Taoseeker, Thanks for the information on the European history with long term use of their most common rootstocks. I find it interesting and very useful and hope for long term good results - more vigorous root growth translating into more resilient bushes. I do remember seeing a number of times R. laxa use mentioned in the hybridizing experiments by the Canadian pioneer prairie hybridizer. One of the Skinners I have is apparently a cross with it and a pimpinefollia - sorry have not taken the time to check if it is Haidee Suzanne Butterball or all. Makes me wonder if that was the influence of their European ancestry, availability or factual superior hardiness - don't know but in 5 years I should. By the way very pleased to see very good cane survival for the first year on my Portland named Marie Jean I got from Lynnette last year when she gave up on it. Melissa, There is a gentleman in British Columbia I met through Lynnette who has made it a mission to collect and save Geschwinds. I need to let him know what I received and get him some cuttings. The two Canadian nurseries that I would be happy to share cuttings (gratis) that graft I have not approached as it gets too close to commercial for me and I would have to be absolutely sure that the roses are out of patent before even contact (most are over 100 years old so I am probably safe). However I sense both of them have absolutely the strictest of QA controls and would do it on their own so as to be sure of providence and disease free stock - if they survive winter and prosper I may contact them to guage their interest ... they both export to the States. Kaylah Hi, I was fortunate my Charles de Mills that I cover and is in the south gardens has 3 foot canes and lots of them ... problem is blooms are usually in short supply and last year I think I got 3. I leave it as it always grows well and takes to protection well. All my other dark gallicas are history except for the many exmaples of Belle d'Crecy I got as delambre - it also seems to survive well if covered ... but too much damage and the blooms are gone. All my cardinal Richelieu departed voluntarily over the years (3). Me I fool around with teas but only in pots and bring them in in October ... got a couple new ones this year. My FMkruger ... is a monster in zone 3 (hahhaha) and I think I must of got the most vigorous clone of this tea via Quebec. Kids you not take a cutting - stick in earth in the house and it takes like in February when I accidentally snapped a branch off ... now I got two with the younger being already at least foot high in 4 months and has gone through one bloom cycle. But the one I really miss is Mrs Schwartz ... almost as reliable as Mlle Franz Krueger (sp) ... forgot to take a cutting and over wintered her in the garage and she and all the other ones died - fortunately had cuttings for 3 of them in the basement to replace them - there as tall in two 365 day a year growing seasons as the originals.

I actually like roses that sucker. I order from Pickering because I like THEM and want to show my support. But I was hesitant to try their roses after hearing that multiflora rootstock doesn't like alkaline conditions. However, I have had absolutely no issues with any of my roses on multiflora, even with both alkaline soil and water. So there must be something else I have or don't have/do that is different than say Jeri has/does that accounts for why roses on multiflora (or with its genes) do so well for me. Pickering hasn't updated their website about using laxa as a rootstock. I called last year to ask which of the roses I bought from them were on laxa and which on multiflora. The lady who I spoke with said none of the roses I bought from them were on laxa as they hadn't grafted anything on it (for I forget how many years she said). I expected that some were on laxa (and thought maybe that was why they were so happy in my garden), including the gallica Aimable Rouge, the damasks Duc de Cambridge and Pickering Four Seasons, the spinosissma William's Double Yellow, and the rugosas Wild Edric and Polareis. Not only are they not chlorotic but also Wild Edric (not even fed) and William's Double Yellow have particularly deep green foliage. Melissa

Ann your garden is lovely in every way. I love love your iceberg roses and the lavender. I can’t grow lavender here because of our dense clay but I really love it. Iceberg is one of my favorite white roses also, I grow a couple ven tho they require spraying here because they are so lovely and bright white. Your princess Anne seems to be very happy and I also hope it becomes a star in your garden. Would you be willing to share more pictures of your Bolero? That is a rose I have been meaning to try and have never gotten the opportunity. The thrips really damage my light colored roses here, but they are still my favorite. The magenta rose in the background of Princess Anne is Super Excelsa rambling rose, I got it from Heirloom roses. I grow it with Super Dorothy over a small fence to hide a car trailer my hubby has there. They are both supposed to rebloom, but after 3 years they only give some sporadic blossoms here and there after the main flush. I would consider them once bloomers unless they change with maturity. On this bottom picture you can see the super Dorothy is lighter. This year they both bloomed darker for some reason if you have space for a climber in this color range I would recommend my Raspberry cream twirl. I feel pushing it lol but it really has been great here. You probably have seen my big ones on the arbor, but this one is a band from this year and already blooming. It makes long thornless stems that work great for arrangements. Picture from my mature plant that shows the color out of the sun. Some blooms have a lot of white like these while others are almost all magenta/red and they age with a lavender cast like princess Anne.

I have only two Austins (Golden Celebration and Darcey Bussell) on DH roots and they are planted in a spot with Sycamore root competition, which is probably the only reason I can grow them there. They both have spotless foliage. I am inland quite a bit and at 1800ft. We do get May-Gray and June-Gloom, but it burns off by between 10AM and noon. I have Paul Neyron, which is a rust bucket right next to Rein de Violettes with pristine foliage, never a spot of rust or mildew. All my Teas get a little mildew except Monsieur Tillier. My Lady of Shallot is on her own roots and does very well with perfect foliage. I really want Evelyn but now I am a little scared by the 12 foot canes jerijen mentions. I have Star of the Republic with only a couple blooms that have been scented and I really want scent in my roses so thinking about replacing with Evelyn. But will give SotR a 3rd year to see if those blooms get consistent scent. The 3 or so blooms that I caught with some scent were an amazing strong lemony fragrance. Maybe just doesn't give scent in the heat? I also have James Gallway on its own roots and near Golden Celebration but further from the sycamore. It is establishing more slowly and not behaving like a climber at all yet, next year with be year 3 so maybe I'll get long canes in the Spring.