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!

Thanks, Phil and Anita. Can you believe, it's actually zone 4 here, bordering on 5 (most z5 plants will grow fine due to the heavy snow cover in the winter) but there's that much difference in the seasons! And thank you too, Ken. I think you're right. Would you be more likely to believe it's montana Aureomarginata rather than Paradigm? Somehow, I think the tags may have gotten mixed.

Thanks again to everyone for your very nice and encouraging comments. Always makes me want to improve as a gardener! hoovb. If I have enabled Y O U to a rose, I guess that would make me a Rosarian ;-)! I have to admit you are one of my garden idols! Carol, for some reasons Iceberg roses simply love Southern California and all the rain that we had this year has just let them explode into the spring flush. Beth, I am glad that you like my photos. As for the scrub jays, I don't recall seeing them the first two years that we have been here, but this winter suddenly they showed up at the feeder. Masha, I am always happy if someone likes my "White Bed". I guess there are people, who think it is just plain boring or too monotone, but I like to experiment with the nuances of white and find it very exciting! Krista, thank you so much for your wonderful compliment, that is rather flattering! I didn't know that your Mme. Ernest Calvat is also so young. It might be interesting to compare how our roses are doing in the very different climates that we are gardening in. Serena, it is always nice to have bird guests in the garden, isn't it? You have a very eloquent way to use words "Even Lady Guadalupe shows sheer elegance the way you portrayed her", thanks for saying that! Florence, it gives me joy that you like my garden! Christina