Definitely not JFK. IMO, it is only good on the west coast (i could be wrong). I don't think any HT is good in a "low maintenance" garden, but YMMV. I would look online, and check on some antique roses that do well in Texas. The TAMU Earth Kind program has Ducher on its list.

I don't believe JFK likes hot or humid weather. From what I have read here, it does better farther north than me. I had it for at least 10 years and it never grew. Amazing it would have one or two blooms a year which were beautiful - just when it knew it was getting shovel-pruned. The last year it was shorter than my dwarf snapdragons so I ignored the bloom and removed it. As for Kordes Perfecta, I love it, but it was not winter hardy for me. I bought a new one each spring if it didn't make it through the winter for several years, because I loved it so much. (I'm not purchasing new roses now as I have too many in pots that need to be planted). I can't comment on the other one.

Outside of your choices, I would suggest Pope John Paul II. This rose is the white Belinda's Dream. Even in my Chili Thrips prone yard it does well.

From the three choices at your local garden center, I would go with Sugar Moon. Kordes Perfecta is the farthest thing from low-maintenance that you could find. The flower often doesn't open and the plant grows slowly. JFK is a great classic white rose, but it doesn't grow that vigorously and the flower lacks substance.

JFK doesn't get a lot of love, but I planted my bareroot a year ago January and It is tall, very lanky and covered in blooms right now. I've read that it has a reputation for being stingy with blooms, but for me it is the most prolific bloomer in my garden this year.

I don't spray, and it's been ok as far as blackspot, which is the worst problem with my roses.

My problem is Botrytis causing brown edges on the blooms. I understand that to be common with white roses.

JKelly, where do you live? What you describe could be Chili Thrips.

lol I live in Dallas

Kordes Perfecta is not a white. I had it and it did not do well after the winter and I am in the Atlanta area, by the third year it never came back. JFK did ok bit not great and also did not come back after one year so the heat and humidity may not be ideal for those two.

It seems these roses perform differently as I would expect in different parts of the country. The rose specialist at the nursery was pushing JFK on her. So much so that is why she left without anything. I don't know if it was because she thought it was a really good rose or maybe they had 15 in stock and needed to move some of them.

If you have any kind of humidity and/or if black spot is a problem in your area stay away from JFK. I threw mine out because it would not open if there was even a hint of humidity and it was a spot magnet.

Sugar Moon is a better opener but I don't know about black spot.

Kordes Perfecta was always more pink than white for me.

JFK definitely has a mediocre rep compared to Iceberg and JPJII. I got mine at Aldi, and I'm sure I've seen them at HD and/or Lowes. I'd only be guessing as to why they would push JFK.

Are you kidding Seil? Humidity in north Texas, sheesh, you can walk outside for very long and you'd swear it was raining except there isn't a cloud in the sky just the moisture on your skin. Black Spot is such a big problem here that you deal with it from March to June and September to November. If JFK is a black spot magnet he immediately comes off the list. Thanks for the info!

Lol, I hear you, Beth! I live in Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes. If the humidity drops below 50% that's positively ARID for us!

I'd vote for Sugar Moon just for her fragrance! She's divine but she can also get huge! Mine gets 8 feet tall and keeps going (I cut her by a third after each flush or she'd be even bigger). I'm not familiar with JFK, but I can tell you Kordes Perfecta is a perfecta Diva. Mine is stingy to bloom and slow growing. And a black spot magnet to boot. She's also not white at all. Maybe it was mislabeled? She's tipped with purple/pink. She does have some magnificent blooms when you get them. But they are few and far between.

Wait til next year if you can't find PJPII.