Bumping up and hope someone can answer

MPO is a bit of a problem child for me. She is like that mythic little girl - "when she's good, she is very very good, when she is bad she is horrid!!" She does not bloom a lot for me. When she does, if the weather is hot the flowers often turn brown and awful-looking; she balls easily in wet weather. And she gets BS fairly badly (I don't spray). But I tolerate her because when her flowers are good (in cooler weather) she is spectacular - I have her growing with a Betty Corning clematis, and the colors are gorgeous together. Since your climate is hotter than mine (I'm in zone 6 NJ) I suspect she might be problematic for you (I think she hates humidity, too, and I imagine in SC you have a good amount of that). However, I think growing her in a pot is actually a great idea, because not only can you pamper her but you can hide her when she is being sullen and nasty. So I guess my feeling is, if you really love her, why not give it a try?

Just coming back to add to this - I don't want to be overly discouraging here, so I should make it clear that I do NOT pamper MPO in any way, and perhaps if I did, she would behave better. My gardening style is that all my plants get the amount of care that I have time and energy to give them, no more or less, and have to do as well as they can given those conditions. Some roses just don't thrive given what I can provide them, and if they don't have enough redeeming qualities to justify staying in my garden, they are out (or at least banished to what I call "Botany Bay" in the far end of the yard). I have treated MPO with leniency because she really can be beautiful, and my plant is still young (only 2) so she may toughen up with age. Anyway, its quite possible that with spraying and extra fertilizing and etc., MPO might be a much better plant than in my experience.

Thanks Frances I think I will get her and keep her in a pot. I've been looking at her a long time! She's such a beauty! I just have to try her, and hope she will do well.

Alana, I'd get a BIG pot! :-) You can always try out MPO in a pot, get a feel for her preferences and later move her into the garden if that works well. My roses mostly start out in pots anyway since I'm always moving plants around. I still need to plant my Lady Banks that's been in a pot for over 10 years.... Carol

Thanks Carol! Will Do! How big of a pot do you think she will need?

I have MPO. Like all the Bourbons for me, it would like better living than I'm prepared to provide it with, (more food and more summer water, and maybe it would like some fungicide too) so I think in a goodish sized pot with some tlc might suit it very well.

Shapewise, mine grows quite narrow and upright, but it's only a year old in its current spot, having sulked for three in the previous one. The canes are quite thin and flexible for a long time. It's often recommended as a shortish climber or obelisk rose here. It blackspots like a fiend in less than full sun, but then need lots of water or it refuses to bloom in the middle of summer. I haven't seen its blooms scorch though. I've not seen either rust or mildew on it.

Nevertheless I do love it, there's something indescribably charming about the translucent blush shaded blooms. I have perennials around the base to disguise the midsummer nakedness, and in the back of my mixed borders it does well enough.

Thank You fduk!

See ratdogheads that's why I gotta try her! Just Beautiful! Thank you!

Ratdog, oooooo. Seductive photo! I can almost catch MPO's delicious fragrance.

Alana, maybe 15 gallon or up?

Carol

Alana, Home Depot carries resin planters made to look like whiskey barrels, and they're just about the cheapest "large pots" I could find for myself. In your climate, you probably wouldn't have to bring a potted Bourbon inside for Winter, so don't worry about it being too big to move.

22-1/2 in. Dia Rustic Oak Resin Whiskey Barrel Planter with Iron Band

20 in. Resin Whiskey Barrel

:-)

Christopher

Thanks Christopher those are lovely and the perfect size! I'll have to check out our Home Depot and see if they offer something similar,

Edited to say they do! and for the exact same price!