It is a rose that does well in my climate and doesn't get too big.

Hi Rosefolly,

I have contemplated putting a large shrub like Mexican Sage, a cactus, succulent, or tall iris in the spot but the space is so wide, and thus I really did not know how it would look, and then I may need to address the water requirements of a say three to four iris plants versus one rose bush. The only yellow that I have seen that I think will not overpower the SDLM in the vicinity is a tea or soft yellow rose. The perennials I am familiar with are lemony yellow. I really like penstemon and they will grow here. Thank you for the suggestion, I will definitely look it up:)

Jaspermplants, your Molineaux is lovely and definitely would work in terms of height but the space is as wide as what it will accommodate in height. I would love to see your Etoile de Lyon. If you can locate and post the picture that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for the color info. We haven't be above the 80's consistently since some time toward the end of September and will likely be in the 60's maybe 70's for much of November. Like your area, it is the summer that is of concern, the rest of the year is basically a breeze.

I have been searching for three days to no avail and honestly am close to putting a large succulent or some kind of perennial in the area.

Lynn

This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Fri, Oct 25, 13 at 20:36

'Etoile de Lyon' is capable of becoming very large. Here is a photo of mine this year, beginning of "second flush", which is still going as it has never stopped blooming all summer -- and fall -- long (approx 8 years old, 6' tall x 10 - 12' wide, pruned back a few feet every year). It is yellow only when the blooms are shaded, or in the cooler parts of the year (now), or when blooms are brought into the house. Otherwise, it is a beautiful cream color. I don't see that conflicting with SDLM, personally. However, one should not underestimate the size.

{{gwi:284654}}

Thanks, Susan. All encouragement welcome!