I've recently planted Borderer and Suitor, which grow to 18" and 12" acc to HMF. I generally find my roses grow to double the size they give. HMF says both roses only go to 9b, but I am in 10a or b. They're Australian bred, by the same man (Alister Clark) who bred Lorraine Lee, which HMF says also only goes to 9b, but Lorraine Lee used to be a stalwart in Sydney gardens, so I'm hopeful. Borderer is in flower, and very pretty. Suitor is smothered in a ridiculous number of buds. My camera broke, and I have a mobile that belongs in a museum, or I'd post a photo. Both are available in the US. Good luck with whatever you plant. Trish. Well, I take back what I said about Borderer. Today we had our first hot day of Spring (86), and the blooms that were so pretty this morning are now fried to a crisp. 3 or 4 of Suitor's buds have opened, and they are unaffected. This post was edited by titian1 on Sun, Oct 5, 14 at 1:59

Maybe you should consider some mini roses--like Green Ice (a white with a hint of greenish overtones in certain temperature)--the blooms are small but prolific. The plant itself grows about 1.5 to 2 ft tall and spreads out about 2 ft. It is highly disease-resistant and blooms most of the summer. It is a very nice smaller rose. Of consider Little Sunset --I got mine at Palatine Nursery (Canada). I've only had it 2 years now, but it is spreading like crazy and putting out buds all over. Sunset colors--quite dramatic. So far, has had almost no BS problems. If by smaller you mean normal size blooms on--let's say--a 3 ft bush, then try Austin's Pretty Jessica (pink). Or try a floribunda called Easter Basket. Or Austin's Munstead Wood --mine is new, but it is supposed to get 2-3 ft tall--has gorgeous and dramatic dark red-purple blooms--supposed to have good disease-resistance--I sure hope so, cuz I'm really liking my new Munstead Wood. That should get you started. Kate

Here's someone growing them in zone 9, even though Brent and Becky's says to zone 8 on their website. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1379567/question-about-colchicums You may find other links as well if you do a search of garden web.

I don’t have blooms on my ranunculus either Azusa, just foliage. Looking back on my records, my ranunculus start blooming in late March or early April every year. I live about 12 miles from the famous “Carlsbad Flower Fields”. They grow thousands of ranunculus, and sell the cut flowers and corms, seasonally. The fields are open from March 1 -May 12. Their ranunculus bloom a little earlier in Carlsbad, (slightly warmer nights by the coast) and bloom longer, (cooler Spring days, than at my place, 12 miles inland.) Your ranunculus sound like they’re right on schedule. I’m trying to overwinter my lisianthus this year. I didn’t realize they were actually tender perennials, until this year. The foliage looked very ratty by November, and I recently cut them back to a healthy looking rosette of foliage. Mine get a bit of afternoon shade, and I made sure to amend the little planting holes with perlite and compost. My soil is heavy clay, and I suspect they’d rot without the extra drainage. I really would like to grow some of the really unusual colors available at Johnny’s Seed, but I hear they’re difficult from seed. Stocks are great winter bloomers for us. Isn’t the scent wonderful? I purchased some very pale pink stock seed, from Floret, but I haven’t seen a thing from them. I did save at least half of them, so I’ll try again in the Fall. You picked out some lovely roses! We pale pink lovers don’t lack for choice when it comes to roses, that’s for sure. I’ve never grown Scepter’d Isle, but it’s gorgeous in pictures. My Queen of Sweden wasn’t very happy planted in the hottest, sun-scorched spot I could have possibly given it. It’s no surprise she didn’t perform very well for me. I’ve learned that very few David Austin roses are truly happy in full, blazing sun in MY yard. In my yard the true exception to this has been ‘Evelyn’. Everyone’s got a different microclimate, though. Those growing the exact same rose, in the same zone, can get drastically different results. I need to look up that pink lavender! I didn’t realize there was a pale pink one available. I’ll be looking up your camellias, as well. I’m currently growing one, and it finally has a few buds on it. I can’t remember if it’s a pale pink, or a darker pink. That’s another thing I need to look up. Every year I vow to be more organized in my garden journal. I’m finding it SO helpful to look back on. The problem is remembering to write it down in the first place. There are some gorgeous breadseed poppies out there. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pale pink ones. They do great here if you throw the seed around in mid November. Lisa