Wow! Thanks for all the advice. Yes I have heard that Angel Face is susceptible to black spot, but it seems to do very well here in Perth - maybe because it is so hot and dry here? And we get many hours of warm sunshine in the day. Luckily, I picked mine up super-cheaply and they look extremely healthy (for now!) so I'll see how I go. If I have to shovel-prune them, it won't be too much money down the drain. I just love the blooms and the fragrance, so fingers crossed! I'm going to look up all the combinations everyone suggested, but they all sound great and in keeping with my theme. Thanks so much! When I get everything in, I'll have to post a couple of photos, to show you how it all worked out. I had a bad car accident 3 weeks ago, and my back is a bit sore, so I'm pacing myself - a couple of hours every two or three days. The planting is so rewarding, I'm really enjoying it. I've got a row of 9 standard Seductions, planted with John Clare. Catmint to go in front. I've got a row of Pittosporums (screenmaster) screening another low wall. In front are Windermere, Molineux, Abraham Darby (plus waiting on Leonardo Da Vinci), dwarf lavender, pink and white daisies, mauve nemesia. I've got a Pierre de Ronsard on a wall near my front gate, with a bed of small cottage plants in front (stocks, foxgloves, violets etc). I'm going to put a thornless climber up amongst my wisteria. I have an old bed with a couple of camellias, azaleas and a fuschia for a bit of winter colour. I'm getting 3 garden arches, and I will train over them Zephirine Drouhin, Kathleen Harrop and Lamarque. It's spring here now, so I'm hoping that by next spring and the one after, it will all be really established. Thanks again.

There are certain varieties of roses that I can always find at local nurseries. Arid Las Vegas has no fungal disease issues to mention. Angel Face is one of those varieties that is always stocked. I know there are roses that perform well in a wide variety of climates, but some are just at home where it is drier. I would give pause and definitely research growing Angel Face in an area with a climate that is opposite (humid)... unless you spray for fungal diseases.

Borkie, in recent years, rose gardeners have been plagued by hordes of Japanese beetles descending upon the roses--and, in some cases, on every living plant in their yards as summer approaches. This plague is worse in some areas, not too bad in others. My zone 6 (Kansas) has relatively few JBs--though this year they are worse than they have ever been in the past. In some areas, they last all summer; other places, maybe 6 weeks. And here is the really bad news--no "cure" for JBs. There are, however, a couple practical things you can do that will help. Some gardeners get a can, fill it with soapy water (Dawn soap, for instance), and then tour their gardens--daily, sometimes more than once a day--and shake any JBs they find into the soapy water and instant death. Others who don't want to do that much work just cut off all the rose blooms (lots of indoor bouquets!) during mid-summer--nothing left for JBs to eat! Works for some, but others claim their JBs just move on to other plants and eat them. There are a couple other things you can do--but most gardeners don't. Try putting "japanese beetles" into the search box at the top of the page. Should bring you up page after page of posts on the subject. Good luck. Kate

LIlyfinch, Sexy Rexy is a beautiful rose. I was so impressed by it in the greenhouse at High Country Roses. Granted, I'm a bit of a sucker for that type of rose, but this one differs with that deeper rose center. You should get it. Dianela, thanks for the thoughts! I finally raked most of yard.... it just rains all the time. Now I'm on to transplanting some trees and bushes and taking down some trees, and do a general clean-up so that I can finish the bit of brick edging I didn't do last year and hopefully start on my paved path from my driveway. I started the steps years ago and needed help with machinery to finish, so I never did. I said to myself last Fall, "The heck with it! I'll hand dig it with my helper!", so that's what we intend to do. I'm sick of the pavers cluttering up my front yard. I figure if we can dry-stack a retaining wall, can do this project. I just want to finish my planning and see what I may need in my order with Burling and Chamblee and I can't do that until I see what goodies they may have around town! :-D