Hi gibsongirl, I grow her. She has a prime sunny protected location, maybe a zone 6 pocket. Overall she's rather fragile, but has been snow line hardy and I've gotta hand it to her, she's survived a few winters with cold-snaps under 10 degrees. I'm hopeful that she'll grow stronger with maturity, but if not I'll be satisfied if she remains just strong enough to give me a few of her exquisite blooms a year. I seem to recall someone on this forum who grew her someplace cold in Europe, Sweden maybe?

I grew her from a band, she reached almost 3' by the third year and produced consistent scattered blooms throughout the summer. I moved her last summer and she didn't like that one bit. She died back to under 2', didn't put on any new growth, didn't bloom. Blackspot resistance is not great, I do spray anti fungal for roses that are badly affected, and she needed it last year.

Ratdogheads, thanks for your input on this rose! I know what you mean about having a little spot in your garden that is a zone. I'm pretty sure I have a little patch of zone 7! What other old white roses do you grow? I'm thinking of Madame Alfred Carriere and Boule de Neige.

Old white roses...not as many as I wish. Aimee Vibert, as you know, which is probably even more of a gamble than KPV. I have White Pet and Marie Pavie, which are reliable must-haves, small and worth squeezing in somewhere, especially since they're both shade tolerant. White Pet has those adorable pink buds, and Marie is so graceful.

A couple years ago I decided to focus on smaller roses to give myself room for more variety. So no MAC for now. One large (maybe old) white I grow and highly recommend is Darlow's Enigma. I will probably try to find room for Alba Semi Plena. I know a very old specimen growing in z6 and I really admire its simple elegance.

I tried and discarded the portland Blanc de Vibert. It was grafted on multiflora and as odd as it sounds, I think this made it overly vigorous. The growth was ungainly and overwhelmed the lovely but hopelessly infrequent blooms, Portland blooms are short stemmed so if the foliage is too prominent the blooms get lost. I'd like to give it a try own root.

Mme Pierre Oger is not completely white but might appeal to you. It's been incredibly hardy and vigorous for me. Delicate translucent white petals tinged with pink.

I couple of my favorite "old style" whites are Fair Bianca and Francine Austin.

I grow Kronprincessin Viktoria as well in zone 5, and my experience is mostly like Ratdogheads. It has survived at least 6 winters and blooms now and then, but even in reasonable sun it's neither a prolific or showy bloomer. I also grow Madame Alfred Carriere and when she blooms, she's amazing, but she only seems to bloom on surviving cane and even then only once a year. She grows immense 8 foot canes from being pruned to the ground, but I've only had surviving cane one year (stunning). She might do better in zone 6 protected, but watch her - she gets BIG.

Cynthia

Katharina Zeimet is very beautiful IMO, like a constellation of stars in a night sky. http://ruze.wi.cz/fotogalerie/katharina-zeimet-1.html

Seafoam another good one -- a sprawler with small flowers. Tough as nails but graceful in appearance.

But I think if you are interested in Kronpincessin Viktoria, you should try her. She is a sport of the blush pink Souvenir de la Malmaison which is consistently listed as hardy in zone 6. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

that is a beautiful picture Mariannes! I have a tiny yard so I have to be super picky but I believe that in every yard there is a right and wrong place for certain plants. When I bought my house it came with some really great plants but it seems like everything was planted in the wrong spot. I had 5 hybrid tea roses growing in full shade (under a tree that I'm sure was small when they were planted) so I moved them to all different spots and I think I hit the rose planting jackpot for one of them. Full sun from sun rise to sun set. I think I will try Kronprinzessin there. I think I also have a great spot for MAC. She will get full sun but will be protected from the winter winds. Seafoam is on my long list. I just have to find a spot. Fair Bianca is one I haven't heard of and that one is very tempting. Thank you all for your help and feedback!

I've tried her twice with little success. Maybe with more tlc than I'm willing to give she'd do better. Roanoke can go from 5 to 6b, so I'm not sure it all just the winter. As someone above said, she's fragile.

I am in zone 5, and I thought I had possibly lost her the first winter she was in the ground as a small band. However, she grew back from the roots (own root) but did not bloom much this past year. I also have Souvenir de la Malmaison and that one seems to do better in the growth and bloom department.

I wonder if this is not one of those which does better grafted in colder climates.

Thank you everyone for your comments. I ordered Souvenir de la Malmaison and I'm going to try that out first. I'm new to rose growing.