I'm not sure about California, but the best nearly-thornless roses in my garden are: Reine des Violettes: Mine, from The Antique Rose Emporium, is 7 ft tall and has NEVER produced a single thorns on any of its canes. A remarkable, beautiful, highly fragrant rose. I've seen roses marked as RdV from some other sources that did have some thorns, so be careful who your supplier is. Jefferson Rose: I've never seen a single thorn on my plant (from Chamblees). Basye's Blueberry: Never seen a thorn on either of the two specimens I've grown of this unique & cheerful single-petaled rose. Pink Gruss an Aachen: A must have! This rose is very nearly completely thornless and so mannerly in the garden. Note: the original Gruss an Aachen is moderately thorny ... the nearly thornless one is the PINK sport. There is a distinct difference in thorn count between the two. This pink sport is almost never marketed as being "thornless", yet it is much smoother than many roses that are marketed as "thornless". All my Pink Gruss an Aachen's have come from Chamblees. Nur Mahal: Mine is totally thornless and smooth as a baby's rump. If you appreciate thornless roses, you will love this one. I like its arching plant habit, very natural looking in the garden. I couldn't bare to prune it and take a chance on altering its natural form. I adore this rose and stick my hand into it almost very time I walk by, because I can. The smooth leaves and canes slide harmlessly over my hands. Yes, I know, I'm easily entertained :-) Mrs Dudley Cross: Not completely thornless, but very lightly thorned. Basically harmless to handle. Heritage: None of David Austin's English roses are "thornless", and he should never advertise any of them as thornless, but this one is the closest to it that I have seen of his. A very beautiful and fragrant rose. Valentine: Nearly thornless. It would be very rare for this rose to scratch you. Always the first to bloom in my garden and usually the last to stop at first freeze in the winter. Gilbert Nabonnand: The canes are mostly without thorns and usually very smooth, but there are definitely lots of the small prickles underneath each and every leaf mid-rib. You might not be able to see any thorns, but those hidden, tiny prickles can grab you. Beautiful form on this plant's shape. Marie Pavie / Marie Daly: Hardly any thorns on the canes, but quite a few of the tiny prickles underneath the leaf mid-ribs. Some roses advertised as "nearly thornless" that were not even close to being thornless for me are: Paul Neyron Thomas Affleck Vick's Caprice All three are great roses, but are not "nearly thornless" in my garden. Have fun with your selection, Randy

Hi Lisette: Golden Celebration lasts 2-3 days if it' hot weather, and 3 days if it's cool. Her prickles are spaced apart so you can chop them off with a scissor. I love my Golden Celebration, she's healthy here but I'm not sure elsewhere. Molineux is recommended as low-thorn, but less vase life and less scent. Happy Child is low-thorn, but a wimpy grower. My kid hates thorns so I did some reseach on thorns from the Encyclopedia of Roses. Romanticas last longer than Austins - there's Tchaikovski (apricot) and Michelangelo (medium yellow). Delbard is sturdy as well, there's Souv. de Marcel Proust (medium yellow). Jay-Jay from the Netherlands recommended me Licht Konigin Lucia (yellow) thornless, a Kordes. Roses Unlimited offer the above. I would like to know if Austin Teasing Georgia last 3 days in a vase, if I can chop her thorns with a scissor, and if she has a good fragrance. Thank you for any info.

Or, if you're in an area with higher summer heat, plant Purezza. Regular Banksiae will flower much of the summer where it's quite coastal. There, the 'spring weather' continues most of the summer until later fall and they flower as long as they "think" it's spring. If your area gets HOT, I mean in the nineties and above, earlier than say, September, Purezza will flower as long as it is HOT. Neither present cleanup problems as neither have flesh ripping prickles and both are rudely healthy in most places. Purezza only comes in white. Traditional Banksiae comes in double and single white as well as buttery yellow. You can shear it as Anita says. I know of several landscape companies which machete it and the plants THRIVE. Kim

Laurie: I have an original knock-out and where I live it's a day-glo cerise pink. Little Business is more of a mauve. I don't really know of any daylilies that match knock-out. Maybe try a light pink daylily, that wouldn't clash too bad. My mom has a dark, dark- almost black maroon daylily (don't know the name, dying to get a fan of that!!!) that might look good with knock-out too. Knock-out can be a challenge with companions. I have a red snapdragon and a Voodoo Dahlia next to mine.