Wow, it must be hard to make rose decisions in a place where it's hard for a rose to die, Suzy. Sometimes i'm secretly glad when a rose that really doesn't thrive in my yard has the good grace to die over the winter, so I don't have to be a rose murderer. As for the rate of failure, it's definitely a product of being a zone pusher and wanting to try something different. Plenty of people in my zone have never lost a rose because they're smart enough to only plant roses suited for their climate- imagine that! I'm more like Ingrid, in sandandsun's timely quote, that I prefer to look at winter survival as a challenge rather than the roses of a particular type (or breeder) having a specific death wish in my garden. You're all absolutely right that knowing the breeder isn't enough to judge health, survival, or any other qualities in your yard. I absolutely do the kind of trial and error experimentation that Lyn was talking about in my own yard, it's just that I haven't really come up with particular patterns for what thrives in my yard, except for the obvious ones like "lavenders and russets are usually weak" (understatement of the year) or "roses with teas in their heritage are a long shot". Rick, I admire you for checking the breeding history of the roses, and it certainly would be a more logical approach with fewer failures. I'm afraid I don't follow the breeding history or even keep track of which parents do well for me, though I have noticed that climbers with New Dawn as a parent are likely to be a good match for my yard. Wow, Nastarana, I hadn't been familiar with Jacobus as a breeder but I looked up Dream Girl, and - wowza zowie is she ever! I love those fat blooms with swirled packed petals, and it's great to hear it thrives in zone 5. Might be a nice counterpart to Nahema on my fence. You ought to share your observations with Helpmefind, since there was very limited personal information on this rose. Where did you get yours? Cynthia

Legrice for his sheer audacity and ingenuity with colourwork., Lens .....the nearest breeding work to the species types Loving Hybrid Musks of all types,,,,,but mostly still having an enduring love affair with the species. Kordes roses are always vigorous and healthy....but a tad dull apart from the great Fruhling series. I love older Harkness roses for the innovative breeding....but unfortunately, they do need spray regimes. A midland trio of breeders - Chris Warner, Peter James and Frank Cowlishaw - some outstanding roses coming from this stable (Blue for You, Odyssey, Purple Skyliner, Bright as a Button, Eyes for You, Rhapsody in Blue Across the pond - I love some of the little Moore roses (Little Buckaroo, Mr.Bluebird) and am very interested in the (wide) range of Barden roses - but sadly, unavailable here. Finally, Pirjo Rautio has reinvigorated spinossissimas while Svedja has done the same with rugosas. However, if I could only choose one, it would have to be those grown by birds and small mammals - nothing to beat the wild roses.

Duchesse, Now you've gotten me to learn more. I always thought/remembered wrongly that the Mrs. Wilson who was the de facto president after Wilson was incapacitated was the Mrs. Wilson to whom he was married when first elected. I remembered his first wife had died, but thought that was significantly before his election. So now we see a Georgia connection and even more of a reason for the Atlanta Constitution to use such 'Atlanta Constitution society column gushy words' in this piece. Searching the Atlanta Constitution for info on roses has led to some descriptions of social events (with rose decorations) that are so sugary as to induce near diabetic comas in the healthiest of us. Here is a link that might be useful: Her burial (and a cemetery to check for roses)

I am trying to combine Canadian, Buck, Austin, and Kordes roses plus a few species. If you look at what I am germinating this year you will get an idea of where I am at in this program. http://home.neo.rr.com/kuska/winter_2004-2005%20hips.htm Other links at my main web pages will take you to previous crops and pictures of seedlings. Each year I distribute open pollinated hips of my prior crosses by announcing them on the rose hybridizer's forum. Good luck, Here is a link that might be useful: link for above