Yes you have to plan on replacing the soil because it breaks down over time. If you live where it's hot in summer, putting the pot inside another larger pot helps to shade the roots. Don't let them go very dry in summer because this can make the roses stop blooming. Be sure to water well the day before you feed them. The fun about pots is being able to move them wherever you like. I use it to find the right planting locations sometimes and also when we have friends and family over, I move them around to add color. They don't mind being in the shade for a day if you put them back in the sun right away. During heatwaves, my potted roses hide under trees and in the shade of the house where they prefer it I'm sure.

That's quite interesting, Tracey! What size pot did you use? I would like to keep 2 ROS in foam pots on either side of my front entrance and keep them trimmed as "trees" to 5 feet max. The reason I want to keep them in pots is I would like to keep them in an out-of-the-way spot in the spring - until they leaf out - before putting them in the front yard. I don't know about winter care, though. I wonder if I could just sink the pots in the ground over the winter? They would have drainage holes. Also, I don't know how often I would need to change the soil in the pot. TIA all for any info!

Unfortunately, that width is probably going to limit you :-) The elevated nature of any above ground container exposes it to much colder temperatures than a plant would experience in the ground. Especially the roots, which are far more vulnerable to cold damage than the top growth with even very hardy plants. But the larger the soil mass around them, the greater the insulating factor, so with a large container in a moderately cold zone you can often get away with overwintering plants that would likely not survive in a smaller container. Pretty much any tree or shrub you may choose will easily produce roots that fill up that 10" width, resulting in a root system that will very likely come into contact with the planter walls and therefore be exposed to excessively cold air temperatures. And root damage (resulting in plant death) can occur at temperatures as mild as the mid 20's, depending on species. And you are looking at the possibility of below zero air temps in zone 6 :-(( You might be able to risk it with the selection of some hardy dwarf conifers but they tend to be expensive to use in what is essentially a hardiness experiment at best. I wouldn't recommend any flowering shrub or tree except perhaps something like alpine currant, as the root system will simply get too large too fast. Unless you are inclined to toss money away on this experiment, I'd stick to seasonal plants. You can always stick in cut willow stems or redtwig dogwood stems together with cut conifer greens and hollies if you want some winter interest.

I would presume part of it is merely marketing to generate sales and to pad the ever shrinking catalogue. I agree that the way they used to do it (which was simply stating "may be grown as a climber" makes more sense and is less confusing for the general rose buying public. Hopefully someone else with longer term experience may contribute, and the climate and microclimates in which you and other gardeners reside can make a huge difference, especially with the Austins. Other than the Knockout marketing tribe, I personally believe that there is no other group of roses (or nursery and its practices) that generate as intense differences of opinion as David Austin's "English roses". Several gardeners in places such as California experience them growing huge and rampantly often at the expense of producing good bloom/repeat bloom. Folks in places such as New York seem to appreciate their growth and floriferousness because the harsh winters and lesser sunlight limit their growth potential. Same for various diseases. For me, they do come down with black spot, but virtually everything does here to some degree, and they ARE more disease resistant than any typical gaunt wimpy hybrid teas here. May we inquire to your garden's general location? In letting us know, then you'll know whose opinions and experiences will most closely reflect your possible results. I have heard that Austin roses truly do take a good five years to settle in and perform well, but my one Lady Emma Hamilton on Dr. Huey seems to be dwindling here in the cold north after about seven years, The Ingenious Mr. Fairchild initially seemed to take off, but the winter of 2016-2017 was very hard on my roses and he sort of petered out, but we'll see how he does this year. My Gertrude Jekyll from 2016, and Munstead Wood and Lady of Shalott of 2017 actually are putting on size (slowly after over three years) and my Chianti on Dr. Huey seems to be taking off very well. I suppose patience would be a key word, and I don't always have enough of it! Steven