Here is my story about Parade. Some years ago I bought a small one gallon Parade from Chamblees - dont think they carry it anymore. Due to the demands of nusing school, it stayed in that one gallon pot for a couple of years - it got watered but little else. Cant imagine why it didnt die. Finally, after graduation when I had some time, I planted it in the ground by a large arbor. Within days, it started growing - like Jack in the Beanstalk! I was amazed. Now, it is huge with thick, and yes, thorny, canes that are easily trained on my arbor. It is a wonderful bloomer with a beautiful fuschia color. I love it! It would be worth hunting it down - I just got an order in from Roses Unlimited - they send healthy plants ready to grow. Getting it in band form, it would probably be next year before you would see blooms. I checked, Chamblees doesnt list it. ARE sends beautiful plants, but if you didnt want to spend that much, sounds like RU would be your best bet. I love my Parade and know you would be happy with it. I moved Zephrine Drouhin from another home. After 3 years it put out a few blooms. When it died it was not mourned and not replaced. Parade is an older rose that should be used more - it is tough, a survivor, and blooms well. I do spray so cant comment on disease hardiness. Your money will be well spent with this rose! Judith

I hope some one from your zone answers. I know that a few folks in z5 prefer roses hybridized by Kordes (the hybridizer of the "Kordana" series), they seem to be more hardy for them. But, I don't know of any comparison between the Parade and the Kordana series. You might have to be the test garden!

Molie, So sorry about more rain: ( I wish you could come see my roses right now! My sister-in-law is suppsoed to come take some photos. If she does, I will post them. Most people are very shocked to know I do nothing besides pruning them. Once in a blue moon, I'll fertilize or put some compost on them, but that really is it. I used to spray horicultural oil,baking soda, and insecticidal soap, but I haven't in a few years now. I got the blackspot under control, and I haven't seen much of it since, only in the worst conditions like you are experiencing now. As far as bugs, I think I have a good little ecosystem going in my yard. I have tried to have some things blooming through out season, you know from spring blooming crocus to fall blooming Japanese anemones. It helps attract beneficial insects. I also put up bird feeders. I don't want to make it seem too simple, because it didn't happen overnight! I have seen all kinds of problems in the past, and I'm always just a little nervous that a catastrophe is waiting to happen, lol. Also, I only grow a few Hybrid Teas. They are definitely more high maintanance. The rest of my roses are shrubs and antiques. I do some careful planning of my rose purchases. I read many posts about people favorites and looked into those that seemed to stand out. If you like the look of Hybrid Teas, but want less maintance, look into Buck roses. Dr. Buck's most famous rose is 'Carefree Beauty', which is more shrub like, but many of his creations look more like Hybrid Teas. There are a few picture posts on the Antique Rose Forum Gallery. They may be a few pages back, but take a look. Remy

yes, in most cases some or even all worm species are introduced .... minimal truth, interpreted to suit the leanings of the misinformed .... "red wrigglers" [E Fetida] are not much found "in the wild", as they require much higher organic inputs than is normally found in the field, so using them in a composting setup has no effect on anything other than the waste you feed them, also they're "surface feeders", not deep diggers like nightcrawlers - there are over 3000 species of earthworms in the world, not likely they were all "introduced invaders" worms are found everywhere and not only DO NOT "use nutrients", but contribute to the sequestration of nutrients [including CO2] in a form that's MORE useful to plants - which is to say they convert decaying organic materials that may otherwise gas off nutrients [including CO2] into humic/mineral substances [heavily carbon based] that provide long lasting microbial food for later conversion by the microbes back into organic nutrients as the plants need/use them - my garden is extermely productive primarily brcause the growing medium is largely compost, worm castings, and worms one of the single biggest eco-problems caused by human agricultural practices is the profiligate littering of the environment with rotting organic materials, particularly nitrogenous ones [like food waste], which in turn pollute our surroundings with nitrates, nitrites, and carbon dioxide ... proper composting and vermicomposting captures those nutrients in a fairly stable form [humus] for recycling usefully in the soil system in some forested areas [mostly northern US], worms have had an effect on the regeneration patterns of vegetation, but I don't think it's been system-changing the way various invasive species of plants and weeds are, and the changes are mostly temporary I'd ask'em if they have any knowledge of composting and particularly, nutrient cycles, or of the nature and function of the humus fraction of soils .... worms are part of the web of life in the soil, and contrary to what those folks probably believe, redworms don't eat dirt and leaves, they eat primarily microbial decomposerss, they're "carnivorous omnivores" just like us about humus about soil nitrogen about soil and the biosphere carbon cycle Bill