Hi friends: Pat Henry on Roses Unlimited informed me on Sunday she's out of Grand Dame. That one is not hardy in my zone 5a, I would rather have some else in a warmer zone enjoy that. But I ordered the ones I know would survive my -20 to -30 below zero winter: Bronze Star (need winter-protection), Tchaikovsky (light yellow), Betty White (Romantica French rose), and Bourbon Deuil de Dr. Reynaud.

Cottage_garden: Are you happy with what you got? I'm sure 3 of my choices smell-good, but I'm not sure if Tchaikovsky is strong scent.

Straw-
I believe I am happy with my choices. I ended up getting Cecile Brunner, Souvenir de Louis Amade, June Bride, and Wild Blue Yonder. Stephen's Big Purple was sold out so I chose June Bride. I am questioning my choice of June Bride, someone said it was 9 feet tall, I believe it may be a climber. Not prepared for a climber at the moment.

June Bride is listed in HMF as grandiflora, at 4 1/2 feet ... Not bad. Souvenir de Louis Amade is a good one. Years ago I e-mailed the Russian gal who grows that, and she's very happy with SdlA's lavender tinge. There are 3 roses which I'm very happy I got them from Burlington Roses: Blue mist (miniflora), Stephen Big Purple, and Duchess de Rohan. Every should grow those 3 for beauty, fragrance, and ridiculously healthy. Duchess de Rohan has the best fragrance & best health in Old Garden Roses, but she needs shade. Stephen Big purple is the best in hybrid tea for health, fragrance, and beauty. Blue mist is the BEST in the minis for health, beauty, and fragrance. I have seen many roses in my life: 1,200 at Cantigny park, thousands more at Elizabeth Park in CT, plus Chicago Botanical 5,000 roses .... Those 3 from Burlington Roses are stand-outs .. they are sold-out fast at $11 per band, best to order early in season.

Straw Yes, I saw that! It is the one from 1957. Someone said that their June Bride got 9 feet tall! So I am confused. How big does Wild Blue Yonder get? I have seen different heights, so not sure where to put at the moment. UPS just delivered my roses as I am typing. I already have Duchess de Rohan, no blooms yet still a baby.

Roses are BIG! Usually I get babies, so I am pleasantly surprised.

Ingrid in CA used to grow Wild Blue Yonder .. she got rid of it since it's too tall and lanky. Grandiflora like June Bride, Wild blue Yonder tend to be tall and lanky. Hard pruning, plus low-nitrogen will help.

Ok, that helps, I know just where to put them.

Wild Blue Yonder runs tall for me, but I have pruned him down and he's done good. Throws a lot of lateral canes for me actually. But I'm encouraging him to give me some new basal breaks now (so far, not successful).

If Wild Blue Yonder does not work out for me, I can always send it to a relative. I don't mind tall, but don't want it to behave like a climber.

Hasn't been a climber for me at all, and it didn't mind my weird pruning. I'll try to post a decent and recent picture of it soon.

Here ya go (sorry I don't know how to flip the pictures). I've kept him at 5 foot, I should probably cut him down some to see if he can get bushy.

11/2014

11/2014

03/2015

msdorkgirl I really enjoy your pictures. Wild Blue Yonder does not appear to look too problematic. I don't mind at all cutting it down a bit when necessary. I have seen knockouts taller than I am, so surely this one will be fine. I surely can't wait for a bloom, it is already planted, so is June Bride. I need to plant the other 2, have a spot picked out for one but not the other.

He's not a cut flower type of guy, so he remains on the bush and gets deadheaded. But the yellow stamens is such a pretty contrast. Leaves are healthy, even when I'm being indecisive and neglecting or overly babying him. I'm happy with him. And he's really not fussy at all, he's sturdy and dependable. Oh why can't I find a homo sapien equivalent?

I think I like having an assortment of non-vase roses so am going to concentrate my efforts on ones that I can cut for the house and enjoy smells.

Great pics msdorkgirl!

Hi Msgirl: I echo Jim: Great pics !! I love info. you give: very honest. Mother of Pearl is a grandiflora, and it's near 6 feet in my zone 5a, if not pruned. We saw Tropicana one time over my husband's head (he's 6 feet tall). As to finding a compatible life-long mate, I thought I was too weird to find one, until I joined a running club and found someone with same interests. A divorced friend also found a single guy at 50 in that running club, and they are happily married. Single guys get into hobbies, since they have nothing else to do. I used to date with a guy who was in a juggling club (they have juggling conventions !!). My mother-in-law, a widow, likes to play cards at the Senior center, and that's how she met her 2nd husband: through playing cards. A lucky gal met a rich guy through shopping for plants at Home Depot. People are bonded through doing stuff together & or same interest & hobbies. My sister got married at 38 year old, she met a guy at Tai-kwon-do club. She took that for self-defense, and got married to a black-belt. I kept telling my girlfriend: it has to be repeated exposure, like once a week, be it church or clubs, or work-place, for bonding to occur.

Hi Cottage-garden: Zero chemical fertilizer, and just organics like alfalfa pellets and red-lava-rocks really help roses to be short. Years ago I used NPK 10-5-4 in spring ... it has chemical nitrogen, plus chicken manure, my Scepter'd Isle was near 5 feet tall & very stingy in bloom. After that I use alfalfa meal NPK 2-1-2 ... more blooms & compact. The exception is pots, since pots leach out nitrogen, but it still should be equal nitrogen to potassium, 1/2 phosphorus, 1/2 calcium, and 1/4 magnesium.

An experienced rose grower in CA once stated: No fertilizer after June. I agree, since I have rain, I would say No salty stuff after June, be it chicken manure, horse manure ... but I still do alfalfa pellets, since it has zero salt.

I'm on a hiatus for an indefinite period of time from such matters that are not rose-related. :)

Msgirl: The right companion will show up when you are not looking .. it happened to me. I joined the running club since I was fat, not because I was looking.

I met my wife at a work place. I went to another job shortly after we met so we didn't get together until like 2 years later...

Now Heirloom is having a 20% off sale.

Hi friends: Heirloom will have a 50% off END OF JULY sale. I got many roses from them for 2-years at 1/2 price. But their roots are so tiny, that I need to put gypsum in the pot, plus water with sulfate of potash to get the roots solid enough to survive my zone 5a winter. Many Heirloom roses didn't make it through my winter, unless it's an aggressive Austin climber.

I will certainly wait until the end of July.

Thanks Straw,

I quickly checked Heirloom Roses to see if they had Carefree Celebration back in stock but no go... Gotta wait till next year for that one...

That may be the last rose I plant here but who knows might change me mind...

Here's a picture of roses that I received from Roses Unlimited last week: Bronze Star, Tchaikoski, Betty White, Deuil de Dr. Reynaud: The box was HUGE, worth the shipping cost.

We got heavy & many night rains, and Betty White was NOT happy in a pot with alfalfa pellets mix in. Those alfalfa pellets made the soil too wet. I took it out from the pot and planted in a hill & well-drained area.

Here's Bronze Star planted in the ground, on a hilly area to drain off the excess rain-water:

Nice looking RU roses Straw!

Yes they do look good ... look forward to their blooms ... and the lilies in the background are gorgeous!

ROSES UNLIMITED SALE HAPPENS RIGHT NOW, STARTED AT 3:30 PM Chicago time, or 4:30 PM eastern time today, Wed. June 8, 2016. They are sold out fast, Here's the list, each gallon-pot sold for $10. Best to e-mail them at Rosesunlmt@aol.com to indicate what you want, in order or priority, so if the 1st one is sold out, then you can get the next one the list.

Google "what's happening at RU", and you'll see their summer sale.

Email is easier, the other option is to call them Stephanie at 864-682-7673 (phone is always busy, so e-mail is best) The sale lasts for a week, but the top choices are sold out fast. I recommend English roses or Stephen Big Purple, Betty White ... very hardy in my zone 5a, smell fantastic.

China: Comtesse du Cayla, Duke of York, Dutchfork China, Green Rose, Louis XIV, L'Ouche, Madame Laurette Messimy, Martha Gonzales, Old Blush, Spice

Climbers: Above All, Alberic Barbier, American Pillar, Antike 89, Bleu Magenta, Cramoisi Superieur, Cli., Dorothy Perkins, Dr. W. Van Fleet, Elizabeth Lawrence, Harlekin, Janet B. Wood, Kiftsgate, Lady Hillingdon, Cli., Laguna, Leontine Gervais, Madame Alice Garnier, Mrs. Sam McGredy, Cli., Rosarium Uetersen, Russell's Cottage, Sander's White, The Garland

English: Darcey Bussell, Grace, Graham Thomas, Mary Rose, Pat Austin, St. Cecilia, Tamora, William Morris

Floribunda: Bon Bon, Bridal White, Charisma, Dicky, Easy Does It, English Sonnet, Francois Rabelais, Hot Cocoa, Impatient, Inocencia Vigorosa, Jolie Veranda, Julia Child, Julio Iglesias, Lavender Veranda, Lilli Marleen, Little Darling, Pink French Lace, Queen of Hearts Fairy Tale, Showbiz, Trumpeter

Hybrid Musk: Gravin Michel D'Ursel, Red Ballerina

Hybrid Tea: All Am. Magic, Amelia Earhart, Angel Wings, Apricot Queen Elizabeth, Aspen Snow, Betty Uprichard, Betty White, Bonnie Jean, Boulie's Dream, Brandy, Bronze Star, Caribbean, Coretta Scott King, Dainty Bess, Dee-Lish, Duet, Duet Supreme, Edina, Elina, Eternal Youth, Fantasia Mondiale, Fiji, Forty-niner, Friendship, Granada, Grande Amore, Grand Dame, Gypsy, Headliner, Heart Song, Helen Traubel, Helmut Schmidt, Here's Gert, Horace McFarland, James Biddle, Jo Ann Edwards, John S. Armstrong, Keepsake, Kentucky Derby, Kordes Perfecta, Lafter, Lanvin, Lemon Spice, Louise Estes, Madame Butterfly, Madame Chiang Kai Shek, Maria Shriver, Mary M. McBride, Michelangelo, Miss All Am. Beauty, Mount Hood, Mrs. Wakefield C. Miller, Neil Diamond, Opening Night, Opulence, Oriental Charm, Paradise, Paris de Yves St. Laurent, Peggy Rockefeller, Pink Enchantment, Pink Traviata, Portrait, Queen Elizabeth, Reconciliation, Seashell, Sheer Elegance, Silver Star, Starfire, Stephanie Diane, Stephen's Big Purple, Strike It Rich, Suffolk, Summer Dream, Sunny Sky, Sunny South, Touch of Venus, Uncle Joe, Veteran's Honor, Wedding Bells, White Majesty

Mini - Miniflora: Allene Able, Amber Flash, Chattooga, Cinderella, Cooper, Debut, Doris Morgan, Edisto, Linville, Lupo, MS Hope, Michael, Olympic Gold, Pacesetter, Rise n' Shine, Star Dance, Tiffany Lite, You're The One

Misc. OGR: Amanda Patenaude, Bella Donna, Belle de Crecy, Blanc de Vibert, General Jacqueminot, Gloire de Ducher, Le Rire Nias, Madame Legras St. Germain, Marchesa Boccella, Omar Khayyam

Noisette: Bouquet d'Or, Crepuscule, Duchesse d'Auerstadt, Fellemberg, Old Gray Cemetery, Mount Vernon Purple, Placerville White, Redoute's Red, SC Noisette, Triomphe des Noisette

Polyantha: Baby Alberic, Dick Koster, Mrs. R.M. Finch, Yvonne Rabier

Shrub: Apricot Drift, Autumn Sunset, Bohemian Rhapsody, Bonica, Braveheart, Catherine Guelda, Comtesse de Segur, Coral Drift, Dames de Chenoceau, Distant Thunder, Emina, Juliette Greco, Madame Figaro, Miracle On The Hudson, Outta the Blue, Pat Henry, Peach Drift, Peppermint Pop, Purple Rain, Red Korsar, Take It Easy, The Faun, Whte Meidiland

Species: R. banksia Lutea, R. bracteata, R. laevigata, R. moschata 'Plena', R. moschata 'Temple Musk'

Tea: Aussie Sixer, Burbank, Grace Darling, Lady Hillingdon, La Sylphide, Le Pactole, Lorraine Lee, Madame Berkeley, Madame Bravy, Madame de Watteville, Madame Joseph Schwartz, Madame Lombard, Maitland White, Monsieur Tillier, Mrs. B.R. Cant, Puerto Rico, Rubens, Thomasville Old Gold

For California 1-2 roses - Minimum $24, plus $5 packing to be $29 for shipping. For CA it's $9 for each additional rose.

For my IL east of Miss. River, shipping would be $6 for each additional rose. For 1-2 roses to my Chicagoland, it's minimum $18, plus $5 packing with total cost of $23 for shipping.

After 5 roses, the charge goes back to $6 per plant, which will be 6 x 6 = $36 for 6 roses, plus $5 packing & handling. Six roses is the best deal in shipping.

From Straw: I just placed an order for 10 roses from them via e-mail, and got a response from Pat Henry (the owner) in less than 5 min. Best to e-mail them at Rosesunlmt@aol.com since their phone will be busy.

To pay, I always send them a check. If you want to pay by charged card, include your phone number in your e-mail, but it will cost you $5 more for processing fee.

I will have to try Betty White and Stephen Big Purple. I am trying some Kordes roses lately. They have a parfuma series. I really like first crush but it is getting some thrips. Pictures and descriptions at newflora.com

Predfern: thanks for that link on Kordes roses. Bronze star died on me last winter ... didn't know that it's a wimpy florist rose, hardy to zone 6b ... so I sub that with Strike it Rich, a grandiflora hardy to zone 5b. One person in zone 4 grows Strike it Rich and told me about how vigorous it is. Stephen Big Purple is a grandiflora, and that is much taller & more vigorous than hybrid tea. Betty White is really tall at Cantigny Park, up to 4 feet, smells best among their 1,200 roses. Both roses survived four zone 5a winters. My Stephen Big blooms early like Austin roses.

Also Neil Diamond is hardy to zone 4b in HMF. So I sub that for my previous Grand Dame choice (died in zone 6b) winter. Hopefully RU still have Strike it Rich and Neil Diamond available.

For folks in warm climate with sandy soil. Roses Unlimited has 2 shrubs: Bohemian Rhapsody (thornless) and Miracle on the Hudson (very disease-resistant) ... both are bred by Robert Rippletoe, in his sandy soil and hot CA weather over 100 degree.

From HMF info., and from my alkaline clay garden: Teas and Chinas prefer clay soil. Albas, damasks, gallicas, hybrid perpetual, and rugosas prefer sandy and loamy soil. Multiflora prefers acidic loamy/ or sandy soil, but wichurana (like Dr. Huey) prefer alkaline clay soil. Dr. Huey rootstock secrets plenty of acid to go through my rock-hard clay better than my shovel.

Hi Straw,

Thanks to you I have gotten my order in to RU and am saving big. I have ordered Bohemian Rhapsody, Miracle on the Hudson, Autumn Sunset, Comteese de Segur and Emina.

The 1st two were bred in sandy soil, but comtesse de Segur (a Delbarb) has medium green, semi-glossy foliage .. which likes alkaline soil and plenty of water. Darker green means it prefers more alkaline, and glossy foliage means it needs more water.

I grow over 90 varieties of roses (mostly own-roots), and that's from my experience in soaking wet alkaline clay, with pH 8.

90 varieties is a lot. Thanks for the information. I'll report on they fare in Florida

I sent an email to Pat on Tuesday afternoon and did not get a reply today... did I miss out on the sale? This past week has been so busy with 2 little kids, my wedding anniversary and 20 year high school reunion - no time to think about roses!

Hi springrose: I should had private-message you when the sale started, but I saw Rose forum posted it, so I did not. That was bumped down quickly in Rose forum, so many folks didn't see the sale. Next year I'll message you right away .. the top choices go to those who e-mail within 24 hours when the sale started (Wednesday June 8 at 3 pm eastern time).

Thanks... what I thought. Was checking their site daily but then got too busy and forgot.

For this year June 2017 SUMMER SALE. Roses Unlimited changed their website to a new one, see below:

https://rosesunlimitedsc.com/

Their $12 per gallon own-root started June 6 and lasts for 1 week. Best to e-mail them, since their on-sale roses are sold out fast, some won't be there in their 2018 inventory. I ordered 6 roses from them yesterday via e-mail, and sent a check for $113 through slow mail. Have been doing that yearly since their 2011 summer sale & always receive my roses on time.

My husband called them, and she is getting me the roses I couldn't get this year. I will get them in spring. Also Straw, I've been lurking forever. I used to lurk a few years ago when I first tried roses. I had a really hard time finding the organic rose part of this site. I don't care for the regular rose forum, I'm glad I found the right area, and thank you for all of your advice, here, and in other places I've ran across it. It's been very helpful.

Today is June 7, 2018. Roses Unlimited is having 1/2 price sale, only $10 per gallon of own-root roses, starting today June 7 and ends June 21, 2018. Below is a short list of David Austin roses offered. I love my Christopher Marlowe, bought from them in 2011. It's drought-tolerant and survives seven of my zone 5a winters. I also have James Galway which blooms well in partial shade.

Also love THORNLESS Bohemian Rhapsody, it's a constant bloomer & smells fantastic, and survives my zone 5a winter better than Knock-out. Rabbits and JB leave that bush alone.

Click on the below link for a long list of roses on sale, besides English roses:

David Austin (English Roses): Ambridge Rose, Benjamin Britten, Christopher Marlowe, Heritage, James Galway, Lichfield Angel, Perdita, The Mayflower

https://rosesunlimitedsc.com/

Pat Henry of Roses Unlimited e-mailed me back within 10 min. of my request for 4 roses, with a total bill of $69 (includes shipping cost) to my Chicagoland. Below is Christopher Marlowe, bought from Roses Unlimited in 2011:

Thank you. Not sure if I have any money left for this sale but I'll check it out.

Did you buy anything straw?

Vaporvac: I bought Shocking Blue, Zeph. Drouhin, Savannah, and Orchid Romance. Really kick myself for NOT getting those huge bags of MG-garden-soil for roses sold for $4 each at Walmart early spring. Walmart is sold out, same with HomeDepot, and Lowe's selling it for $9 per bag !! My roses which were grown in MG-moisture-control potting soil had wimpy roots and didn't survive my winter, but my roses which were grown in heavy & wet soil like MG-Garden-soil for roses developed THICK & SOLID roots that survive winter and flower lots. It's even wetter than my clay !!

For the record: every own-root (be it tiny band-size) or gallon-size which I planted right smack into my dense & alkaline clay survive many winters, but the ones which I babied in pots (with potting soil) grew wimpy roots that didn't survive zone 5a winter, no matter how I did it: be it putting potting soil into the ground, or grow in pots 1st, then transfer to the ground (my alkaline clay) later.

MG-garden-soil for roses (pink-bag with pic. of roses) was on sale at Walmart for $4 per huge bag. That soil is AWESOME in moisture-retention. I had 3 bags opened in hot sun over 90 F: Hyponex potting soil, Scott's premium bagged soil, and MG-garden-soil-for roses. Hyponex dried up into hard-granules, Scott's-top-soil dried up to hard-black-pellets, but MG-soil-for roses STAYED WET AND FLUFFY.

I moved W.S. 2000 (own-root) right before winter, and planted that in a bag of MG-garden-soil for roses (only $4), plus mixed In gypsum. W.S. 2000 was the 1st rose to bloom (despite being moved), and having 20+ buds right now as own-root.

Own-roots have short roots, so they can't reach down below for minerals, best use a HIGH-MINERALS & HIGH-NUTRIENTS soil like MG-garden-soil-for roses, which has black-peat (de-composed humus), plus peatmoss & pH-balanced to neutral with lime.

Fluffy potting soil like MG-moisture control can't enable solid roots for winter-survival, like heavy clay or heavy soil like MG-garden-soil for roses. For newly bought own-roots I have to use a HUGE amount of soluble-fertilizer NPK 20-20-20 weekly to get blooms. Potting soil has zero-nutrients peatmoss, plus a few chemical granular-fertilizer.

Too much hassle to fertilize frequently so I would rather use a rich & fertile soil like MG-garden-soil for roses, which is dense & heavy & black peat mixed with peatmoss, rather than fluffy-peat-moss-potting soil which produced wimpy alfalfa-sprout roots and thin canes. I have never seen any black soil which retain moisture as long as MG-garden-soil for roses, see below pic. In contrast, there's the lousy rating for MG-garden soil with mostly wood-chips. Below soil has perfect rating everywhere: Walmart-site, and 33 perfect reviews at HomeDepot site:

I am liking South Africa's color, rich golden orange colour. I wish it would look up so that I can enjoy it. My Austins are resting from mid summer heat. However Graham Thomas has something to say, slightly, especially since he just got started. Mary, Gertrude, and Tranquility are not having it. Take it Easy has full blooms. I hope she continues. I brought this rose from Texas. I planted it in the peat pot and it has really grown this year. It took it (3) years to be recognized. I have Medium Red Clover planted in front of it. I cut my canes down to where I can no longer see brown in the branches. That was a tremendous cutting for Pink Double Knockout. My HTs Fiji and Dark Desire have buds. Dark Desire was so pleasing to my next door neighbor's teenage son that he cut it without asking. There is another bud on Dark Desire, but smaller. I probably should not have let that happen.

I am so pleased that StrawChicago told me about the Roses Unlimited Sale. I got Midas Touch, HT, Sundowner, HT, and Grimm Brother's Fairy Tale, Floribunda.

Portia: Sad to hear that your neighbor's son cut Dark Desire without asking. Thank God that my neighbors don't do that. I have so many tomatoes that I literally beg my neighbors to take, but none bother. But rabbits destroy my roses, chew off the stems, and leave the buds on the ground. I listened to husband and left a bunny-nest of 5 babies alone early spring.

I look up Take it Easy and Grimm Brother's Fairy Tale .. absolutely gorgeous with the colors I love. I find that Austin roses with their light & faded color become brown in tons of rain, or bleach to almost white in hot sun. Deep-color roses like South Africa don't have such problem.

I am really displeased with Tranquility. It gets really dirty looking when it rains. I am also not happy with Madame Anisette. All I see is dirty, No yellow and pink. Earth Angel was beautiful during its spring flush. I am tempted to buy another. It filled out like a beautiful bouquet.

Your Earth Angel is perfect & so healthy !! So Earth Angel petals didn't get brown & dirty with rain? After 2 days of non-stop rain, my Evelyn gets brown-edges, same with Betty White (full sun). It's hard to find a fragrant & light-pink rose that don't get brownish edge in rain.

In contrast, Radio Times (deeper pink) stayed clean & pretty in the rain despite its partial shade location. Sonia Rykiel (light pink) never get "dirty" or brownish edge in the rain. Lost that rose through winter, I miss its scent. Sonia Rykiel's blooms "look-down" so it drains off the excess rain-water, thus NO rotting of petals. Sonia Rykiel is the top-most pink. The apricot-roses are Versigny (on sale for 1/2 price Roses Unlimited Summer 2012 June-sale):

I am in LA and saw a beautiful big rose I'd love to have. I have no idea what the name is for the rose. It is at an apt complex where there are landscapers.

Straw, that is one of the prettiest bouquets you have posted. It looks edible!

Portia: The two pics. you posted above, it's Flower carpet pink supreme, see below link, "Introduced to the US in 1995, Flower Carpet is the original 'eco-rose', requiring no fancy pruning or chemicals to keep it performing all season long."

https://www.pinterest.com/youreasygarden/flower-carpet-pink-supreme/?lp=true

Vaporvac: Thank you !! You are blessed to be in zone 6, with more choices to choose from. I'm tempted to buy Roberto Cappucci from Roses Unlimited sale, but worried about zone 5a hardiness. I lean toward roses that LAST LONG IN THE VASE, which can stand up to 95 degree heat.