I have and RdR in a pot that I've wintered (outside, don't have a garage) for 5 years now and it's done just fine. But if you intend on putting it in the ground it might be best to do so now rather than waiting. Plant it deep, deeper than it is in the pot by anywhere from 4 to 8 inches, and mulch it a good 6 or 8 inches high or even higher if you can. And try not to disturb the root ball at all when you remove it from the pot to put it in the ground. If you decide to keep it in the garage there are two things you need to do. First, get the pot off the cement floor by putting it on wood blocks. Concrete is like a sponge and will suck the moisture from the pot as well as transmit temperatures. Second, do water it! Make sure it is well watered going in and about once a month either give it a drink or put a shovel full of snow on top of the pot. It doesn't need a ton of water but it does need to stay hydrated. It isn't how low the temperatures go that kill them but the rapid up and down change of temperature and the drying out (desication) that does them in. Rose de Rescht is one of my favorite roses. Lovely pink blooms with a button center and a heavenly scent! Enjoy yours!

I garden in Ohio clay as well. As stated, it is extremely fertile and if you think about it, this state abounds in its lushness and green. Clay isn't all bad. The fact your rock garden is on a slope is your ace in the hole. I don't care how compact and course clay seems, the drainage issue is solved. It drains! Being in the Appalachian foothills, I can say that there really aren't many level areas on my property and the area in which we installed our rockery is rather steep. It was the dumping area for coal ash and cinder from the furnace and it is also underlain with a spring or two. What was once the problem area of the landscape is now a rock garden, because we knew that was a good way to utilise all the qualities of this area and turn those sows' ears into silk purses. I love how it lends itself to a rockery. Some of the clay soil even gives way to grey horse shoe court material. You could throw pots from it. Of course the major thing to remember with clay soil is to wait the magic number of days after a rain when it has reached the optimum level for digging. Too soon and it is slime and too late and it is concrete. It is hard to be that patient, but hey it develops character in a gardener. Then choose your plant material wisely. Some plants actually do just fine in dense, clay soil and prefer it over the soft, friable and moist loamy stuff where they get too soft and leggy and lank. Good Luck!

Thank you everyone. I have really been working on improving my soil the past three years and that has made a big difference, I believe. Good soil - good plants. Good rainfall, this year too. Belinda's Dream looks like a big, fat pink Snowflake. And she smells divine. Has a good strong fragrance. She likes full sun, no ifs, ands or buts about it. That 5-inch bloom is on a plant that is only two feet tall. I rooted it last spring. I just stuck a broken off branch in the ground, and no kidding, she rooted in about three weeks and began blooming within a month. Poor little plant was bent over double with those big blooms. She bloomed all summer last year. This year, her blooms are even bigger. I totally love Belinda's Dream. In front of her is a rose cutting I got from plantmaven. I think it is Rosa, Heritage, although I can't be certain. She is only 18 inches tall and has bloomed twice already this year. She bloomed last year too, but much smaller blooms on an 8 inch plant. She has a strong, lovely old rose fragrance and sweet baby pink color. I just cannot get enough roses! It is my new freak! If I keep on like this, I will have to change my home name from Iowa Hills Herb Farm to Rose Hill Cottage! Thanks again everyone. I'll be sure to tell my rose-girls how much you all love them. ~Annie

Thank you so much for all your words of kindness and encouragement. Really means a lot to me. I promise to post video up-dates and especially when all the flowers are in bloom 😊 I cut back my roses hard every year to avoid tall leggy shrubs. Compact and full of blooms look much better. Yeah I do plant quite close to one another for a quicker more full appearance. And it’s surprising how well they thrive alongside one another. If you look at David Austin’s rose garden, they plant their roses very close to each other too. As long as you feed them twice during the growing season there are no problems. And make sure they’re well watered especially during hot weather. Ohh 🙈I rarely go in front of the camera. My plants are much more interesting haha. I was wearing a thick wool sweater.... life saver during the horrid cold winter. Well I very much look forward to seeing all your gardens this summer. Pls do keep me posted! Lots of love and thanks. Darren. XO