Sherry, how neat! I'm happy they're behaving for you. I'd registered a golden sport of Julia's Rose many years ago. A rose friend from San Diego, named Julia, had to have it and signed her letter, "The REAL Golden Julia". She has two rather beautiful daughters. The 'dreaded little sister" had her rose, Kathleen. The elder daughter wanted one and since mom is a charter member (along with me) of the HOM, Hooked on Mauves, I offered her my purple poly seedling to test. She and her daughter loved the rose. The daughter's name? Why, the same as my middle name, Lauren. So, both beautiful young ladies have "their" roses. My family name Lauren/Laurie/Lawrence is represented and the lovely seedling has a life! Thank you! Kim

I seem to remember Sherri in Florida also got rid of her Rosette Delizy. Mine is growing really well and is about five feet tall and blooming even now in the heat. It makes me wonder whether they prefer a drier environment. The humidity is 15% today which sounds a lot better than 100%. I truly don't know how you can stand it. I hope your Duquesa does well, it's such a beautiful rose. Good luck with all of them! Ingrid

"Thomasville Old Gold" is at the bottom of my list of potted Teas alphabetically, but is near the top when it comes to vigor and growth so far. This came as a band from Long Ago Roses. Now onto the Chinas. I got a bunch this year. Some went in the ground, and they're doing well so far. In the bed with the aforementioned 'Napoleon' I planted 'Louis Philippe', 'Rival de Paestum', "Dutch Fork China", 'Ducher', and 'Cramoisi Superieur'. I already had "Grandmother's Hat" and 'Perle d'Or' in there, so with this year's Chinas, that area is "done with roses". In my little front yard, Chinas which went in this year are 'Arethusa', Comtesse du Cayla', and if you think of it as one, "Huilito". But this is about the ones destined to remain container plants. "Boone Hall China" is a "mystery" rose without a page on HelpMeFind, probably a seedling or close relative of the 'Louis Philippe' and 'Cramoisi Superieur' clan. It's a cute little thing so far, with cherry-scented blooms that hang down. Unfortunately, it's the only one of my potted Chinas and Teas which seems to be showing some mildew, but only a touch, and only recently. This came as a band from Angel Gardens. "Ferndale Red China" is another "mystery" rose I'm giving a shot here. It recently sent a new thick shoot, which grew rapidly and is terminating in a small candelabra. On HelpMeFind, bloom pics seemed so variable that I wondered if they were all the same rose. As I watch this one flowering on and off, I see how they really vary with the weather. This one came as a 1-gal from Rose Petals Nursery. I'm really looking forward to a barrel filled with 'Miss Lowe's Variety', and its rapid growth so far with me makes me think that it will accomplish this by the end of next year. This one came as a band from Rogue Valley Roses. I almost didn't want to admit that I planned to try 'Mutabilis' in a barrel here, being as it's so often touted as becoming a monster. Well, I'm going to see how it deals with one hard pruning in Spring, then letting it grow as it wishes the rest of the season. I have to do it anyway for Winter damage for my few other Chinas and Teas planted in the ground previously, and they rebound. Right now, this rose is a bit lopsided. When repotting it, I accidentally snapped one of its smaller stems, and it doesn't seem to want to grow back. But the other side took off. So here in my neck of the woods, the growing season is just what the Chinas and Teas seem to like for encouraging growth. The ones still in pots are in my "magic mix" -- three parts peat moss, one part Bovung dehydrated manure, one part vermiculite, and one part perlite, with 1/2 cup Garden Tone per gallon of mix, and a mulch of used coffee grounds. They get almost all-day sun, and frequent water. Those in the ground started off the same way. Give them heat, food, and water, and the Chinas and Teas will respond with lots of growth. And this is what I need here, since my Winters will take some of that away -- three steps forward, two steps back, every year. Those I'm keeping potted will go into either my garage or my unheated enclosed back porch for Winter, but I still expect to have to remove damage in Spring. They may never get as big and glorious as they do in California, but I'm thinking they'll work somewhat like Buddleia here -- they need one hard pruning in Spring to remove damage, but then let them go wild for the rest of the season. That they bloom for me all through the heat of Summer -- as long as they get food and water -- makes them worth it. :-) ~Christopher

mudpie, hooked and baited! Dingo, I can't speak to zone 5, but "PC" is classed as an HP, and I would count on it being pretty cold-hardy. Dark purple aging darker is certainly an appealing description... There's a member garden in 6a (KS) where someone is (or was) growing "PC". Perhaps you could contact 'Greenman' for pointers? summersrhythm, I think you already know more than most of us what zone-pushing is all about. Those are lovely roses, and I hope you can give them a warm welcome in 6a... Virginia