I'd like to put in a good word for Tradescant. Not sure if I can say it's my favorite, but I wouldn't be without it. I can't seem to figure out how to post pics, but I know Patrick (my enabler on that one) has some incredible pics of it that might be nice to add to this thread. General Jacqueminot might actually be my fave - at any rate, every time I see it I say that. Trouble is, it is very prone to BS. But, oh, the perfection of color (whitish-bluish blush backing) and nodding, full blooms... Celeste - love your pic of General Washington. It has long been on my wish list, but I have hesitated to get it, since so many HPs have disease problems and (to me) awkward plant habits. Is it a lot of trouble?... Souv. du Dr. Jamain is the second most remarked upon rose in my garden the first being Jude the Obscure). Smoldering, saturated, and trouble-free. I call it my Dr. Huey substitute. Am I the only one who actually really likes the old doctor? They are in bloom all around town right now, and I can't go anywhere in the car without taking long detours just to see them all. I know they'll look like hell in a few weeks, after bloom, but gosh, so will some of my HPs! :) Call me a simpleton, but Dr. Huey was actually the rose responsible for my interest in old roses. Since childhood I loved that mysterious, arching old rose that graced so many of the older houses around here. If I could only have one, I thought... Well, when I grew up and moved back to my small hometown, I went searching on the web for that old thing. Couldn't find it anywhere. But, I found lots of other gorgeous, smelly old roses and lovely specialty nurseries and this wonderful, helpful forum. And it was here that I finally learned the identity of my first rose obsession. And nobody likes it. Why? I still don't have one (nearly acquired one a couple of weeks ago, but that's another long story...), but sometimes when I drive about town, looking at all the spectacular Dr. Hueys, I think just for a moment that maybe my grand, elaborate rose show is still not the equal of a single mature specimen of the reviled old doctor. Am I just crazy? Over-romanticizing my first rose love? Or are there others who appreciate this rose too? With humble pleas for tolerance of my heretical views, robiniaquest (or should it be Dr. Hueyquest?)

I agree that you should contact Dr. Manners. Also, my 2 cents worth: Saturated true red, classic romantic rose form climber that does VERY well for me here in SW Fla z10 - Don Juan on Fortuniana rootstock. Covered with big fat blooms, even now when it is near 90 F everyday. They are large enough for cut flower displays and fragrant. It's important to get DJ on Fortuniana. Occasionally, you can find DJ on Fort at Home Depot, of all places. Just make sure that it has a tag on the pot that says Fortuniana. If possible, choose a spot that gets full sun in the Winter and partial shade in the Summer. Roses seem to do better here if planted very close to a building, like under the eaves. I'm not sure why - extra shade, extra water, maybe? Maybe it's the "head in the sun, feet in the shade" thing that they like. I dig big holes, put down rotted mulch, rotted cow manure, peat, maybe some bone meal and Epsom salts. I make sure that there is a watering well (a raised dam) all the way around the bushes' root zones. In Florida, it's important to only plant a grafted rose as deep as it was in the pot. Planting too deep will cause the stem to rot. Watering only in the morning cuts down on blackspot problems. I don't spray my roses EVER, and Don Juan looks great. If you don't want a climber, there are probably some true red tea roses that will do on their own roots, and may be bushes, not climbers. I'm sure that Dr. Manners can suggest some. Also, if you would like a white rose, John Paul II is THE best performing grafted rose in my garden. Best Wishes, Avalon

You know, there is a garden company here called "High Country Gardens", and even though you probably can't order from them, you can go to their website and check out their plant list. The reason I recommend them is because they are located in the desert, and for that reason they carry mostly xeriscapic plants (mostly perennials, also shrubs and some trees). I don't live in the desert, and I am still a fan of many of the plants they carry. Perhaps when you find plants you like on the site, you can seek them out where you live. One thing I like about them is that they specify which plants are especially drought resistent. Sometimes, there are plants that I didn't think could be xeric (like Iris pallida variegata). Don't let the term xeric scare you, as they have MANY plants that would blend beautifully into a cottage garden. My favorites: Gaura Perovskia Echinacea Salvias Agastaches Lamb's Ears Dianthus LAVENDER Iris pallida variegata Desert Willow tree Bush Sunflowers and others... Hope this helps!

There are a lot of good determinates that would fit your bill. The above recommendations are great and I would consider these for containers also: Patio, Dona, Jaune Flamme', Zhefen Short, Siletz, Prairie Fire, Early Wonder, Lime Green Salad. But I'll tell ya. I wouldn't expect much from one gallon containers. Better off with the minis recommended above. For full size toms Sioux is a productive performer and doesn't take a lot of space. I also really like Cherokee Purple or Paul Robeson, and Aunt Ruby's German Green, responds well to pruning. This is another consideration. You could grow several indeterminates in pots which would otherwise be large plants if you didn't prune them to one main stem. With this method you can really boost your yield for the same amount of soil even though yield per plant will be reduced. The trick is lots of plants. Instead of one plant in a 25 gallon pot, grow 5 plants in separate 5 gallon pots and train each to one main stem. Fruit tend to be bigger too. This assumes you can give each plant its own 5 gallon pot and a stake. The productivity will be shorter lived also.