Your roses are beautiful! They were bare root and they've grown that big in one summer? Wow, you must have the magic touch. I got two Fantin Latours (potted) from Heirloom Roses this spring and they've grown about two feet tall, but they're branching out pretty well. I like the way you've put your roses out so that they will be easy to see and smell when they start blooming. You picked roses that should stand up to some tough winters. Even with all the snow, they should be fine (we get two to three feet a year lately) but I have read that in the first year, Gallicas, Albas and most old-fashioned roses could use some winter protection. You might want to check the Heirloom Roses website. They have an e-mail where you can send questions. They've always been good about answering my questions, even before I purchased any of their roses. Good luck with the winter!

It's so true -- zone envy goes both ways. Being in zone 7a can be a bit of a tease. There are some plants (e.g. Lilacs) which prefer long, cold Winters in order to bloom well. I remember back on Long Island, NY, that most Springs saw barely a smattering of bloom on the old Lilacs planted in some yards. This would tempt gardeners to try zone-pushing a bit, and for many years, the borderline-hardy plants (e.g. Tea roses) would be fine. Since our Summers would be very hot and humid, the borderline-hardy plants would flourish for much of the year. Then we'd get a more severe Winter, which would bring a profusion of bloom to the Lilacs -- and decimate the Teas. Personally, having lived for three years in Buffalo, NY, I'm rather committed to eventually veering way south -- like around Miami, FL. It's a few years away, but I started reading up on gardening down there. I picked up a book called "Florida's Best Fruiting Plants: Native and Exotic Trees, Shrubs, and Vines" which opened my eyes to the possibilities. Interestingly, there were some species traditionally considered northern which were mentioned as having had some low-chill varieties bred which can endure and produce (albeit for only a few years). I found it amusing that despite being able to grow citrus and many other subtropical to tropical fruit, there were Floridians aching to grow apples and peaches. :-) ~Christopher

This rose definitely doesn’t have a lot of fragrance, but it does have some. The most striking thing about it is the lavender veining through the pink petals. That is what led me to Empress Josephine based on the description in Peter Beales’ ”Classic Roses”. Unfortunately my pictures don't capture it well.

@stillanntn6b Thank you so much, Ann! Those are great suggestions. I have searched the ARE catalog every year since forever, but CIR never shows up. I think it’s high time to write a few letters. My CIR hunt will be a good excuse to long distance meet Mike Shoup and some TX Rose Rustlers. :-) Rose folks are the best! Gallicas grow so well here that I’d love to both enjoy the presence of CIR in my own garden and pass around some starts for preservation. Carol