I don't think deer would leave any roses alone, but this rose might be vigorous enough to endure their attentions and still survive, provided it had been protected while getting established. Absolutely wonderful fragrance. As for the Japanese beetles, well, they actually like all roses, but they do indeed seem to have a special taste for rugosas. Again, this rose is so vigorous that it would probably survive if protected while still small. I do not grow it here in California where I live. This is not great rugosa country. But I grew up in Pennsylvania (zone 5) and my father grew them, which is where I learned to love them. Rosefolly

Rugosa Roses need mostly sunshine in the day. They require little else except good drainage. They don't need to be sprayed (in fact don't like to be) and you can prune them back anytime. Our Rose Society does not recommend pruning this type of rose back to the ground, but you can if you need to it won't kill the bush. They mostly grown between 4-10 ft high. Some can be used as climbers. They can have invasive offshoots if they are not taken out. They are not like the multiflora that are very invasive and sprout up everywhere. Rugosa can be a very good rose for people who want shrubs that bloom all the time with no extra work.Keep them in the sun and they should be fine. There are several varieties that stay about 4-5 ft tall. I have about 15 Rugosa bushes and they make a great hedge for me. They smell is wonderful as I walk down my driveway.

Sign me up for the rugosa fan club! I bought 3 rugosas from Pickering this year--Polareis, Wild Edric, and Mme Georges Bruant. Polareis and Wild Edric are giving every indication of being garden thugs they are so vigorous. I planted them deep and am hoping they will sucker. All 3 plants have simply lovely foliage. Polareis is budding up and will soon be in bloom. Mme Georges Bruant is a bit of a slow starter, with a tea parent I was expecting that here. I have another rugosa that I got from Eurodesert last summer as a tiny band that had lost its id. I picked it because the foliage was so appealing. It is about to bloom for the first time, and I can't wait to see what color it is. Cliff had some gorgeous rugosas, and it is going to be fun to see which one I got. After the good performance of the Pickering rugosas this year (and the wonderful Rugosa Magnifica I've had for years), I decided I wanted more. Wild Edric is such a nice plant I thought to check out additional rugosas bred by David Austin. Settled on 2--Mrs. Doreen Pike and Snowdon as their pictures on HMF look beautiful and even their parents are pretty roses that I like. Only problem was where to find them in stock. I knew Heirloom had Mrs. Doreen Pike, but the website showed they were out of stock, and Snowdon was listed in one of their old catalogs I had but no mention on the website. So I called and asked. Seems they had a small number of Mrs. Doreen Pike, though not enough to indicate in stock on the website, and they also had some Snowdons. I ordered them last week and both came this week as bands. Both are potted up into gallon pots. Next year I'm planning on getting Agnes, the result of a cross between 2 of my favs--R. foetida Persiana (blooming like a crazy thing in my garden right now) and R. rugosa (possibly alba, one of the stars I saw at Eurodesert last year with a simply divine and unique fragrance). Melissa

Yes it is normal, for just about all rugosas once they get established. That is why I came to the conclusion that rugosas (unless grafted) don't belong in a "garden", they belong as a hedge or in an area they can grow wild like the seashore. I fought several rugosas for a few years in my client's garden, constantly digging up suckers that wanted to take over the garden. I had enough and dug up all but one mother plant (due to sentimental reasons on her part, otherwise I would have gotten rid of all of them). In the areas I thought I had thoroughly dug up the rugosas, there are shoots sprouting from what must have been roots left in the ground. So I am still working on it. Yes you can dig up the suckers and transplant them, but they get quite a shock from it and aren't happy at all for a while (if they don't die). What I try to do is sever them from the main plant by slicing a sharp spade into the ground, then leave them be where they are for a few weeks or even a year, then transplant them where you want them after they have grown enough of their own roots. Alternatively you can dig them up and pot them up, place in a shady place and keep them well-watered for a few weeks to lessen the shock before transplanting to their new home.