I can't say how these roses will do in the Midwest, as my conditions are entirely different. I'm not sure what 'Agatha Incarnata' even is: HMF turned up a bewildering variety of synonyms. I do grow and love 'Ypsilante'. This is a very lovely, large-flowered Gallica, fragrant. Mine is growing in better-than-average soil by the (low) standards of my garden and with good water, which may be helping it. I don't know whether it requires particularly good treatment or just does better with it. Can't help you with the others, but I like the direction your gardener's mind is going.

I've grown about half of those in my zone 5 garden, and most of the hybrid perpetuals are marginally hardy and need protection in my zone. Mme. Platz is new this year and we'll see, but Comice de Tarn-et-Garonne didn't overwinter. La Reine is hanging in there but hasn't overwintered yet, and Reine Victoria is overwintering OK in a protected spot. Mine haven't hit 3 years old yet so I can't comment on vigor or other floriforous qualities, but mine are also in part shade and not idea conditions.

For winter survival and sheer impact, once-blooming Gallicas like Ypsilante are hard to beat. Just be sure to put most Gallicas where they can sucker into available space, or in some other kind of containment. I can't comment on the others on your list, but it sure looks like you've done your homework. Offhand I'd say any of those are worth trying.

Cynthia

I'd also recommend Gallicas in general. They grew well for me in MN. Fragrance can vary, though, so I'd research that feature of each selection. In addition to historical Gallicas, Paul Barden has created some new ones. Rogue Valley Roses carries them. I highly recommend Marianne for beauty, vigor and delicious fragrance! Healthy. One of my most fragrant historical Gallicas is Camaieaux. A smaller but vigorous Gallica with lovely variegated blooms. Healthy. Tuscany Superb is my favorite rose of all time. Lacks strong fragrance but the color and bloom character are beyond breath-taking! Healthy, vigorous. Gallicas do travel when own root. If you have tight real estate spaces or do not wish to spade stray runners, buy grafted and keep the graft above soil. Carol

I have Camaieaux, got it last year from Greenmantle. I had one before the move as well, and it was very good. I have the Paul Barden Gallica Umbra, which is huge and fragrant and very purple. I've had my eye on Marianne and Allegra as well, but they haven't been in stock at the same time I've had roses in my budget. Rogue Valley does have some other gallicas in stock at the moment that have high fragrance ratings. Can anybody comment on Nouvelle Pouvoine, Georges Vibert, or Orpheline de Julliet?

Agatha Incarnata is a favourite in my PNW garden. But she is no lady and will grow very tall if not pruned.Fragrant and does well in poor soil.

Ipsilante is another really good one. It has good vigour and grows tall and slender to 6 ft. Fragrant and does well in poor soil.

Orpheline Juliet doesn't do too well for me. This is a rose that would prefer rich soil then you would get more flowers. She has beautiful flowers but is stingy with them. The bush is only 4 ft and I wouldn't say it was vigorous.

Gorgeous, oldrosarian!

That doesn't look like the Orpheline de Julliet at RVR, which is much darker and looks less double. Good to know Agatha Incarnata does well in poor soil. Unfortunately, looks like Ypsilante is not in stock in any of the nurseries that list it, but I will keep it on my wishlists.

Well, now that others with conditions closer to yours have written in praise of Gallicas, I'll add that I too love them. Hardy, healthy, frugal, and beautiful. In addition to the ones mentioned here I'll say a word for 'Belle sans Flatterie', 'Belle Isis', and 'De la Maitre-Ecole'. There are variations on the name of this latter rose, which I have posted about before. But these are only three, fairly well known and available, of many lovely kinds.

I do have a Belle Isis, but so far it has not been very vigorous here. This will be its third year, hopefully it will finally put on some growth.

Mine is down by the drainage ditch with its feet practically in the water, and it's very happy there. Part shade, which most roses in my sun-beaten conditions enjoy. I had a 'Belle Isis' years ago that I planted in poor dry soil and shade, which I lost the first winter. This one, which has been in place for a decade, and which I may--not sure--have gotten as a sucker, is a lovely plant. I hope yours grows. I wouldn't characterize it as fussy.

Duchesse de Montebello is quite vigorous and fragrant. My garden is small and full, so I purchased a grafted one from Palatine. I've only grown her own root until now and hear she can grow larger when grafted, but she's always been substantial enough for me when own root as well. Allegra is on my list, too. The negligible suckering is a plus! I second Belle Sans Flatterie. Gorgeous! My Orpheline de Juillet is a baby, so I can't report on it yet, but Alana's has sold me and I have high hopes! I hear it's quite fragrant.

I see you have listed a moss rose. I did not grow mosses in MN, but I wish I had. Two dark ones that are very fragrant are Capitaine John Ingram and Nightmoss. HMF lists them as 6b. Salet is very fragrant and listed as 5b. All are good growers for me in the PNW.

Another thought for fragrant, vigorous, cold tolerant roses: Albas. This class performed well for me in MN and since my Albas and Gallicas began blooming at different times, my rose season was extended. Felicite Parmentier and Queen of Denmark are very fragrant and trouble free for me. Alba Semi Plena shrugged off cold and grew large and disease free in MN. Very sweetly perfumed. I still grow Semi Plena, FP and QofD as well as Maiden's Blush, Celestial and Maxima.

Carol

I've about maxxed out on Albas. I have Maxima, Semi-Plena, Sappho, Great Maiden's Blush, Madam Plantier, Konigin von Danemark, and Blush Hip. I have Felicite Parmentier on the wishlist or waiting list of every nursery that carries her, but no luck yet. I believe I mistakenly got a Duchess of Montebello the first time I ordered Camaieaux, but since I wasn't sure I went ahead and gave it away at our annual plant give-away we have here in Lawrence. She's been out of stock at RVR ever since, so maybe I should have kept her. I couldn't find a USA source for Belle Sans Flatterie, where did you get yours?

You are in Alba heaven! Palatine sells grafted Belle sans Flatterie. I don't know of any US source at all. Palatine is currently sold out but will hopefully have more this fall. Carol