I used to cut index cards in half, put the rose name on them along with the color class, and move those around. That worked back in NJ, when we were dealing with smaller beds (our entire property was 50 x 100, which was large for our town, and with 250 roses planted over 15 years, we had roses stuck wherever we could fit a bed). But here in Florida we have over an acre, and with these long beds along the driveway that can fit 2 dozen or so (one to be planted this year, and the other to be amended, planted in the fall and finished next spring), I thought that would drive me crazy. So paper and pencil it was (and a lot of erasing and muttering to myself!). Once I had the design finalized, I measured out the biggest bed, placed the roses I had on hand where I wanted them, and saved space for the others with solar lights, of all things (I have 12 left to plant now, with four more coming next week). For the dining room bed, which is at the front of the house and flanks the front walk, I selected mostly bright colors. We have two columns at the front door, and I bought two Spectra, intending to train them up trellises and eventually up the columns. The house is yellow, so the Spectra will really stand out. And the side of the garage has a red rose at each corner for balance (Lasting Love is at the corner of the dining room bed, and is going nuts with blooms right now; Toro is near the garage door all on its lonesome; Sister Jane and four grafted minifloras are in the bed on the other side of the garage door where the HVAC unit is. I wanted to move the azaleas currently along the garage under the windows to the back of the pool cage and replace then with minifloras, but the DH wasn't too thrilled with that idea. I'll revisit it next year). I'm putting a park-style bench caddy-corner in the dining room bed, too, and probably a bird bath in the center of the bed that flanks the other side of the walk. That bed also has a Spectra, as well as 8 other FLs and HTs. Those were the first roses we put in last year, and we've been playing catch-up ever since. Chicago Peace! One of my favorite roses, and one of the first roses we planted at our house in NJ. I miss it, and haven't been able to find it on Fortuniana yet. I keep hoping. I'm such a camera junkie, but haven't taken a single photo of the beds yet. Once they're finished and mulched, though, I'll take a bunch.

Aggierose--I know, I wonder when I see others oohhing and ahhhing over the roses at Northaven if I'm standing next to someone from this forum. I picked up two Bolero's and a Tamora rose yesterday. Tamora had a bud that bloomed today and OMG it bowled me over. Now I see why everyone raves over her fragrance. Bolero has a lovely fragrance, too, and beautiful blooms. Why don't you get your Tiffany rose and pot her up somewhere in the sun? Can't help but enable you--Tiffany is a beauty!! Denise

Thanks for the input everyone. phylrae, I don't usually winter protect but if a few shovelfulls of topsoil means the difference between life and death I will try it. Frederic Mistral was mentioned in an article by Bill "Knockout" Radler about easy care roses for the north. It was the only Romantica mentioned. Radler says that the roses mentioned in the article should not be given winter protection (I think he was talking about zones 4 and 5, not zone 3). I wanted to experiment with other Romanticas since forum members in zones 4 and 5 have mentioned growing them. I sure hope Rouge Royale makes it because the fragrance on the bloom that came with it from RU is out of this world. Another rose that died this winter was Tamora which was growing right next to Peter Mayle. I did not expect this as Tamora survived the previous winter. It is definitely mysterious to lose a few roses per year for unknown reasons. We had a lot of freeze-thaw cycles this winter. I am also considering some of the Clements rose, particularly Fragrant Masterpiece (I am a sucker for fragrance). Are any of these hardy in zone 5? If all else fails I will try some more Bucks, although some of them aren't particularly hardy either. Rose de Rescht also does pretty well and I am looking into some other repeating OGRs.

Well, I don't DISlike it, for sure, especially since I thought this rose was a goner anyway. Last year it was planted alongside a Comtesse de Provence (definiteively deceased) and interplanted with the native Obedient Plant. This year the Obedient Plant has all but eaten the whole entire bed, which wasn't huge to begin with. I pulled up some of the flowers once I discovered PJP was still alive and kicking, but I think he might still get more shade than he would like, ideally. Think this has anything to do with it?