Chris: Queen of Sweden WANTS to be pruned. She doesn't want to be pegged or trained laterally. She has upright posture and would not deign to flop over a roof. I have two hedges of Queen of Sweden and several more scattered throughout my gardens because she roots easily and is a great rose to fill in narrow spaces. I deadhead mine every week and prune once a month. And she rewards me with a continuous bloom. If you don't want to prune you will have, as someone else said, sky pencils. But she is easy to cut back and this task of love should only take a couple minutes. I don't think it's a matter at all of forcing a plant to fit a spot. Some roses just require pruning to look their best. Best wishes!

Hi Grace, it can be really hard to time a rose to an event. I'd suggest you find something that is known for blooming often, rather than blooming in flushes, so that there are likely to be flowers on it when the event happens. Maybe look at some polyantha roses. I grow Marie Pavie, and she blooms often for me, and has a wafting fragrance. I haven't grown the miniature rose Sweet Chariot, but have read that it has a tendency to drape, which can look pretty in a container. Another thought would be to go to a garden center shortly before the event, and choose a rose that has a lot of buds set. That might be the simplest way to be sure that you give your friend a rose that is blooming. Also, if you order a rose over the internet it may be smaller than you would like, or could arrive defoliated, so would take more time to look really good.

Ok, Y'all gave me great suggestions! I have ordered some Salvia from here Colonia Creek Farm - I ordered 2 each of Omaha Gold Hummingbird Sage (s. guaranitica) and Mexican Bush Sage 'Midnight' (salvia leucantha 'Midnight') Regarding Lavender, I have tried several types in the past in pots with well draining soil and they look great until about mid-May. Then they just die no matter what I try. It's just too humid and rainy here for them. I'm going to look into Shasta or Becky Daisies, more Echinacea (I have a few), cranesbill (boy are these expensive!! 15.00+ at all the online plant sites I've seen. Cranesbill may be too expensive for me! If anyone wants to trade some divisions of their plants for either a Brugmansia Frosty Pink (rooted and ready to go!) or a Loquat seedling, let me know! Thanks!

Personally I would not be worried or bother spraying - pretty minimal damage. You cannot expect every leave to be perfect!