Kristy - The bloom on Boscobel does fade to a lighter pink. I just happened to catch this one on a cloudy and very shady day. As far as the fragrance, so far, I have only noticed a mild fragrance, but I have only had a few flowers on this new bush. Thanks for the compliments. Suebelle

drive a stake right down thru the pot.. and out a drainage hole.. and anchor that bad boy down ... or just burn it.. as you well know how we all feel about this plant. .. lol ... ken PS: hint!!!!! .. never buy a tree so big .. that the pot its in cant hold it up ... there are either no roots on it from a poor field digging [becasue the pot is too small] .. or they are going to be so wrapped around.. that you will never get them untangled ... you went a little too much instant gratification on size ... and the proof is.. you already have trouble.. frankly ... take it back now ... you will find another.. sooner or later ...

That looks very healthy!

Yes, flowers from the fresh growth as you describe is flowering on new wood. Flowering only on old wood was beneficial for types from short growing seasons when the resources and weather were right for reproduction. Think those from areas with deep, cold winters and areas where the rains come during a short season and the rest of the year is either very hot and dry, or cold and dry. Many of these types are also deciduous, they lose their foliage during the coldest (or, in cases such as R. Minutifolia, they go summer dormant and bare) times then rapidly regrow the foliage when the warmer, rainy weather arrives. Most species roses fall in to this group as do Albas, Hybrid Chinas, Gallicas, Damasks, Centifolias, early Mosses. More evergreen types (except things like Banksiaes and Laevigata) have the ability to flower not only on some of that old wood, but also on growth which they have just produced. Many Bourbons, Hybrid Perpetuals, Portlands, later Mosses, Chinas, Teas, most Noisettes, most Hybrid Musks, Hybrid Teas, polyanthas, floribundas, miniatures (most) and many shrubs are either remontant, meaning they will flower in spring, then at some time later in the growing season, or they are more reliably "repeat flowering", meaning they cycle regularly or even continuously during that season. There is bound to be confusion in all of this due to climate and weather. Banksiae flowers when the weather is very "spring-like". When the really hot, dry weather arrives, like almost all once-flowering types, it stops flowering and just grows. Plant it where "spring" lasts for months and it responds by flowering for months, leading some to think they've found a "repeat blooming Banksiae". Nope, as with every other response from every other plant, it is simply responding to the conditions it encounters. Purezza is a Banksiae hybrid which flowers repeatedly...unless you live where it remains cool, then it might not flower at all. The hotter it is, the more Purezza flowers. Shrubs, get ready for a headache. "Shrub" simply means a bush type of growth. Anything which does not generate the overly long "climbing" canes is a shrub. In a harsher climate, quite a few "climbers" grow like "shrubs". In endless summer climates, many shrubs grow like "climbers". Many once flowering types will "repeat" their bloom in cool climates where the spring-like conditions continue for months. What's particularly surprising is many of those which flower on old wood, WILL flower on new shoots they produce in cool weather. Quite a few which require the warmth to flower, won't flower where and when it's too cool. You may be surprised to witness how many "repeat flowering" types which don't repeat because the heat/warmth doesn't last long enough.