I'm trying Above All as a free standing rose. It won't be tip hardy here but if it's anything like Westerland it should work. Westerland makes a free standing shrub about 6x6 here for me buy half way thru the season. This is guess work thou.

Awesome Patty, except Roseraie de l'hay also is one of the most fragrant roses out there, so at a huge size and some good wind in the right direction, would perform the entire yard. I was actually thinking of using that rose for this, so happy to see you suggested it.

I was going to get Above and Beyond for this spot but after direct communications with the breeder it is clear that it would have no rebloom for me.

I also have Above All on order for this spring.

There is also no need too fertilize her she doesn't really like it anyway. Just remember, never spray her with anything but water. She actually does better with drier soil. A nearly no care rose.

Yes sure, the standard rule for Rugosas. I have a Hansa, only fed with compost.

Oh, I do some dead heading in the first month or so. It keeps the bloom continuous but she will still have nice flushes if you don't.

Can rosarie de l'hay tolerate shade?

I have Carefree Beauty, it's Hardy and big, always have blooms on. I'm in zone 6a, near zone 5. :-)

I can't wait for my Carefree Beautys to get here. Beautiful photo summer.

gibsongirl, I don't know about shade tolerance but I'll know this year as the neighbors tree will be partially shading her this year. I am planning on digging a piece of it to move just in case. Very few of my roses get any more than 6 or 7 hours of sun.

I'll throw in Darlows Enigma to the mix. In my area, the rogosas always see to be battling borers, not so with DE. Around here Zone 5b DE can get to 6-7 feet tall and a little wider than that. Doesn't need spraying, listed as fragrant, but not really. Disease and insect free. Some years, mine winter kills it to about 1 foot tall, other years I prune it gets knocked down to 3 feet or so. Performs well in less than full sun.

We had a terrible winter in 2014 and Ascot showed absolutely no damage to the tips. This was a zone 6 until a few years ago, too. Here is the upper part of Ascot, which is ten feet tall. Diane

Ascot

Holy cow... is this the same plant that Palatine has listed as growing 4-5 feet? And yours is probably only 4 years old? Must be the much warmer climate compared to the climate in Canada where Palatine is located.

Yes, it's the same rose. The year I bought my two I think it was listed as 2.5 feet or something odd. HMF says 3-6 feet, but used to say only 3, I think. But funniest is HMF says Ascot grows up to 18 inches wide--mine is about 7 feet. It's a good thing I just happened to plant the one in the photo in a place with lots of room, but I have had to remove a lavender, dianthus, and will remove another big lavender this spring to make way. It's currently duking it out with a huge snowball bush. Who will win? Diane

Ascot in 2013--see how far away the snowball is? The rose is touching it now. The lavender on the right is gone and other will soon be gone; it's being crushed.

Gee weez. And you are only in Zone 7. How is this thing in Southern California? LOL Any comments on its repeat? How are subsequent flushes in comparison to the spring flush?

Richard, Ascot is always in bloom for me--sometimes just a few, but mostly quite a few. Diane

Diane, beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing. I needed that on this cold Winter day.

Thanks, bella. Ascot thanks you, too. Diane

My Rdh grows out in the empty lot. It's ravaged by winter and was tip hardy after worst winter of 2014/2015.

Wow!!! Here in zone 3, I sit amazed!! And it's such a beautiful bush!!

Carol

DA Heritage. I had to sell her she was so large. Heritage is fountain shaped, arching and very large for me. Blooms continuously and is a fragrant pale pink, cupped rose. Also, Queen Elizabeth but she tends to have long canes rather than bushy.

Heritage is a good zone5 here.

The North wind break is important. North wind can destroy any rose in zone5.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3641915/zone-5-rose-shrubs?n=31

I agree that Darlow's Enigma is huge and trouble free, though mine does have rest periods in the summer. My Ascot is substantial and approaching 5', but not as gorgeous or large as Diane's. I'd put in a vote for Bonica if you want a trouble-free never out of bloom large rose. Mine stays around 5-6', but it's in part shade. A zone warmer and in more sun, and it'd be a monster.

Cynthia