Sunny, I can't speak for sure about NH (never having been there), but if you mean is it hardy through Zone 5, probably--HMF lists it that way, anyway. Definitely fragrant. Fairly good (but not perfect) disease-resistance. Gorgeous colored blooms. Fairly good at re-blooming. It has a lot going for it and I'd plant a second one if I had room for it. You should know, however, that it has the tendency to stretch out sideways--can get quite wide rather than tall--the ends of the branches getting quite heavy--I sometimes need to prop up the ends so they don't droop to the ground. But I'm getting a bit better at spring pruning them, so it isn't as much of a problem as before. I'm thinking that a light mid-summer prune might help keep that under control--at least it did this year, and I will try it again next year. The color and shape of the bloom is so wonderful--you'll love it. Kate

Thanks for your comments on the new DAs planned for planting--they sound lovely and I really can't wait now! This despite the fact that it is currently snowing some more....it's getting really old. I guess I shouldn't complain since the east coast has been hit harder than here this winter (mid-west, Missouri around St. Louis). What you say about the Pickering vs DA plant size is also something I've noticed, but Pickering's have seemed to catch up in the past. It doesn't sound like there should be a major difference between them for longer-term performance. Our native soil is pretty compacted, heavy clay with no organic matter (sub-soil on my property), and drainage is a problem in some places (only because of the compaction, as these are not low-lying areas). So the only way we've found to fix those aspects of it is to build these beds where we dig down 2 feet or more, in a few cases build a dry well that goes down 6 more feet through the compaction so drainage is good and then backfill with 50-100% of a quality soil mix. When we do this, we usually put in a decorative stone wall and raise the bed about 6-12 inches at the front, while the back is at the level of the lawn. So those beds are raised a bit but contiguous with the native soil, they're also a bit like a microclimate as all are southern exposure. I've grown a fair number of Austins in this way now and not lost them, even ones like Golden Celebration that aren't the hardiest of the Austins, but what you say echoes my sense that I'd better use caution and put them in pretty deep. I haven't previously done any winter protection. Maybe I'll aim for putting the graft at least 3 inches below the soil. On the planters, these things are again big raised beds but a bit higher (2.5feet high, 6X6wide) to give the roses going over an arbor better soil and a more ideal light condition. I've grown hardy roses (New Dawn and Dublin Bay) there for about 10 years and finally yanked the Dublin Bays last year because a rose with no scent wasn't doing it for me. Was planning to add a couple of the Austins they list as hardy in there (James Galway, A Shropshire lad). I guess it will be an experiment, depending on how much less hardy they are. We are really zone 6b here most of the time now, so I have often gotten away with planting things that I suspect wouldn't have made it 30-40 yrs ago, like variegated English hollies that are really zone 6 compatible. I'm not really opposed to spraying, just usually too lazy, so if there guys end up needing more BS protection than my current DAs I might do the combined 3-in-one Bayer stuff that also at least marginally fends off the Japanese beetles that are one of the biggest problems around here at least in June-early July. I can tolerate some BS as long as it doesn't take down and defoliate the plant and once a month is certainly doable. Sounds like this year I'll want to be a bit more proactive in caring for the new ones than I generally am with my established DAs. Thanks again for the feedback and I hope spring comes soon for you guys out there too!

I grow many of the older Austins. In fact, I find myself to have an affinity with, if not a prefernce for some of the earlier English roses. My rose garden is just starting to bloom in the past two days. Many of the earliest blooming roses are the older English roses. The reds seem to be all opening, including; The Squire, Prospero, Wenlock, William Shakespear (Original) and William Shakespear 2000. Here are some images of some of the older English roses I grow and love: [IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/DSCF0031.jpg[/IMG] English Garden is vigorous healthy and has good rebloom in my garden. [IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/DSCF0030-2.jpg[/IMG] A close up of a bloom of English Garden. [IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/P6160049.jpg[/IMG] Pegasus is gorgeous, fragrant, healthy and prolific in my garden. My two plants are covered in buds and opening now. Less of an old rose character and more musk like though with large blooms. [IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/SUMMER015.jpg[/IMG] The Squire, a bit fussy, I grow him in a pot. But when he blooms, he's worth the trouble, 5 inch dark crimson blooms that take your breath away. [IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/P6160050.jpg[/IMG] The Pilgrim, powerful Tea Rose fragrance, intricate old fashioned flowers, the most gorgeous yellow flowers and healthy to boot. There are more, but one mustn't go on too long. Cheers, Rideau Rose Lad

I hope so too. Mine is grafted on fortuniana and is about 10 feet by 10 feet. That's a lot of real estate to take up with just leaves. Its shot up tons of laterals but no buds. I'm giving it one more season to wow me and then its gone. The sad part is that I planted a Nahema right next to it and its pretty much devoured my Nahema, yet my Nahema keeps poking through with flowers. I wish Nahema would grow as aggressively, but its own root (she's still fending for herself though, miraculously). I dont want to move her because once I get rid of Papi she'll be good to go, and I dot want her to have to start all over again. I just put her canes over the top of Papi so she gets some sun. If Papi would only bloom, he'd be so impressive (he's such a giant!)