I never thought of the DA roses as being okay to grow in pots in our heat. Thanks, I'll have to take a look. Any specific ones anyone can suggest as being better in this BS capital of North Texas during the spring and the baking desert of the summer?

Lady Emma Hamilton and Munstead Wood are two that can stay fairly shortish. As far as black spot goes, I don't know. I spray every two weeks. Something that does very well in pots are your polyantha's. There are several on the Earth Kind list.

I love DA roses too. A lot of people here have mentioned Belinda's Dreams (Earth Kind rose), it looks very pretty and carefree, it might be a good pick for you. I am going to buy one this year. :-)

I was just at Chamblees last Monday. Be sure and check out the sale area - lots of great bargains there for $2.50 gallon sized, $5 larger. Several David Austins there - Cottage Rose, Portmeiron and Wildeve. So much to choose from its almost impossible to suggest anything. I would suggest Crepuscule - I got 2 more while I was there. Fabulous rose! Ask Ron for suggestions when you get there, he is always so nice and helpful. Study the website or catalog - see what appeals to you. By April, there will be lots of blooms. Very few when I was there - this is a late, wet spring. If you have never been to Chamblees, you will find plenty to love!! Have fun!!

Judith

Loretta Lynn Van Lear Rose I got this from Chamblees this spring. It's a Floribunda, but it's supposed to stay short, 2-2.5 feet, so I think it could stay in a pot. Since it came from Texas a few weeks ago, it already has buds on it and they are a marvelous dark yellow with orange tint. I can't wait to see the blooms. I also got Darcey Bussell, and while the bloom forms aren't great yet (it's a tiny plant) the color is amazing. That also looks like it could stay small enough for a pot.

Thanks everyone for the help. It is fun to plan and choose,

Summersrythmn, I have two Belinda's Dream and they are gorgeous. I cut two buds a week ago and they are still beautiful.

I poured over the DA website last night and found a few. The roses Alameda and Buford that you are mentioning aren't showing available on their website so I supposing they have more stock in the nursery than they have ready to ship. That will send me back to the drawing board!

Shopping with free money is fun to say the least. Now to look up your suggestions.

I'm certainly no expert and I've never gardened in Texas but I have a suggestion. Would you mind a mini that isn't "too mini"? What about Deja Bleu? Some people list it as a mini-flora. It should certainly do well in a pot. It's unusual, thornless, fragrant- at least mine is- and I got it from Chamblee's several years ago.

How funny Kes, I have Deja Blue ordered from For Love of Roses and it should ship on Monday. I am anxious to get it plus the others I ordered. I'm pleased to hear you like it since Richard for FLOR really encouraged me to get it. It will be awhile before it is big enough to bloom I'm sure since it is coming from a 6" pot.

I just thought of another suggestion that would do really well in a pot and is a must have wherever you want to put it! Its Plum Perfect! I have several - some in the ground, going to put one in a pot. This is a beautiful mauve color, which I love, has wonderfully healthy foliage and blooms its head off. I don't think it gets large, hasn't for me and I have just had it a year. For sure....put this one on your list! Its got smaller blooms, but they look like mini HT's. Color is divine!! This is really a marvelous rose and would be really good in a pot. Lavender Veranda is pretty too, but I am really sold on Plum Perfect! Don't be put off by the website not having what you want - they have plenty at the nursery so go ahead and make your list - I didn't see anything they were out of. I am glad to have gone early - they do tend to sell out when things start blooming and the weather straightens out. South Africa is a lovely rose, I got another, and it tends to sell out. I do like to get the gallons and grow them out rather than the larger pots which are more expensive - so sometimes these gallon plants aren't as far along as the others. I am saving a bit of money plus I can fit more gallons in my car. I did get an Evelyn in a larger pot because the gallons were so small. I usually pot up my gallons and grow them that way until they get larger, but Ron says just plant em in the ground. When you go - be sure and swing by the big Municipal Rose Garden - it will be in bloom then, and is gorgeous! Plus - it has 2 "idea" gardens with all sorts of annuals, perennials. I fell in love with a white rose that I found to be Kronprincessin Viktoria - loved it for years - now have it coming from Roses Unlimited this year. Take a picnic lunch and spend a lovely day there before or after you go to Chamblees. Harris Nursery, down the road from Chamblees, is a large nursery with lots of things. I saw a Gingersnap rose there the other day, but was out of room. Oh, and if you have more time.......take Hwy. 64 and stop by Hand Nursery [THE best in annuals, garden art] then go right down 64, turn left at the Edom road and go about 3 miles or so to Blue Moon Gardens on the right - you will thank yourself! [your wallet may not!] Look them up online - beautiful, inspiring place, and the enormous tulip tree may be in bloom then! We spent the day just going to these places! You will have a grand time! Also, depending on when you go, the Azalea Trail may be in bloom and THAT is really a sight to behold!! Nothing was blooming when I was there, but I plan to go spend a day just driving around in Tyler when they are in full bloom. There is a group of houses there that you can walk all around the backyards - it is like a fairytale, you really should check this out - and should plan to go when the azaleas are blooming! Come to think of it - with all of this, you should just spend the night and stay a couple of days! I am getting the itch to go back now that the rain has ended.

Judith

Thank you for all the info and suggestions Judith. I shared everything with my husband and he just smiled and said I think this trip will cost more than I anticipated.

One question, did you notice if Chamblees has standards? If you did see any did you by chance notice how much they were? I have spots on my patio that would be perfect for a couple of standards.

Thanks

Spring of 2014, I did my first order from Chamblees. I was well pleased with the roses. Cream Veranda was the BIG SURPRISE!!!! It was very healthy all year, had lovely creamy pink to creamy yellow blooms (yes, both! I think dependent on the weather); nice foliage and appeared very low thorned to thornless. I kept it in the small pot it came in and it bloomed and bloomed. I would consider it a small floribunda plant. I am even thinking of getting a second bush. It is not sprawl and I think it would look very neat in a large pot and crank out the blooms.

Jim

Beth, I cannot say for sure if Chamblees has standards - if they do, it would be in the first greenhouse by the office, where the bigger potted roses are. I think they do, but cant be totally sure. I know they have huge potted climbers that are on trellises ready to put on a patio or plant against a fence - they have those in the 2nd greenhouse at the very back, lots of Austins in those big pots. I usually go right past that first greenhouse into the 2nd one because that is where I buy my roses - in the gallon pots rather than the bigger ones. Be sure to hit the sale area!! You will be thrilled with all the bargains! Do post what you end up buying!

Jim, I just got Cream Veranda on my recent visit. I have always liked it and finally bought it. I think I am going to pot it - its blooming but does seem like it might want to stay small. Its a lovely color - has a touch of pale apricot in it....will look good with other colors.

Sun is finally out today, after what seems like weeks of clouds and rain! Though the ground is totally saturated, I plan to spend most of the day in the yard! Yesterday I was trimming up my huge American Pillar and found a long stem that had rooted with new growth coming up, so potted it up - hope it lives. Think I will plant some other long canes and see if they will root. So happy to see some sunshine - now the roses will really take off!! Spring has finally arrived!

Judith

When I lived in Richmond, VA , my American Pillar would root where the branches touched the ground, ditto Veilchenblau, Aviateur Bleriot (a pest LOL). I think you will be very happy with Cream Veranda. I bought about 15 or so roses from different mail order nurseries last year. I'll blame Two Sisters closing ( I ordered four and then got off the wagon and went on a binge.) Cream Veranda was an impulse buy and though I researched all the roses and was happy with them, some did not live quite up to their pictures. With Cream Veranda, I expected nothing and got everything.

Jim

I have Poseidon, Plum Perfect and South Africa on order now.

I have a few roses from Chamblee's. I grow a lot in pots since they do better for me than my inground roses. I think you'll find that you will be happy with the 1 gallon pots which cost less and you'll be able to buy more kinds. Francis Dubreuil is my daughter's favorite rose that I have.

Honestly if I lived down by Chamblee's and some of the nurseries you have. I surely would not have a dime left to spend on food.

ruthz, all of my roses are in pots because our terrible black clay ground.

I placed an order with Chamblees to be picked up at a later date. I had planned on waiting to choose roses while we were at the nursery. The spring flush is several weeks late this year so we will be visiting the gardens later than we planned. It usually is the second week in April but they are saying the end of April or maybe the first of May for a good flush so we won't be at Chamblees until May and I was afraid they'd be selling out of things.

Then of course I might just find something else while I am there!