I ordered three GCs a couple weeks ago and can't wait to get them in the ground. I've been growing a few other Austins here in Michigan. Jude the Obscure, Pat Austin, Bishop's Castle, and William Shakespeare 2000. I'm quite a novice, but have had success in Michigan planting bare root with either Austin's Rootgrow that contains mycorrhizal fungi or Espoma's Bio-tone® Starter Plus which is an all natural plant food enhanced with biostimulants, beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae. These must be in direct contact with the root to maximize effectiveness at planting. So planting bare root is a great way to go when using this approach. The theory is the fungi tap back into the soil to draw massive quantities of minerals and nutrients, mainly phosphorus, which a Rose desperately requires to bloom. I follow a regular schedule of Bayer All-in-One (3x per season), Rose Tone(3x per season), and Alaska® Fish Emulsion(4x per year). I know I contradict my otherwise organic approach by using the All-in-One, but I'm not a sprayer kind of guy. Someone told me that the Mycorrhizae improve plant growth and help the root system be more resistant to soil borne diseases. The roots give the Mycorrhizae sugars in exchange. They supposedly help improve performance for less-than-perfect soil, watering, and fertilizing. Again, I'm a novice. Very much so, but so far, this has worked for me.

@constant gardener - I know what your talking about, some of my roses only have a couple flushes. It's our shorter growing season to blame for most. I'm experimenting with 40 individual roses right now. The ones that don't bloom much after a few years of establishment will be replaced. The austins I have so far have grown well & bloomed continously. Except abraham darby - hoping to see that change this year. I find shrub roses tend to have at least a bloom or two at all times; compared to hybrid teas & floribundas. I also make note of the roses that are talked about postively on this forum. They tend to be good overall. I value the opinion of rose lovers versus a random garden centre employee.

@easysqueezy Wow 4-5 flushes? I'd love to have that many! San Francisco is zone 10, which is 3 zones warmer than me here in zone 7. That's actually a good thing because yours will probably want to be taller than normal, which is what happens here. When you winter prune all the way back, how far back do you go? I did 6in this year. Is that too much? (photo attached) Inbetween flushes do you prune all the way back too? Sorry for all the questions. I'd really like to make this work in a pot haha.

This thread is so helpful for new rose growers like me. Everyone's photos are so beautiful, and it's great to see so many in one thread to compare colors and growth habits. @ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9 Ingrid, that last photo you posted of your Cottage Rose from afar has to be one of my favorite photos I've ever seen of a rose. It looks like a painting. The way you have all the different plant types around her, with the textures and colors is really something....and then the mist in the air only adds to the magic and makes your Cottage Rose really shine. Beautiful! Inspiring me to try some roses out in the open on my property with my trees and different plants. I love tall, slender evergreen cyprus type plants, and yours looks great contrasted with the rose and other plantings. @Ann9BNCalif Ann, curious how your Anne Boleyn rose is doing. I've been eyeing her but can't seem to find many pictures of her growth habit after some years in the ground. Does she do well for you? Thanks to everyone who posted, inspiring me to hopefully have some great roses over the next few years.