Jeri, the west coast is not all the same all over. You may not have blackspot problems in your area but a lot of gardeners from Oregon and Washington state did and do report serious blackspot problems. Kate, I do support your wish (or your SIL Âs wish) to stay away from Knockouts for various reasons. Did you check out Lynette's website and check on her experience with hybrid teas? She is in British Columbia so her climate might be (but not necessarily) similar to Oregon. In any case she does add comments to her photos about blackspot and which roses are 'good beginners roses' in her opinion. Maybe a gift certificate to Pickering or Palatine is a better idea in case her soil is acidic and would give you (that is, to her) more for the same amount of money. Grafted roses will grow much faster and will give her pleasure already in the first year. Pickering has old roses, Chinas, Bourbons and a lot of moderns, some of them marked as disease resistant. As to for reds, I could recommend Papa Meilland, Royal William (aka Duftzauber aka Fragrant Charm) and Barkarole (if you can find it). Many people on the forum praise Firefighter but I do not grow that one. Prospero and The Prince are pretty good among the Austins and WS2000 also, if she is willing to spray a little bit. I have an own root Sophie's rose from Chamblee's after one year now it starts dong well but own root Austins are slow to establish in my experience. (I ordered, among others, Tradescant from Pickering- I do hope I will not regret it.) It is great to shop roses as a present but also a big headache, so I wish good luck to you. On the other hand, Portland is the rose capital of the US, so this must say something. Here is a link that might be useful: Lynette's website

Hi Jerijen, I have looked at the VCRS site. I also got some good advice from Otto and Sons in Fillmore. I guess if a rose can stand the heat in Fillmore, it will grow here! I am more to the north, close to the San Fernando Valley. My neighborhood is a strange little rural pocket just north of the 118 near Tapo Canyon. Are you in the Heights? I didn't know that roses with many petals did not open well. So much to learn. I am a bit embarrassed to say that I am still enchanted by red roses with white baby's breath. I grow little white daisies with Showbiz roses in one bed. Wouldn't it be spectacular to grow Fourth of July on the fence behind that bed? Any pink climbers that might not grow too big that you would recommend for this climate? I fear New Dawn might be too dense for that arbor. Renee

Thank you all for your advice...greatly appreciated. Karolina and Krista, your photos of your roses are inspiring. Dear Laura, First, let give some background. I cut my teeth on the high maintenance, exhibition type roses of the 50's to 90's era and in the early 90's made a complete about face with going over to predominantly hybrid rugosas. Cardinal rule #1 - NO MORE SPRAYING! Although the hyb. rugosas are very iron clad, I am spreading my wings, incorporating more "showy" classes of roses, but maintaining my 'prime directive' of: no-spray (except for midge fly...a necessary evil if I want any flowers all season), continuous blooming, fragrant, and winter hardy roses. Here is my current in-bed list, most have multiple, 2-5, representatives in the rose bed, essentially an oblong island bed, a rather large one, about 3 roses deep across its narrower width. Quietness (5) Carefree Beauty (4) Marie Pavie (2) Marie Daly (3) Jacques Cartier (1) Schneekoppe* (2) *the only two surviving hy. rugosas after Henry Hudson* (1) the hybrid r. purge. Golden Unicorn (2) Innocensia (Kordes - 1) The bed has room for about 25 bushes if their spread is 2-3' each. The colors I prefer in roses are in the light range: pink, cream, white, pale orange, apricot, peach and yellow. I spend a lot of time after sunset often as late as in the early AM hours, weather permitting, praying, contemplating and relaxing outside near the rose bed. The light colored flowers stand out like beacons at night. I guess you can say I am one of the few persons who enjoys his roses in the dark almost as much as in broad daylight. Except for the hybrid rugosas, most of the fragrant roses shut down for the night. Thorntorn

Wow.. thank you so much everyone. !!! So far the only rose that i have purchased myself is Mercury Rising. I do like to. I've had all my roses safely moved away from NN.. into containers. This year I hope yo but the saucers to go under the containers and a drip system to connect them.. lugging water is no fun. Also hoping to dig up a path to them. I'll need lots of prayers for that feat! I buy those $1 throw away roses because it's a I can afford, but the failure rate it exorbitant! Egads... I keep hoping to find local people to share with but not a soul here cares for gardening much less roses: (