Annabeth, scent detection varies tremendously from person to person. The way I understand it is that we each start out with a set chemical receptors and we don't all have the same ones. (That's what the sense of smell is, the detection of chemicals.) In addition, experiences such as smoking, illness, or plain old age can decrease the strength of the receptors we have. That is apparently why some people can detect scents that others cannot. A person with a superior sense of smell might end up as a perfume expert or wine expert. I would never be able to do either job. As for me, I simply cannot detect much of the tea scent in true tea roses. On the other hand, I pick up distinctly unpleasant notes in some beloved fragrant flowers when they are brought indoors and the concentration builds up. Paperwhites are one such flower. I love them outdoors and in the house find them unendurable. Roses said to have powerful scents are presumably pumping out lots of chemicals that lots of people are able to detect. It may well be this is simply a scent that doesn't work for you. Rosefolly

I'm in zone 6b also, but midcontinental. In my experience, MEC is a spectacular, huge, VERY floriferous rose. But, it needs a few seasons to build up the big structure needed to put out all those blooms. This is only the second season in the ground for my MIP, but it bloomed its heart out anyway on very little plant. Actually, it bloomed some last year too. With MEC, I got no blooms the first season in the ground, and 1 or 2 buds that spoiled the second season. It put on tons of growth that year, then a HUGE flush in the third season. Tons more growth, then another huge flush in its fourth season. It is the most fragrant rose in my garden by far (even more than MIP). The downside is that those massive flushes seem to stress the plant. It needs spraying and generous amendments in my garden. Before those huge flushes, a prettier plant could hardly be found - the burgundy new growth is more prominent than with most other roses - stays around for a long time, like Westerland. Another downside - the blooms spoil somewhat easily. I won't lie, I've struggled with whether to keep it or not, but definitely not for lack of bloom. It's proving not to be a low maintenance rose as it matures. And it's gigantic, so when it's good it's breathtaking, but when it's looking sickly it can't fail to be noticed. I'm hoping reducing it to a more manageable size might help. Both MEC and MIP were healthy 2 year plants when I put them in the ground (from a TX ebay seller and ARE, respectively).

Sara-Ann, do you have any other considerations? How much space do you have? Are you looking for fragrance? I'm nowhere near you, so I don't know which of my favorites would do well there. I'd recommend looking through the websites for the following nurseries, searching by class: Rogue Valley Roses Rose Petals Nursery Angel Gardens I'm not knocking other nurseries, but those three above have large inventories among many different classes, especially among the older types. If you find some which appeal to you, look them up on HelpMeFind for more information and pics -- and to see if they're listed in member gardens in your part of the country. Then come back here and ask about specific roses. Going back to my roses, there are a few which I think you may enjoy, if you like fragrance. 'Botzaris' -- once-blooming Damask 'Duchesse de Montebello' -- once-blooming Gallica or Hybrid China, smells like Jonquils "Grandmother's Hat" -- a "found" rose of Hybrid Perpetual type 'Marie Pavie' -- repeat-blooming Polyantha, and one of the most fragrant of this group which isn't otherwise known for fragrance 'Pink Soupert' -- if you like the idea of 'Clotilde Soupert' but are leery of balling, this offspring of it keeps the fragrance, has more color, and doesn't ball for me 'Yolande d'Aragon' -- a tall Hybrid Perpetual which, for me, needs a Summer haircut to rebloom I've experimented with some Chinas and Teas, which bloom over and over through the season, but get hit hard by Winter here. If your Summers are long and hot, they'll get enough of what they need to rebound every year. Generally, Chinas are a touch more cold-hardy than Teas, but there are exceptions both ways. If you're afraid of losing a rose to Winter, start with a few Chinas before Teas. But throw in "Bermuda Spice" along with your first Chinas as your "guinea pig" for Teas. For me, "Bermuda Spice" blooms nonstop all season, though its blooms get smaller and whiter when temperatures are above 90F. I have to cut it back really hard in Spring to remove Winter damage, but it still gets back to over 4' tall and 5' wide by the end of Autumn. And the blooms smell -- to me -- like fresh cut grapefruit. Have fun looking up some of the older beauties! And welcome to the world of OGRs. :-) ~Christopher

I'm glad cleaning the lens worked for you! For me, it doesn't help at all. My iPhone 5 took amazing pictures, but the 6 is just so terrible. I could still tell how gorgeous your roses are despite a slight fogginess though, you must enjoy spending time in your lovely garden so much!