Thought about it some more, and decided that I really should only do one SDLM and one red rose, to leave some room for companions. Which red rose would you vote for, Francis Dubreuil/Barcelona or The Dark Lady?

Now I'm thinking that I will do (from one end to the other) Capitaine Dyel de Graville, Kronprinzessin Victoria, Belinda's Dream, red rose to be determined, and Souvenir de la Malmaison. What do you think?

(Gosh, I hope I'm not just talking to myself!)

I don't have the Capitaine, but do have the other roses you mention in your second post and think all should do well for you. SdlM has been my best bloomer of the bunch, but all its sports seem to be very worthy roses. I had The Dark Lady for a while and it did fabulously well for me even as a very young rose, except that in my alkaline decomposed granite it was bright red, not at all what I wanted. Frankly, it also has a somewhat modern look to it that I didn't really care for, but that's just a personal opinion. The blooms were large and fragrant, but I still don't miss it. With the other colors you're contemplating, I would definitely pick a red rose that is on the bluish-purplish side. Frankly, I would choose a purple or mauve rose of some kind rather than red, but again that's just me. I hope you'll get lots more input from others.

Ingrid

Ingrid, thanks for your feedback. I hope that I can someday have a garden as lovely as yours (I've pinned some of your garden photos for inspiration).

Thank you, meslg, I feel very honored! I have a photo file from this forum and other places and it really helps to clarify in one's mind what look it is that you really love. The choice of roses is so bewildering, but I found it helped me when I had decided on an overall color scheme, and what I wanted in each area (although of course you always find yourself deviating to some extent!).

Ingrid

I have Agaves with roses. A. ovatifolia is a good choice as it is not much of an offsetter.

Avoid A. americana, augustifolia, lophantha, and parryii as they offset like crazy and will invade the roses root space. Those Agaves classified as solitary will likely give an offset or two in garden conditions, but without being a pest.

Have you grown Artemesia Powis Castle in your climate or will it be new for you? Here it spreads like a weed. I love the silvery, airy look, but it's hard to keep under control. Maybe not as invasive in your area?

Hoovb, thanks for the confirmation that agave and roses are not a crazy combo. And especially thanks for the warning about A. parryi, since I was wondering about whether it would be a smarter choice, since A. ovatifolia can get so large. Sure smaller might be nice, but not with lots of offsets.

Pat, I don't recall my mom having problems with Powis Castle, and I've read that it does well here. Still, I think I'll do some more research before I assume that it is "tame" here (it's amazing to me how some rather reputable sources will neglect to mention the tendency for a plant to be invasive). Forewarned is forearmed! Thanks.

parryii is gorgeous, just keep it in a pot unless you have a space without roses for it, or are vigilent as to offsets. But skip the others.

Meslgh, you have chosen some lovely roses. I think you will be happy with them.

I hope you will select companion plants that have foliage in different sizes and shapes because a change from the sameness of rose foliage will only help to set off the roses (as you will be doing with the agave). Some beautiful dark canna foliage would do this as would a large alocasia, some iris, etc. And in our area, you don't have to dig up the canna or the alocasia in the fall. They'll be fine left in the ground. Just dig and divide them when you want more plants elsewhere or when someone asks for a start.

And for a change from just green, my beds that are bordered in lamb's ear look really good, and that plant does well here - you won't have to replant each spring any of the foliage plants I've mentioned. The canna with the most beautiful foliage (to me) is Black Velvet. I don't have a lot of it, but just enough to provide interest. Sometimes with the BV, when it is planted adjacent to roses of a certain color, I prune the flower off as if I were deadheading and leave the gorgeous leaves - they shade to different colors and look different in different light. I also love the very-dark, large burgundy leaves of Pink Futurity - it gets to nearly 3 feet here. I get doorbell ringers asking me what it is and where they can get some.

Sounds like you are already wanting to provide contrast with the agave and Powis Castle. I think PC is beautiful, but I have to cut back mine in mid-summer or it sprawls terribly and exposes the branches. Of course, the branches will be exposed when you cut them back, but then the plant will look good well into December. I've never experienced this particular artemesia spreading anywhere.

Also, don't forget that some vertical interest will help produce a well balanced and interesting composition. In some of my beds I have done this by pruning tall shrubs to tree-form (crape myrtle, rose of sharon (althea), Texas mountain laurel (sophora secundiflora, desert willow (chilopsis linearis), etc.) All of these do well in our area.

I hope you can use some of these ideas. Lou

I just can't resist commenting when it comes to companion plants and plans. You mentioned Russian Sage, Powis Castle, and dwarf buddleia as possibilities, but that they would probably be too large. If you find you have room for any of these, I'd go with one of the newer dwarf buddleias. Russian sage never stops growing, and in the photo I'll show, has just been removed from this flower bed because it was taking over and even squishing into the Purple Emperor buddleia (I have two of these and love them). The flower bed shown in late June is a work in progress with the little Easy Does It Rose just planted. This area is our "outback" with the bare dirt fire break bordering the beginning of a wild brushy gulley. To the left is more bare ugly dirt--the feeding grounds of dozens of quail and a few pheasant. They scratch and dust bathe there so please excuse the bare dirt. Anyway, there are several plants which might interest you in this humble bed--the Purple Emperor, and three kinds of penstemon--the tall magenta, Ruby Candle, the short pink called Pinacolada Red ( a terrible name--it's pink not red), and Pike's Peak Purple which is not showing in this pic. These are so easy care and have bloomed off and on all summer and fall. The tall ones fill out nicely as they age. The small rounded yellow plants are one my favorites. They are a short annual helenium, Dakota Gold, which is newer and hard to get, but seeds are available from Stokes in Canada. Dakota Gold is still blooming full throttle and totally care free. It reseeds, which I want, and has filled out the front of this bed. People really notice this one. Diane

Here is a close up of the Pinacolada Red penstemon. Diane

Great idea about the dwarf buddleias. I intend to try some of those myself. Thanks, Diane

Lou, thanks for the suggestions of companions. If I'm aiming for a sort of xeric bed, will canna and elephant ears work?

Diane, I had been researching whether Buddleia Purple Emperor was small enough for my bed; thanks for posting the picture. In the publicity, they show it as very dark purple; in your photo on my monitor it looks more lilac. What would you say? And how large does it get for you?

I love those glaucous colours, especially with deeper tones of burgundy and plum and might be tempted to try the terrific aeonium, Shwarztopf (sp?) and maybe a hard-stooled cotinus and the obvious, but no worse for that, sedum 'Matrona'....and as far as roses, the great foliage rose, R.glauca with those fabulous bronzed leaves. On the other hand, am not a fan of mixing glaucous foliage with golds or yellows (I cut the flowers off my Jackman's rue quicksmart and would do the same with senecio(brachyglottis?),and santolina)....also too much grey leafage can look a bit dull.

Since no one has chimed in I shall...in the Dark Lady vs. Barcelona contest, Barcelona wins hand down! Dark Lady is also pinkish here, lightly cerise...Barcelona is a rich, deep crimson with an incredible fragrance and incredible health. I keep mine out of the afternoon shade so there is concern about your placement...I like Barcelona so very much.
I think you've gotten some great opinions from the forum.
Here my Elephant Ears are perennial and really get big and spread. I would suggest getting the dwarf kind. Mine are huge and I've since pulled them out of the beds and use them as more of a hedge in a shady area.
Various types of Nepeta are nice too. And Cranesbills if they do well in Texas.
Susan

Mesigh, Purple Emperor is about 3 1/2 X 3 1/2 feet. It starts out a little smaller and then grows some during the season. It's best to cut PE to the ground, or nearly so, in late winter. This will produce a more compact, nicer looking shrub. I also learned over the years not to deadhead PE. It blooms as much and stays thicker with more even growth if it isn't deadheaded. The flower panicles are indeed much darker than my photo. I noticed this and can't figure out why this happened, but purples can sometimes photograph very oddly. Diane