Robert, I have Vanguard for about three years - bought it from Uncommon Rose when they were still operating. This is really unfortunate but all three years I happened to be abroad right around the time when it was supposed to bloom (spring). My rose never rebloomed for me yet.
The bush has grown to about 4'x4' with sturdy arching branches. I love the leaves of this rose - thick, glossy and of beautiful color. HMF has some really stunning pictures of the blooms, I hope next year to be here to finally see my rose blooming :)
I never sprayed my Vanguard, yet no BS or PM to speak of.

Thanks so much for this information. This is VERY helpful.

Robert

'Vanguard' in the PNW gets Rust rather badly, and Blackspots some. It rarely repeats, maybe a few scattered blooms in September........some years. It has excellent vigor and mine is 7 X 7 feet. Arching canes in a very Alba-like manner. It gets no pruning whatsoever, except to remove dead branches, and appears to be at its best when left to shape itself. The blooms are beautiful on day one and two, but shortly after that they turn an odd grey/peach that I find rather unattractive, and they stay that way for several days. I'm sure its a better plant in other climates. I wouldn't plant it again, in spite of being the only Rugosa hybrid in this color. There are other Rugosas I like much better.

Paul, thank you very much for your input. What are the rugosas you like better than Vanguard and would recommend?
Thanks in advance,
Marina

PS. Robert, sorry for hijacking your thread :O)

Marina, I'm glad you asked the question... I want to know too.

as a side... I've got a bunch of rugosas..the one I wanted to love the most Roseriae d'l'Hay, is not performing. It has gotten crown gall too. I wonder if I just got a bad one.

R

Robert, I grow a little over 20 different rugosas and my favorites are Ritausma/Pilareis (gracious porcelain-like blooms, beautiful foliage) and Mrs.Doreen Pike (charming crinkled blooms and lots of them).
Which ones are your best?

My Mrs. Doreen Pike

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Polareis
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The Hybrid Rugosas are a mixed bag. Often they don't look very Rugosa at all, or they have serious disease problems, especially with Rust and Blackspot. One of the worst I ever grew was 'Rose a Parfum de l'Hay', which was a tower of Rust from leaf out to leaf drop. It was unceremoniously escorted to the far corner of the farm and "shown the door".

'Linda Campbell' is an exceptional Hybrid Rugosa in my garden. Its a strong grower and once established, gets no Rust and very little Blackspot. Its not very Rugosa-like compared to some, but a very good shrub just the same. I'm very fond of the "pure" rugosas such as 'Delicata', 'Hansa', 'Souvenir de Philemon Cochet', 'Belle Poitvine', 'Roseraie de l'Hay' and 'Rugosa Magnifica'. The latter especially has become a great favorite. The species selection 'Scabrosa' is also a very fine variety if you like singles. None of the so-called "pure" Rugosa cultivars are particularly generous with repeat after the Spring flush, but the shrubs themselves are generally bullet proof and require little or no maintenance. In that regard, they are almost perfect plants.

My favorite rugosa is definitely Therese Bugnet. She may be my favorite rose of all. I also love Polareis, Sir Thomas Lipton, Moje Hammarburg, Frau Dagmar Hastrupp, Linda Campbell, Sarah van Fleet...the list goes on.

Robert

I miss the one they had at The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens it was about 7 to 8ft tall and needed a large stake for a loose support for the arching canes. The blooms are beautiful on day 1 and 2 the leaves are rather large and glossy and yes lots of blackspot here.

Robert, do you have Marie Bugnet? The progeny of Therese Bugnet? I wonder if Marie is as beautiful as her parent...
Marina

Marina, I do not have Marie Bugnet. Nothing could be as beautiful as Therese Bugnet...hehehehehe.

Marina, I am so glad to see you posting again.
I also have Polareis and love it, but it has almost no fragrance to my nose. For me fragrance is a must in rugosas.
RdlH is great for me, no disease and is huge and very fragrant. I have one rugosa that I can't identify, which is absolutely wonderful. Robert, if you are interested, I can send you a sucker in spring. i can post some pictures later. I planted your TB, thank you. I used to grow it before, but in very different climate. Love it.
Olga

Olga, I would most definitely love a sucker from the rugosa.

I am still trying to root for you some of my ?Orpheline de Juliet? from Pickering (I believe). It's a gorgeous, exceedingly healthy, gallica of rose pink...not the color I've seen pictured of the OdJ.

Robert