I decided on LULLABY (Polyantha, 1953) which has the most exquisite quartered little pure white blossoms with emerald green button eyes that remind me of a miniature Madame Hardy. I've actually grown this rose before. I shoveled pruned two of them years ago because their blossoms were only slightly fragrant, and replaced them with Clotilde. Well after years of putting up with mummified foliage I'm going back to the old standbys. I don't use these roses for cut flowers so the slight fragrance isn't an issue anymore. I decided against Marie Pavie and White Pet for different reasons. I have a cottage garden and prefer roses with Old Garden Rose flower form (either globular, flattened rosette, or quartered), which fit in better with the garden design. Marie Pavie's buds are more high centered than I normally like. The mature blossoms are also rather formless and disheveled looking. As for White Pet the growth habit is a wee bit more low and spreading than the petite bushiness that I'm looking for in the typical Polyantha. Thanks also for the Floribunda and Shrub rose suggestions but I really need a Polyantha for the two spots in the front of the flower bed. The rest of my roses are big Austins and Bourbons. I like the contrast between the clusters of little rosettes on the Polyanthas with the luxurious decadence of the larger flowered cultivars. Here is a link that might be useful: Lullaby at HelpMeFind Roses

Thanks Carla, Carol, Brandy, Randy, DUchesse, and Predfern. The photos were not taken at night. I looked up the hardiness and I've got it as hardy from zone 6. I hardly ever see any dieback here in zone 7. I forgot to mention that my Clotildes have hardly been watered all summer..I think I watered them twice and we are in one of the worst droughts in recorded history here. It is still blooming away and even though it has been high 80's or 90's this week. It's just a trooper. Here's a front yard pic or two. I planted my front yard full of roses because the soil in front is good, the morning light is good, and I have a less than wonderful view out of my front door so I created a little enclosed feeling with big wild roses. Altogether it's a bit untamed and I do get offers to cut them down to size like they should be. This is a few years ago: Gertrude Jekyll ( no longer with us) Linda

I've only grown Cornelia & cl. Pinkie of your list, but here's another vote for Pinkie. In both zones I've had it in TX--the humid coastal prairie & here in the hill country--it's a happy, ever blooming fool. Individual flowers are little nothings, but it has tons of them in huge cascades, flush after flush. This is in no-spray gardens with very indifferent care. Here, it's growing in extremely poor soil, partly shaded & very rarely watered. But it's as boisterous as it was down south with 3 times the rain. Great rose. Heck, you can even pick it up at HEB in February--that's where I got my current cl. Pinkie.

Lisa , it really can be so bad ! I almost wish the thing would die so I don't feel so guilty about it . It smells like heaven when it's doing well !