Almost any of the mad gallicas. Alas, they would expire in the heat of my summer and wait endlessly for a suitably chilly winter. Charles de Mills would probably be my first choice, at least in my dreams.

Ingrid

Belle Isis

(with Madame Hardy in close second)

I'm in that happy zone where I can grow both once-blooming roses that require chill time, and warm climate Teas and Chinas. The latter did get badly frozen back last winter, which was a mighty cold one. The soil is terribly compact and the winds howl, so that we plant trees and hedge after hedge, but they take their time growing.
There's not that much I long for and can't have. Rugosas don't like our conditions, but I can live without Rugosas. (Though 'Thérèse Bugnet' DOES grow nicely and right now is a most magnificent range of flaming to vinous reds, in our garden where it's so hard to get decent fall color.) We don't have any trees to use as supports for climbers and ramblers. I've tried R. laevigata twice, admittedly with tiny plants, and lost it both times: I suspect it needs looser soil than we have and a fair amount of moisture. R. clinophylla sounds interestings, and as though it will have to wait. All in all, though, I'm a lucky rose gardener.
Melissa

Any yellow noisette. I had Gloire de Dijon for a few years but it never grew tall.

My most impossible rose is Radiance, only because I can't get it. I was very near once when I friend with connections promised me a plant from the Gothenburg rosarium but the rosarium plants died before I could have one.

For me it is mostly moderns bred by some half amateurs - usually I see them in some public garden and nobody sells them. Bummer.

Every enormous once-blooming rambler growing at Roseraie de l'Haÿ that I don't already grow. And mariannese's yellow noisettes. I manage Crepuscule and William Allen Richardson but the rest never grow larger than about 6 inches before tennies up.

Maggie. She's supposedly grown here successfully, and I probably did not give her enough time, being ignorant of long-caned bourbons at the time, but oh, her fragrance and color and gorgeous flower form thrilled my soul. And now I have no room - unless someone moves out.

Oh, and Perle d'Or. I miss her.

Sherry

For me it would be any of the fabulous climbers or ramblers that wouldn't survive here or would suffer extensive die-back.

If I lived in a warmer climate I'd have a brick house and have climbers all over the walls (like Jon). I'd also have roses climbing into trees. I'd also have more space for gardening.

I'd have climbing Cecile Brunner, Alberic Barbier, Rambling Rector, and Lady Hillingdon.

Speaking of yellow noisettes I'd love to have Marechal Niel on Fortuniana roots. I've grown it before and the beauty of the rose and the scent is to 'die' for, so to speak, but I didn't have it in a good place and it slowly passed away.

I always appreciated it, but didn't realize what a treasure it was until it was gone. Chamblees offers it, but is sold out this year. Also read where someone bought it three times before he got one going good.

Roses do much better for me on Fortuniana root stock anyway. I read somewhere on here that Malcome Manners offers it grafted on Fortuniana roots, along with other roses, at a rose seminar in Florida sometime this fall, but I'm a long way from Florida :-(

I came across a neat reference to Marechal Niel written in the late 1800s in the book "Cosmic Consciousness". If anyone would like to read it I'll try to find it in my book.

Zephirine Drouhin. Got no place for a climber.

Ah, Marechal Niel, that's one noisette I don't even dare to think of. It was always grown in greenhouses in Sweden, at some of the old manors that had garden boys sleeping in the greenhouse, taking turns to watch the furnace all night. I'd like to see this rose once in real life, Niphetos too.

My Marechal Niel is driving me crazy. I bought it last year from Chamblees and have hovered over it all summer (I'm in hot Phoenix area), watering it and pampering it and worrying about it. It's now down to one pitiful bare cane and seems to be trying to leaf out. It's not dead yet, that's the most I can say. I don't think it'll make it but it's certainly not because I haven't tried to keep it alive. If I put that much effort into my other roses I'd be dead from exhaustion.

But, I still have a small hope that it's make it... (so it continues to torture me).

I'd love to have room for Mons. Tillier, Rose Delizy, LePactole, Baronne Henriette de Snoy, William R. Smith and many other teas that get big. I'd also love to grow some Noisettes that I can't for the same reason--I've always wanted Lamarque. Mrs. Woods' Lavender-Pink Noisette makes my mouth water.

Most of the time when I see a rose bloom that really catches my eye, it's on a climber.

I'd also love to get my hands on a modern Tea, Sweet Passion--the name reminds me of my wife, whom I adore. I love the pictures on HMF but it's just not available anywhere. *sighs*

Sorry to have such a long list. I need some acreage.

The 1st rose I felt I had to have but, it was just out of reach was Veilchenblau. I also would love Maman Cochet or any other tea or all the teas. Mostly I would love a large flowered climber. I don't even know which one; I don't dare look.
Kitty

Mermaid sounds wonderful to me. Nice yellow, fragrant, continuous bloomer, single most of which I like, etc.But too big and too tender. Boo hooh!

I have a hankering to try the Noisettes, but alas, haven't bothered to try here in 5B. Soliel de Orr (sp?) is another rose I'd like to have and tried, but lost.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Musings

"Long John Silver" is what it was once named, from vintagegardens. I actually lost sleep for two weeks over that rose afer seeing it at the vintagegardens home garden. Large in every way, c. 30 feet tall, with, huge white rose blossoms in glorious profusion, the only white non-remontant roses I feel could match it in beauty are among the Alba roses. Foliage is glorious semi-glossy green.
If only I owned an estate for that rose, I would grow it at the entrance so all could see him.

Lux.

It is Quietness contemporary, as it is sold only in USA and nobody ships it to Europe. But if somebody helped me, I could send him roses available only in Europe :) Jana

Roseville Noisette

It's a shame, but I don't think it's carried by any nursery.

I'm getting the shrub form of Aimée Vibert in the meantime. But I really want Roseville Noisette!

Jana,
It sounds like you need to find a nurseryman who imports roses and convince him(her) that 'Quietness' needs to arrive in Europe. I did take a look at Helpmefind to see if they listed a European vendor for this rose, and you're right, there wasn't one. Mailing roses without sending them through an agricultural inspection is illegal, of course. The thought that bothers me is accidentally introducing Rose Rosette Disease to Europe: now that's a petrifying idea. Good luck in finding your rose!
Like Mariannese, I've hankered after the 'Radiance' clan for some years. At least now the Hooks at Roseraie du Désert have introduced some of the U.S.-bred Poly-poms over here, and I can rejoice in the presence of 'Lady Ann Kidwell' in the garden.
Melissa

Hi Melissa, I've already gone through legal aspects of importing roses from non-EU country to EU and yes, it is not easy, but not impossible, so I can say I have some experience with this and I would do this only legally. Jana

Jana,
That is good to hear. Paul Zimmerman of the U.S., who used to have Ashdown Roses, has talked about setting up a business of importing roses for individuals, U.S. to European Union, possibly through Bierkreek in the Netherlands. You might get in touch with him.
Melissa

I'm with Ingrid. I would love to grow the gallica 'Charles de Mills'.
I've been tempted to try it.
But in my warm climate, I know it would be foolish.

Randy

Charles de Mills flourishes in my Zone 9 gardens. I'm surprised it can't handle Zone 8.