This subject interests me, too,since here in Italy we have serious problems with the heat.I just got Climbing Crimson Glory (I dislike shrub HT's with their awkward, graceless growth habit, but am hoping that in the climbing form this won't be such a problem). My experience with Austin's Falstaff is that this beautiful rose does NOT crisp in hot sun, and it's colour-a very deep purple-red-is so unique. Likewise Tradescant seems promising.But, Daisy, why not take a look at Becky and John Hook's roses ?(La Roseraie Du Désert is the name of their nursery). They have an excellent selection of roses adapted to our hot climates:chiefly teas, chinas and noisettes. My experience with them has been so excellent, I can't recommend them highly enough. I bet they could ship to Crete. Their roses are own-root, so they may appear a bit small to you if in the past you've only had experience with grafted bare-roots, but these are top quality plants IMHO. I just grow the smaller plants along in a vase for their first season,so they get nice and big,though I think this is a matter of personal preference. regards, bart

I've grown Mister Lincoln on and off for many years, and more often than not it takes on magenta/bluish shades. Those of you that posted magenta pink pics of Mister Lincoln...In my opinion, you definitely have the right variety, sometimes that's just how it looks. It's the marketing for 50+ years that's always described Mister Lincoln as the quintessential red, in truth it's not always that red. Back in the late 60s when it was introduced, I think it was rightly considered very red. But the standard is higher now, with the introduction of roses like Olympiad and Veterans Honor, which are a far purer, true red. Mister Lincoln also opens too fast and doesn't last as long as those newer reds. It is still probably the best of the old 'reds' , a strong grower with very good fragrance. I think Firefighter is the best compromise between old and new reds...it is quite red, still very fragrant, and very generous in bloom.

Sbcand, Roses thrive in neutral soil. If the soil is sandy, there is a great chance your soil is too acidic for the rose. One half cup of lime at the initial planting of the rose would have taken care of the acidic part of the soil. Every spring, I add 1/2 cup of lime to the top of the soil around my roses with my compost. I bought a double knock out rose this spring. I added the lime, I have no problems with it. I love that rose bush, it is care free. If the soil PH isn't correct for any bush, it will be unable to absorb nutrients from the soil. You could try adding 1/2 cup of FAST acting lime around the top of the soil of the rose and watering real good. They sell PH meters inexpensively at Big Home center plant departments, like HD, you could test it yourself, before adding the lime. My soil is awefully sandy, so one of my roses I actually dug out a hughe hole and placed Miracle Grow Rose Garden soil in (big bag), and planted it in that (Pope John Paul II white rose), and now I don't have to worry about PH at all because the garden soil, (not potting soil), is neutral for roses. GOod Luck!

I have AC Navy Lady that I got from High Country Roses, and it has been a very prolific and season-round bloomer even in its second year. The best thing is how very dark red the blooms can be - as dark as LavaGlut or Black Baccara or any of the other burgundy roses. What's turning out to be odd about this rose is that it's staying 2' high but about 6' wide (so far). It seems to want to be a groundcover rose. I have it in full sun around my mailbox bed, and while I can handle ground cover roses as long as they stay short, this one is planted right at the edge of the bed and constantly needs tucking the canes back behind other canes so it doesn't reach out into the sidewalk and trip people. Mine has been effortlessly hardy in zone 5 and has no disease problems with black spot that I've noticed. This one really should be more widely grown. Here's a nice sample cluster in basic red: Here's a sample of the lovely dark red color it can have even in hot full sun: And here it is in contrast with some white phlox (one of many plants I tuck it into to keep it off the sidewalk): I have Crimson Glory but in 5 years I've not apparently taken a picture of it. Needless to say, it's a very off and on bloomer for me. Same for Europeana, but mine was a big box store rose in its first year and it doesn't yet look to have survived my winters. I have Grande Amore on order for this year but haven't grown it yet. Cynthia