dublinbay (kate), you are actually the forum member who enabled me into this rose, with your glowing recommendations. I'm trying it for the first time this Spring and I'm excited. From what I hear, it is a fairly compact rose although not tiny, and fairly hardy as well. Deep yellow blooms (not as light a yellow as many others). A shorter rose, fragrant and reblooms. I'm really looking forward to it and it sounds like a great gift to celebrate a new baby in the family :) What a nice idea!

Mariou, What region of the country are in? Most California rosarians do not have to deal with the rampant black spot typical in my zone 6b garden. Their biggest problem is mildew. If you garden in the Mid-Atlantic, for example, you will have to contend with the worst fungal pressures in the country. Roses that are completely clean - no spray - in places like Petaluma CA will defoliate elsewhere. I do not have Julia Child but I have grown Happy Child for years. It is pretty little rose, approximately 2.5 feet tall with an loose, open growth habit. Good repeat bloom and truly lovely flowers. Fragrance is moderate to strong, and Tea-like. The foliage is rather unusual looking, resembling spinach leaves. In my region black spot can be a problem but is resistant to other fungal diseases. To prevent defoliation you would have to spray it with a fungicide every two weeks to control the black spot. About my only real complaint is the vigor. Without disbudding during years one and two, an own root plant will limp along never maturing. It is also a wee bit more sensitive to the cold than your typical English Rose. I lost one during a particularly cold winter, which I quickly replaced in the spring. You would too if you ever saw the blossoms. The yellow color is extremely pure without any secondary tones. Very few roses combine fragrance with such clear, canary yellow color. You can purchase an own root plant of HAPPY CHILD online from Heirloom Roses. Good luck, Patrick

Nancy, having lived in Florida I can compare summers by saying the ones in Oklahoma are as hot and humid and miserable as the ones in Florida. The only difference (aside from the size of the bugs) is that our misery is shorter - say from mid May to around the first of October. I lived inland from the Cape area in Florida....I don't remember there being any problem with Happy Child because of the heat, but it's been awhile since it went to greener pastures.

jeffcat, that was so perfect, thanks! lol dublinbay, that Happy Child (two of them actually), planted late just last year, is/are already many times more vigorous than my Jude the Obscure band planted THREE years ago. :/ So maybe you and I got poor bands.