It will never be much of a climber here in zone 4 because it dies back to almost the ground each winter. It also isn't terribly healthy if you don't spray. I keep threatening to get rid of it every spring when I have to prune it down to a couple of inches of live cane, and at the end of the summer when its leaves are blackspot-ridden. But the deep purple color is amazing, so it is still in my garden. I have moved it a couple of times, hoping a new site will encourage better health, but it just doesn't amount to much. I do so love the intensity of the purple blooms, which in my soil are so dark they approach black-purple. (I have seen it grown elsewhere and the blooms were reddish-purple). I'm hoping 2010 will be its redeeming season because I've already given it 5 years....(yes, I am a 'softie' who hates to shovel-prune). Celeste

Deanna, My Braveheart is only in its second year and it did suffer badly from that big Easter Freeze. In fact, I was starting to get worried about it, but recently it has snapped out of its post-freeze funk and is looking like the rose I was so excited about last summer. However, like my other frozen roses, it is a bit shorter this year. Just hasn't had time to get back fully into its regular growing pattern. Presently it is about 3x3, but I think it should grow to be closer to 4x4. That said, I can report that the blooms are a lovely red that stays red; it blooms fairly regularly (hopefully even better next year--if we don't have another horrendous freeze!), and the blooms are long-lasting. It's been very hot here recently, but it handled the heat quite well--a bit of a burn around the edges, but nothing too serious. (I have other roses that just about burned up completely in our 100+ heat.) As for disease, it had quite a few problems as it struggled to recover from the Big Freeze, but now that it is thriving again, I'm seeing very little disease. That is how I remember it from last summer. I think last year I sprayed it a couple times in the spring and a couple times in the fall, and that was all. I'm so happy it is returning to "normal" again because I really, really like this rose. I think you will like it. Kate

jxbrown, fwiw, I bought a bunch of those to put on my oven racks. Yes, they do work...but they were a PAIN! I could no longer slide things on/off the shelf. I found them to be impractical...jmho!!! I don't care for mitts, either. Or the silicone pad. I just like the good old-fashioned terry cloth pot holder. I bought some newer quilted ones (not terry) that won't bend easily enough to grip the pan! LOL! I'm always on the search for terry cloth potholders. I must be in the minority since I have a hard time finding them. Here is a link that might be useful: This one is round, but it's the texture I like

Any updates/comments on Coupe d'Hebe? In the catalogue of Francia Thauvin, they, too, describe it as having "feilliage vert clair",as opposed to "vert noiratre"! Also,Lynette/oldrosarian what exactly do you mean by a "rich diet"? What do you serve YOUR roses? How exactly do you provide a rich diet for a rose? I am very interested in knowing details, since I struggle so much with soil issues in my garden, and am trying to focus a lot on soil improvement.