I have Masquerade, a pink/blend hybrid tea from Palatine Roses in Canada that doesn't have the atypical high center pointed bloom of most HT's, but more of a flat decorative type of bloom with super heavy petal substance and so they last a looong time on the bush. The bish is quite large growing and very vigorous blooming. The blooms are not overly pretty, but different to be sure. Wild Blue Yonder is a purple grandiflora that blooms a ton of very decorative shaped super fragrant blooms. No high centered form here either. Lastly, Elina is a light yellow HT that for me has more of a loose decorative form that is somewhat flat as well. It really doesn't have the high centered form most exhibitors are looking for, though I do know that it is exhibited by some people on occasion. My Elina blooms would not be good exhibition blooms, but do make very nice garden type blooms as they are colorful and large and it repeats bloom very quickly. John

Well, we're home. It was longer than anticipated, more difficult, but surgeon feels he fixed the whole problem. DH is home, in bed, exhausted (and still feeling the effects of the anasthesia). Many, many thanks for the prayers and good thoughts and wishes. Oh, Mscippy--5 in one operation--wow. That's got to be a real challenge! Glad he's doing well. Must be a relief to get all that fixed though.

I'd be nervous about roughing up the cane and wrapping, also. Wrapping with sphagnum *here* in the summer would be risky due to the heat and likelihood of it drying out in less than a day even wrapped with plastic. That plastic could end up cooking the cane also. Or in the winter it would freeze. In your climate it might work, but I'd be more comfortable doing it how you are. I would also take a cutting (or two or more if I could). The way I take cuttings is from a just-bloomed stem, and 2-3 nodes, so it looks like you have enough stem for that in the last photo. There are many, many ways that people do cuttings and you can see that in the Rose Propagation and Exchange forum. I talk about the way I do my cuttings in this thread: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/success-with-florist-roses-dsvw-vd~3549922 It's just what works for me but everyone seems to have their own way that they like. Just so you can see how small the cuttings are, I just took these photos just now, with what's cooking. Here's an Abe cutting (see the roots coming out at the bottom), this cutting has only one leaf and the dried peduncle above it. And Bolero, this pot has two cuttings: In your zone it wouldn't be a bad time of year for cuttings. My mother in the East Bay just lops a branch off and sticks it in the ground at pruning time, and she gets nearly 100% success. She doesn't use rooting hormone or any special treatment.

Dont think it is Soul Sister - my vote is with About Face. Note the bud photos - it is darker orange inside, lighter outside. I have 3 grown Soul Sisters - they are lighter apricot all over. Look at helpmefind/roses and view the photos of About Face. It would help to know [probably not going to find out since the man is a renter] when the rose was planted - look at date of introduction on About Face and see if that is within the time frame the rose could have been planted. It is a gorgeous rose, well grown, and would be interesting to find out what it is. Also, About Face used to be a rose that could be found easily - it looks like an older rose and Soul Sister is a newer one. This rose has had time to grow and produce many canes. I had one some years ago; yard men weed eated too close and it died, didnt replace it, but after seeing this rose - need to do so! As I recall......it had a luminescent quality about it that was unusual - this rose reminds me of it. It grew well, and quite big - that might be a clue. Judith