I don't know that I would even try to grow any of the Chinas in Z6, in a container. You need something a bit tougher.

But to make useful suggestions, I'd want to know if your conditions are alkaline or acidic, and how much shade/full sun the rose would have.

Thank you Jeri for your thoughts - yes you are surely right about this not being a good spot for Old Blush. I will have to find a home for it somewhere, somehow.

The container starts getting sun around 11 and then has it for the rest of the day. I assume I can amend the soil in the container to be either acidic or alkaline. Right now it's probably on the acidic side, since I have peat moss amendment, some well-rotted manure.

Sorry sent too soon! In the container, mostly made up of potting soil with the amendments mentioned above. Thank you Jeri for your ideas!

Maybe it would be easier (and less work for you!) if I list the roses that seem to be candidates, starting with the Misc Old Garden Roses category? The first 4 listed seem especially enticing - would any of these work in a very large container with a lot of sun? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE!

General Jacqueminot

Indigo

Mrs. F.W. Sanford

Ulrich Brunner fils

Amanda Patenaude

Arrilage

Baronne Prevost

Blanc de Vibert

Delambre

Frau Karl Druschki

Gloire de Ducher

Le Rire Nias

Salet

Souv. d’Alphonse Lavalee

Lee Ann

In the other categories:

Shrub category

Souv. de Louis Amade

Would any of the Teas be acceptable? Are they too tender?Jessie Hildreth

Clementina Carbonieri

Burbank

Monsieur Tillier

Madame de Watteville

Madame Bravy

Madame BerkleyAlexander Hill Gray

So many choices!

I'd try 'White Pet' or 'Baby Alberic' or "Mrs. Keays Pink".

:-)

~Christopher

To echo Jeri's comments, I don't think Sophie's Perpetual is a good fit for zone 6-ish. I put a free one from the Rogue Valley mystery roses into my virtual zone 6 pocket in my yard, and it sort of limped by after a very mild winter last year and totally disappeared this year. I think it's marginally hardy in zone 6, and better in zone 7.If it's in a container, you lose a virtual zone of winter protection and so you'd be a virtual zone 5 in a pot and not a good fit for Sophie's Perpetual. Pink Pet is the only China-type rose that survives well for me, but it's more of a Polyantha than a China in effect and it doesn't climb or get much beyond 3-4' for me.

If you're looking for something from the RU sale that would climb well in zone 5, Awakening is rock solid hardy and has lovely pink flowers. It blooms just fine in part shade, and the only concern might be that it gets too big for even a half whiskey barrel. Mine was pretty thorny too. Among hybrid musks, only Lavender Lassie would be reasonably hardy in zone 5 and it would be a good fit for part shade. the mini climber Jeanne LaJoie survives fine in a typical zone 5 winter and is a much better fit for a pot. I think she'd do OK in part sun, though any rose blooms less in part sun. Antique 89 and Harlekin are both nicely hardy but they do die to the ground in my zone 5 and they only bloom sporadically in the year for me. Mine aren't particularly happy in part sun. Viking Queen survives fine in zone 5 but seems to die to the ground each year so you wouldn't necessarily get a ton of bloom. Veilchenblau would be an absolute trooper and climb or bush out huge in no time, and it's in dry shade under my oak tree. It's a once bloomer but gorgeous lush blooms for several weeks once established - here's mine in more or less full bloom with an admiring bunny that my daughter pointed out:

Among the Austins, most of them are hardy but the ones that tend to be climbers on the RU sale list are the ones that survive the least for me - I can't keep Golden Celebration overwintered, nor Strawberry Hill or James Galway. Lady of Shalott is rock solid hardy as is Scepter'd Isle, Carding Mill and Heritage, but they get at most 5-6' tall by the end of spring since Austins rarely have surviving cane for me. Crown Princess Margareta is a climber and hardy, but I never get blooms from mine without surviving cane and it never has any. Rebecca in zone 5 has tons though and lovely blooms from hers.

For other OGRs, Baronne Prevost and Mme. Isaac Periere are both fully hardy here, though BP would be better for a pot. She does Ok in part sun for me but would bloom more in sun. MIP prefers sun and doesn't bloom on new wood for me, so I don't get much bloom most years.

Among shrubs, Alchymist is very hardy but a once bloomer. Autumn Sunset would survive fine in a pot and climbs well, but blooms very little in part shade for me. Belinda's Dream would survive fine and seems OK but not happy in part sun. Dames des Chenonceau is totally hardy and in my top 20-30 of roses I grow, and can be spectacular in part sun. As you move into part shade though, I'm not sure how well she'd do. Morden Sunrise is totally hardy and would be very pretty in this context, and White Meidiland would be a low-growing spreader in white and also very hardy.

Among the RU sale roses, those are the ones I'd recommend for what you're asking. I'm all in favor of taking advantage of the RU sale!!

Cynthia

Oh thank you all for this outpouring of insight! I think I was not clear - the container rose will go in a location that get a LOT of sun pretty much all day. But I still need to be concerned about the zone and container issue - I will study each of your suggestions carefully:

Christopher - would your 3 suggestions be ok with a lot of sun?

Nippstress - thank you for the insight to Sophie's Perpetual (that is for another spot, but I ca mix it) I love the idea of Awakening - I used to grow New Dawn way back when and just LOVED it. Would it be ok with lot of sun? I will carefully read up on all your other ideas - so many and some I know nothing about. Thank you also for the great pictures! AND for steering me away from the teas - I was starting to salivate over Jesse Hildreth. Best not to even entertain the idea!

Ah, thanks for the explanation. I was thinking of poor Sophie in your part shade spot and trying to come up with a better fit. Awakening should be quite happy with as much sun as you want to give her, just prepare for her to be BIG. Not perhaps the house-eating qualities of New Dawn when happy, but easily 6-8' tall. Think Darlow's Enigma size at least in a freestanding pot.

Cynthia

I picked those because they would give you the "look" of something China-ish but should be more cold-hardy. I haven't grown them myself, but I've seen pics of them planted in all-day sun, and they seemed fine. I have them listed as possibilities for similar sites, but I haven't purchased them yet -- have to get some other stuff done in the garden before I add any more plants. But here's what factored into my recommending them to you:

'White Pet' is often lauded as being a bloom machine, and heat-tolerant. It's a dwarf repeat-blooming sport of a rambler that would likely be cold-hardy enough for your needs.

'Baby Alberic' is thought to be descended from 'Alberic Barbier'. Even if it isn't, it has Wichurana in it from the looks of it. I've been looking up Polyanthas for some spots in my garden, and what I've come to learn is that those based on Multiflora will handle shade better, and those based on Wichurana will prefer more sun.

"Mrs. Keays Pink" is aka "Faded Pink Monthly", and many feel it may be a larger-growing form of 'Marie Pavie'. I have MP in a rather exposed spot in my front yard, where it gets full sun most of the day, and seems to be OK with that. It also has no protection from Winter, yet has little or no die-back by Spring -- unless we get a late freeze after an early warm-up, like this year. But even so, it's very robust in growth, and fills-out again quickly. That also hints at something that can handle being cut back hard if it gets too big, which is good to know for a pot-pet.

:-)

~Christopher

A much belated update! I ordered and received and potted up Baby Alberic and Jeanne LaJoie. The plants that arrived were amazing, although about a third of the potting soil had fallen out during shipment. Thank you all again for so many wonderful suggestions. Baby Alberic is very, very sweet - with lovely dark glossy leaves and JLJ has some nice long canes - these pictures are as they appeared on arrival. Cheers!

Gee! Those are fabulous and HUGE plants. I'll have to look at thei offerings for next year's sale. ; )

I love them, especially creamy Baby Alberic. Was not familiar with this rose
BTW, I also live in Brooklyn and have discovered I can overwinter things in containers, namely roses, under my stoop in front. It's like a cold cellar. I put all of them there, and also my pomegranite. Or else you can also winter them in the shelter of the house, all bunched together -- if they are in containers, and throw a blanket over them when it gets below 15 F. I also sometimes plant a container inside another, larger container for extra protection.
Update -- well, maybe below 25 degrees F, not 15.

Oh thank you Monarda! These are great ideas - also so exciting to find another Brooklyn rose lover!