VERY. It has gorgeous flowers, no doubt, but it has a very awkward architecture and loathes making new basal breaks unless hard pruned, which it also hates. A client HAD to have it in her garden because the flowers were used in her daughter's wedding. The plant lived (and may still be alive, though I haven't seen it for nearly two years and Chili Thrips are now in that area) for easily seventeen years, but it was always difficult getting it to replenish itself. The bush was nearly five by five feet and it cropped flowers regularly. It just wasn't a very attractive plant. Yves is at the top left of this photo, with White Pet growing up through it.

Again at the left side, under the rustic bird house. Linda Campbell at the top with Abraham Darby in the foreground and White Pet in the lower left.

Yves behind the hollyhocks and a bit of Margo Koster, one of the very few roses I truly hate, but her deceased sister's name was Margo, so...

Yves.

Thank you so much for the descriptive photos roseseek. This is probabaly why there are so many photos of gorgeous blooms, but not a lot of the plant itself. Huh. Ok so it's gonna be awkward and lanky no matter where I put it.

My original though of the stone wall and trying to take young canes to go as lateral as they will go is probably still the best then. Maybe with others to grow around it and hide it's weirdness.

I seem to have developed this habit of trying to tame and bend roses to my will.

You're welcome! That's why I gave up and allowed White Pet to eat the Yves' insides. It made a gorgeous bouquet with all the dense White Pet foliage and huge clusters of white flowers supporting Yves' flowers. Even before that permission, Yves wasn't a pretty plant, but White Pet did help. I don't think you could get much out of it trying to train it as a climber. It just doesn't grow like that.

Thank you both for the great advice and photos! Hmmm. I think this is one that I might need to move around in the pot for a little while to figure out where to put it. I really like the idea of another rambler eating it's insides though. ;)

here in Europe they sell a "Climbing Yves Piaget",which I have. But can't really comment on it; this is yet another of those many roses that I had growing in overly-poor, badly prepared /amended soil. I moved it a month ago, hopefully improving it's conditions.But after seeing this thread, I wonder if this "climbing" YP is really any different from the "normal" YP,lol...

Off topic a little, but Roseseek, why do you hate Margo Koster?

Ugly growth habit/awkward architecture; tremendously ugly wood; ugly foliage color/shape/texture; ugly flower shape/color; how the foliage and flower colors clash; how the whole plant clashes with anything grown near it; addiction to mildew unless sprayed; addiction to ugly stem crud unless sprayed; refusal to drop spent flowers without assistance, either mechanical or through heavier rains or being hosed out. There is just nothing about her I find redeemable. The climbing sport is just a whole lot more to find objectionable.

I have 3 standards and they are lanky but always in bloom... and I love the fragrance. My one bush is lanky but Im hoping that it will get better with time.

Thank you so much everyone!

It is a pretty scraggly bush isn't it? It definitely needs some filling in. Either white pet or with another little dwarf rambler polyantha, or even a once bloomer that has pretty foliage or a geranium or something.

I'm sure over time we will think of something to soften its funky lines on this forum. The blooms deserve a prime spot. The bush... meh. They're so weird looking and awkward!

I'm so thankful for all of you! Without you I would have been kinda unhappily surprised by the bush as it grew... but now I have knowledge and a plan! :)

You could use a clematis to fill in, too, depending on size of rose and of said clematis...

@roseseek : Kim, how close together did you plant White Pet to Yves P in order to achieve filling in without too much root competition?

Kim, Thank you for taking the time to answer. :) Good info to have.

Clematis would look so pretty filling it in other yards or climates. They don't do so well in my yard. I think it's too hot/dry for them.

I was thinking.... I have some lanky Austins in these decorative tomato cages / obelisk trellises. They're kind of like tall peony cages. I found them at Orchard Supply. Something like that might work well for Yves too instead of filling it in with other plants (or both ideas might look great too)!

Forgive the messy look of the garden, we have had rain and wind on and off the past week! YES! But these are the supports I think might work to hold Yves more upright:

They're working well so far for Young Lycidas and Falstaff. :)

My Yves is a good 5 years old. There is really not much to prune today other than clean up stuff. It is maybe 3x3. Personally, I would not put it in a prime spot. It's growth habit better resembles a rumble weed with no neck blooms. I love the blooms, but t since it is right out my bedroom window, I would rather something better

Cori Ann, how about trying the rose, Leonardo da Vinci? Hortico has it, and I think, Palatine. I've wanted that one for ages. Just remembered you already have Yves. Diane

Leonardo da Vinci is a feast for the eyes. No scent though right? Maybe Diane. It is absolutely gorgeous. On second thought... no. I already have so much to do in my yard now. I must just let everything grow and leave it be this year to see how it all does. If I find a few soft pink striped roses I want I will get those (like Cee Dee Moss and the Delbard painter series roses that aren't available here)... but besides that I'm going to restrain myself from any others.

I did end up putting my Yves in the ground with one of those tall peony cage like trellises. I'm thinking Peppermint Parfait or Mini Eden (AKA Mimi Eden - weird) might be able to wind through it --- and the circular trellis will help it to keep upright and to give the little climbing roses something to wind around as well. Let's see how it does.

I'm so glad I asked and that you all are so generous with your answers though. If I didn't realize Yves was such a "rumble weed" I would have really mucked this up. Now I at least have a chance of making it puuurrrrdy. ;)

Rumble weed. Oops should have been tumble weed. It is stiff enough that a cage is not needed for it. It really does resemble a ball of random angle canes

Hmmm. Darn. :/

I guess I really am going to rely on something else to fill it in and hide it's weirdness. Maybe the cage will help the filler.

I am hoping annual "dove weed",turkey mullein, (croton setigerus) could grow over some bare rose canes vulnerable to sunburn on a few of my plants that were getting baked, Cori Ann. Maybe an annual "filler" could fill out your Yves Piaget base. I tried to sprinkle the turkey mullein around to encourage this around a few of mine with inadequate foliage cover and hot location.

That's an idea worth experimenting with Sheila. The Lacy Phacelia and Alfalfa seeds I threw into the soil this fall had no trouble germinating. I will see how they look as they grow and if I like them I could try those (or other annuals) first before putting in another rose or another perennial.

Here's a picture of my standard Yves Piaget. below it is Brilliant Pink Iceberg

First blooms. :-) I tried the large supports... they're like tall peony cages. Let's see what happens!

Hi Cori - If you happen to go to Marin, there's an YP growing in the Marin Art and Garden Center maintained by the Marin Rose Society. I took this photo a couple of weeks ago. It's gorgeous and fragrant! I think it was about 4 ft tall, and I don't recall seeing a strange growth habit but it was planted in back of another rose which might have been hiding the base of the plant.

Ann

WOW! Ann that is just absolutely gorgeous! What a wonderful living advertisement and testament for the Marin Rose Society!

It's a lovely garden - here's a link to photos I posted last year.

MAGC Spring 2016

Here's another fabulous rose garden in Woodland which is very hot, similar to your microclimate. If you're on the way to Sacramento on I-80, take I-505 to Woodland. The library is in the downtown area.

Woodland Library Rose Garden

Ann

Wow Ann, what a gorgeous picture! Cori Ann, I think your Yves looks great like that. The peony support is definitely helping. I haven't done anything about mine, and it still has that awkward look to it. Of course the blooms make me keep it, but it is a funny looking bush. Lisa

It's very angular isn't it? Strange juxtaposition to the curvy, frilly blooms.

Mine will probably still grow like that, but the large peony style cage will give the illusion of something more graceful I think. It might corral it in a little too. We will see.

I don't know if it will still work if it gets taller than 5 feet, but the supports I am using seem to be working well for now! I put most of Yves Piaget's most canes inside the support to help it stay upright, but also allowed one or two to escape on each side. Buds from Stainless Steel are also coming over from about 3 feet away. Summer Romance is around the corner on the other side. Climbing Mini Eden is crowded in down below just in case Yves Piaget needed something to hide and fill in its growth. I don't think Mini Eden is really necessary now, but I like it the way it is all turning out!

Nice, Cori Ann. I love the look of yours in the support. I'd like to do the same, but mine isn't in a good spot for a support. My Yves is planted bordering the park next door, and I'm fairly certain someone will walk off with it. I threw some blue pimpernel seeds around Yves base, and it reseeds for me. It is rather low growing, so it didn't hide Yves funny habit, but at least distracted the eye from it a bit. It's out of bloom now, and new seedlings are coming up, so here is a picture from June. Lisa

Lovely! I can't wait for mine to have full, frilly blooms like that!

Beautiful! Are all the Yves from just one plant? I don't think I ever get that many at once! Lisa

Yup. The one I have on the corner of the wall. It was late to bloom (at least I think... compared to others... it's my first spring/summer with it). It recently just decided to really go for it and bloom a lot! My other one has a few blooms too, but not as many, and I didn't catch them before the heat got them.

They're not as petal packed and frilly as yours though. Maybe next year. :-)

Insanely gorgeous!

Cori Ann: would you mind updating us on how you tamed, and disguised the awkward growth habit of Yves Piaget? I would love to see how it’s been doing for you? Also how many blooms do you normally get in one flush, and how many flushes do you get throughout the season? I’m looking for a rose similar in color with romantic bloom form... I was seriously considering Yves Piaget but then once I saw it’s awkward growth habit I’m re-thinking my idea. I’m in Orange County, California about 6 miles from the ocean. I’ve had my eye on this rose for years, but could not figure out how I would deal with its wonky tumble weed like growth habit. The blooms on your Yves Piaget arrangement are stunning! It’s incredible you got that many blooms from one plant. When ever I’ve seen Yves Piaget, it’s only had a handful of spade blooms... if that.

@Ann-SoCalZ10b SunStZ22 Cori Ann hasn't posted in ages. If she has her email alerts set up, she might be notified if you send her a private message.

John

Thank you John!

Ann - I have 2 standard Yves Piaget that are always in bloom and in abundance. I also have a bush Yves Piaget that is just ugly. It does not bloom much for me, I recently moved it behind Olivia Austin Rose to hide its ugly shape. I keep it because the blooms are truly beautiful and its very fragrant for me. I am in Inland SoCal close to the foothills. When it bloooms I will post some pictures.

Yes please... post those pics. I’d love to see them. Wow! How lucky you are to have a tree form of Yves Piaget constantly in bloom. Can’t wait to see it.

I just bought a bare root Yves Piaget from my local nursery today (hehehe) the form looks much better than the one I have in the ground now.

Haku84: I wonder if it will grow into a pretty form as a bare root rose. Do you know anyone who grows it barefoot?

Ann, do you mean own root?