I read the whole article. Although Gang is technically incorrect, in the context of the article as a whole, he really is just grossly over-simplifying and over-simplification does serve a purpose. The article is an overview of current trends in research on flowers--scent, color, petal shape, etc and is not specifically about roses. It is geared to a lay person's experience and the point is about breeding, that scents can be bred in or out, etc. I am not offended and I don't think it is misrepresentation. Sometimes you don't have room to say any more than "sky is blue and white." If the article causes someone to become interested in roses, then it has served us well.

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try countryrosegirl. I know our yard wouldn't look like it does if the 2 of us didn't work as a team to make it so. Be aware that Deb says I am sexy and I know she is just saying that to be kind to an old man :) Pauline, I couldn't believe how Deb had been treated when we met. One of my proudest moments was when her 5 year old son asked her why she didn't cry all the time anymore :) I should note that I have received much more than I have given in our relationship. I consider myself (know I am) the lucky one. Leslie, I was just teasing Harry. I knew what he meant :) Funny thing is.... I knew when I met Deb that she would find someone better for her and get tired of putting up with my ornery, uuhhh, self. I knew I was shooting myself in the foot giving her ego a boost. Advertising how wonderful she was would make that happen faster but she deserved so much more than the treatment she was getting. Had to do the right thing by her even though it would cost me. Could not imagine her putting up with me a year. 23 years should qualify her for sainthood LOL. Florence, the more self confident she becomes.... the more attractive she is :) Princess Debbie, I like the sound of that. Thank you Seil, Deb says Hot Romance looks great.... I think you got me in trouble :) She says Sweet Arlene is a sexy rose. I was told that I agree with her when I rolled my eyes. What have I done? digger

Gertrude Jekyll has that heavenly old rose fragrance from Baronne Prevost. It's not a great bloomer and gets BS. I moved it and it is doing better in part shade than it did in full sun, go figure. BP is also a little disease prone and spindly, but I might try pruning it down a little more this year. I've sniffed Sharifa Asma in a pot at Home Depot and couldn't smell much but maybe it does better in the ground. Clothilde Soupert and Frances Dubreuil has been my best fragrances so far in OGR's. I have a bunch of Teas and Noisettes that should bloom this year so hopefully some of them will be nice.

I'm new to roses (planted my first rose garden in 2011) and, thus far, they're all healthy, but I do read a lot and want to be educated and ready to remove plants if it becomes necessary. I saw my first RRD rose at my local independent nursery a few days ago. A landscaper had brought in a branch and blooms. The horticulturist on staff at the nursery was kind enough to gather a few of us around and point out what to look for. In all honesty, it looked really different in person than what I had here-to-then seen online and read in descriptions of the virus. It was really helpful to see the "witch's broom"-like growth, the blooms that looked like it was grown at a leaking nuclear plant, and the weird thorniness that were like thorn-hair. This particular afflicted plant was off a Knockout variety but I know it can affect all roses, so I'm watching everything at my house, praying that I don't have to "euthanize" any. Pretty scary. Wish there was something we could do to avoid it. Makes you feel so helpless. . .