I was just asking about that one for my midwestern garden on a couple of the other threads (Austins/roses for my zone) and got positive responses with respect to fragrance (at least moderate) and rebloom. There is a very pretty picture posted on one of those threads too. I'm also curious about the questions you raise, as I'd be putting it in full southern sun and would prefer it stay a solid apricot/orange and not fade too badly. BS isn't a huge problem for the ones I grow here, but always a plus if it is resistant.

'Polka' was not resistant to blackspot in my garden. Particularly, the new canes growing up through the plant would have nearly 100% of the new leaves infected just after they expanded. If a cane happened to grow out during a drought so that the leaves were able to mature, then these older leaves seemed to develop some resistance. At this time I was spraying sulfur every week, but it wasn't enough to keep the plant decently clothed.

Okey dokey, Michael. That does it for me, but Stlgal may still be interested.

Thank you sooo much. :))

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

Well, I'm not so worried about the BS, but am not sure if the color is intense enough not to bleach or if the rebloom is good enough.

Would you have any other recommendations for an intensely colored climber with OGR-like flowers (deep pink, deep apricot/orange, or red/mauve)? Needs to have good rebloom, fragrance and disease resistance and be >8feet

How about Portlandia? I love the color on this one but don't know anything else about it. I thought you'd recommended other Clements roses on my other Austin thread.

I don't know if anything fully meets your criteria, out could look at these recent climbers: Kordes Aloha (yellow, apricot, and pink), Laguna (deep pink), and Papi Delbard (yellow and salmon). All are considered resistant. I recently mentioned that Papi Delbard doesn't have much late repeat for me, and Hoov said the same of Laguna.

If you could use a bright coral, then Rosarium Uetersen. It is the ultimate traffic stopper.

I grew Polka for about eight years. Blackspot wasn't a horrific problem, but stem cankers were the deal killer. Even when we used dormant strength lime sulphur in winter and followed a pretty rigorous spray schedule through the growing season, the cankers would take hold of the canes and destry one and two year old canes.

I stil remember the blooms and they were just as pretty as the pictures. Phillips and Rix "The Quest for the Rose" book has an excellent picture of a Polka bush in full splender; it's a picture from California, of course.

Thanks for both of your comments. I don't spray or treat my roses, other than 1X in early summer with Bayers 3-in-1 to feed, quash any rainy-spring-related blackspot, and make the roses a bit less tasty to the japanese beetles when those arrive in late June, so it sounds like Polka will be a problem potentially from multiple angles.

I'll definitely look at the climbers you've recommended Michael--you may be right in that there's nothing that is truly *perfect* but a number that would probably do the trick.

Both Rosarium Uetersen and Laguna sound like they have much of what I was aiming for. Gorgeous! All things being equal, I think Laguna might be my choice based on color and the amazing pictures I've seen--the pictures of RU make it look rather on the pink side but from your description it sounds like it can also get a little brassy colored to coordinate with the antique roses!

Color of RU varies from a bright deep pink or medium red to bright salmon and coral red. It is an excellent rose but can be a clashy neighbor. I started a thread about it in July where Kim has a great picture.

Thanks again for the suggestion--looks like Pickering has Laguna, so now I'm ready to get my order together!

I see that there is a color sport of 'Aloha' now available from Edmunds. 'Lady Ashe' or something?

'Polka' was a stingy bloomer here, although when I did get a flower, once a year or so, it was truly gorgeous.

'Laguna' I think would be fabulous in a colder climate. I get the sense that a cold winter is what stimulates it to bloom. A colder winter than what I have. Be aware it's quite thorny, though. Also a very modern (screaming bright) color. Fragrant, and a surprisingly excellent cut flower as well. I was not expecting that.

Assuming 'Lady Ashe' is a sport of the 1949 'Aloha' rather than the new Kordes one, there is another apricot sport, 'Dixieland Linda,' which has fairly bright apricot and pink tones and nice old-fashioned form. The old 'Aloha' is disease-resistant in many gardens, a moderate grower with good repeat, and reported cane-hardy in southern Michigan. At times its spring flush is marred by vegetative centers/bullnoses. I wonder if these sports have the same weakness. Otherwise the old 'Aloha' is outstanding. I haven't grown 'Dixieland Linda' but have long been tempted.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dixieland Linda

Those are gorgeous too--apricot blends are my absolute favorite color! I'd already added a small image of Aloha to my garden map to try out the color various places--I'm going to add these two sports to the mix as well. For the spot I'm looking at I might go for Dixieland as it is a bit brighter toned. But it appears that I'll need to remove a hydrangea and some irises to make room for more roses next season as I've got way more on my 'must have' list than I have spots at present....

What about America? That one has gotten many awards and is in the same general color. I think I can make room for two of these in spring if I do a little reorganizing this weekend!

'America' is as susceptible to blackspot as the average hybrid tea, if I recall correctly. It is coral/vermillion, sort of like 'Fragrant Cloud.'

Thanks--I'll remove that one from consideration then. Having watched my neighbor baby hybrid teas, I'd prefer something more robust from a disease and winter hardiness perspective. Does Aloha have good fragrance and rebloom (in which case, presumably so would the sports)?

The 1949 'Aloha' usually has good old-rose fragrance and does repeat reliably. Flowers are long-stemmed and good for cutting. Habit is somewhat shrubby and upright.

Mine was resistant to blackspot for maybe 15 years, but it is moderately susceptible to at least one race of blackspot, if you happen to have that. The same is true of many roses that are widely reported to be resistant.

That sounds like a very good bet then--all three are very pretty. I think I can make a spot for one of them plus Laguna and a bunch of the other Austins/Clement Heirloom roses etc.

I'll have to see who carries them--I keep meaning to get this order together, but I'm still not sure exactly where everything is going and have to decide how many roses I can accommodate without going on a mad spring digging spree. If it is nice this weekend maybe I'll get organized for spring planting, prepare some fresh spots where the hydrangea & irises are taking up "valuable rose space" and get these orders put together.

We aren't too bad on BS much of the summer here when it is relatively dry, although if we get the tropical rain+humidity it can crop up. Many Austins show a few spots without spraying but it doesn't slow them down or defoliate them so I let it go. I have a few that get hit a bit harder in bad weather that I still put up with--Golden Celebration does BS, but I love her blooms and scent so I put up with her always having some BS.