There are lots of roses that take cool summer climates. All of western Washington is cool summer, and we grow fantastic roses here. In my garden I have Oklahoma, Memorial Day, The Prince, Aloha, Buff Beauty, Maria Shriver and Marie Pavie. the first two are always slow to bloom as they would like more heat than they get here, but when they do finally start blooming (like July) they are very high quality. I don't currently have Peace, but it does very well here, the flowers are ginormous in our cool springs and summers. Many of the Austins actually do very well here, given sufficient blackspot protection, that's their weakest point. All the antiques do well too, except the teas really want more heat than we get. But the once-bloomers like gallicas and albas and centifolias do very well. Then again being in Oregon you'll get more heat in summer than we do so teas might do well for you. Check in with your local rose society, they should have recommendations for roses that do well locally. We have a list on our local society's web page you can check out too. Here is a link that might be useful: Roses recommended by Olympia RS

People dislike Sterling Silver because it is usually a very weak and sickly plant that puts out few flowers. The flowers are gorgeous but you don't get many for all the work the plant requires. It was a breakthrough in rose colors when it came out so it's a pretty famous name, even indifferent gardeners know that name so people ask for it specifically and then it dies on them and then they think 'roses are too hard to grow'. Stainless Steel is an improved version, a bit healthier and more floriferous with the same color and scent. When I was the rose buyer at the local retail nursery there were a few roses that every customer knew the name of and would ask for and that I could have sold any number of: Peace, Mr. Lincoln, Tropicana, and Sterling Silver. I would carry the first two because they perform ok here but I refused to carry the last two because they don't grow well here and they turn people off of roses. Blue Girl too to a lesser extent, but same result for the gardener - won't grow. It's all marketing hype, just like everyone asks for Red Delicious apples and Concord grapes. neither of which grow well here, and there have been so many better varieties introduced since they came out. Big Purple for me was more of a dark pink. Excellent fragrance, but not purple. Fragrant Plum and Melody Parfumee are both real mauve color and very fragrant but it's been a long time since I've grown them. Barbra Streisand was a weak grower for me but performed beautifully when I gave it to a friend with better soil.

Thank you all so much for your kind and thoughtful replies. I am sorry to be so delayed in replying to you all. Every piece of advice here has been very helpful, thank you again. Now that I have a little more research under my belt, reading these names and descriptions is not nearly as confusing as it once was. All the different species sound so varied and unique that it is difficult to decide what NOT to try. In the very short time I have been growing roses I have quickly learned that the health of the plant is it's most important feature, that and making sure it is right for my climate and conditions. I really love having these forums and Help Me Find as resources to help me research and plan for future purchases. Having said that I will admit I do love an experiment, so one or two bad reviews on an otherwise well loved, beautiful plant will not stop me from ordering something I really want to try. .........So, I decided to dive in head first (as always) and I ordered a few roses of various types that I have taken note of while reading various posts on the forums, including: Crepuscule SDLM Reine De Violettes Marie Pavie Buff Beauty Maggie Ducher Duchesse de Brabant Reve D'Or Lady Hillingdon Lady Hillingdon Climber (probably didn't need both, but I couldn't help it, she looks so lovely) Francis Dubreuil (I know this is probably just an old HT masquarading as a tea, but lets just pretend) & Mme Isaac Pereire (not the picture of health I know but I just have to smell this so called most fragrant rose in the world) and I already have a second list going after reading all your helpful replies, and I have a feeling that I will be adding a few more polyanthas, hybrid musks, teas, and bourbons to it, and maybe I'll try a rugosa too. I was initially nervous about trying Teas because most of the ones I'm interested in are listed as hardy to zone 7, and since I am right on the line between zone 6 and zone 7 I was hesitant in trying these, but I just decided to go with it and hope for the best. Also, I hope that I don't annoy Ms. Ann Peck to death with all the questions I am likely to ask her on future posts, but having someone with so much more rose knowledge than I right in my own little climate zone will truly be very helpful, as I have literally zero friends or family that shares my interest in roses, so I am pretty much on my own in learning everything about these crazy shrubs, thank goodness for the internet! Miss Ann, if you are reading, I just today discovered the existence of "Old Gray Cemetery Noisette" while looking through Roses Unlimited's selection of noisettes. Since I have lived in Knoxville my entire life the name immediately caught my attention. After a little googling I realized it had to be named after the local landmark, so after work I went immediately to Old Gray to see this found rose in person. & there it was, just a little unassuming shrub sitting next to a headstone from 1911, so I have to assume that was roughly close to when it was planted (right?). I love history, especially local history, so seeing this piece of living history in person only 3 hours after learning of it's existence was SO NEAT. After I got home and did a little more research I see that you are the person that discovered this rose! What a small world! Seeing that roses are still being found, and right in my own back yard none the less has been very inspiring & it really puts into perspective how small the rose community really is. It is pretty safe to say that I am now hooked. Thank you all again for your posts, I will probably read and re-read them again in the near future for reference. Jessica

Organic-tosca, it is Luanne's postings and pictures of that rose that hooked me. It is a pretty thing! also I wanted to tell you I have a Betty growing now here because of your love for that rose. It has bloomed just once, which I pinched off, but at least it gave me a glimpe of it. Thank you. hoovb, I think I am going to love KAV. Thanks for going to the trouble to spell out the rose name properly; I get lazy. it's in my ghetto and hasn't bloomed, but I'm pre disposed to love it because it's white. I just hope the blooms don't turn to dirty tissue and cling. Jacqueline, I only saw 15 minutes of hot sunny weather this summer (okay, I exaggerated, but only a little!). I've read how fragrant those blooms are, so I am very excited to see this rose bloom. Thank you. Rosefolly, thanks; I hope SG and LH like it here; I think they will. I bet the fragrance of the LS, WM and SG is amazing all together. Jeannie, thank for telling me how your roses are doing. I liked your descriptions of the roses you grow, and I am looking forward to seeing these all grow together, thank you. Are you going to try again on Irish Fireflame? I wonder if Rogue Valley made a mistake in telling you that the white rose with a pink center is Isabella Sprunt, though, even if Isabella might come after Irish Fireflame, alphabetically. Isabella is a yellow sport of Safrano, the tea rose. But anyway... Does anyone grow the white Sparrieshoop? I'm wondering how large it might get up here. I need a cream or white that will stay 5 feet or less...