I grow both. Abe generally is peachier than the Alnwick. Abe blooms way more. Abe is bigger whereas Alnwick stays a smaller bush. The Alnwick blooms only last a day then blow in hot weather which is most the year here. As others noted, the Alnwick blooms are cupped shaped so a totally different look than Abe. Abe has way bigger blooms. Abe..in a peach mood Abe... in a pink mood Alnwick..

Diane, thank you so very much for your guidance and advice. The Colette I ordered is grafted on Dr. Huey. I am in zone 8b about 40 miles from Portland, OR. My garden gets full sun, all day. The arbor I am going to order is not here yet, it's one I am looking at on Etsy, a company called A Rustic Garden. Their arbors look very sturdy and hefty and well worth the $$, unlike some of the spindly little arbors one sees offered through so many online garden supplies. My very favorite place for quality obelisks and arbors and all things garden is GardenArtisans.com. They are fabulous but so $$$$$ that I own only one of their gorgeous items, an obelisk that I treasure. As far as Colette, I am so looking forward to her, just hope she is as thrilled with her new home here as I am to welcome her. I also snagged an Augusta Luise from Palatine that I am thrilled about as well as Lavender Crush and Twilight Zone from Regan. You are my inspiration! Happy New Year to you and your family and everyone else here, having like-minded rose lovers to converse with is such a delight! I'm holding my breath until spring (hurry up, spring!) hoping that all my roses came through OK. We had an ice storm that covered everything in a 2" coat of ice unlike anything I have ever seen before. In all directions, it was like looking at a mirror, just a sheet of glass reflecting everything around. I will find out which roses are hardy here! It does get hot here in summer, especially in the sun trap that is my rose garden.

Rosecanadian.... just laughing about this last night, because I thought to myself "this is too hard, I can't learn it....and the phrase I say to the boys popped into my head "don't say it can't be done chances are you rue it, for some poor fool who doesn't know will come along and do it." Then my next thought was I guess I could be the poor fool, who actually learns and remembers this stuff! So my goal this year is to keep looking at my notes, keep trying to see, keep at this until I get it...and not overwater...going to see which I learn first!!! Abe for me, did a little the first year...I got him from Garden Valley Ranch as a huge 2 or 3 year own root (I highly recommend them if you want the 5-12 roses they sell mail order.) But he really took off this year. I am also trying to learn for perennials "First year they sleep, then second year they creep, then third year they leap." I even have a tiny new root rose that I stunted last year with not enough soil or fertilizer and too much water, but it is actually creeping forward too this year.

@strawchicago z5 Thanks! I think I'll try it or some other high potassium fertilizer. I have some Miracle gro organics fertilizer lying around. It's 5-7-10 compared to the Tomato Tone I currently use, which is 3-4-6. I may try it next time and see what happens. @Paul Barden I'm very much headed in that direction. The only thing keeping Abraham Darby and Golden Celebration in my garden is the allure of their large blooms and fragrance. GC looks amazing as a plant...until it blooms. Then it's covered in blackspot. I just don't like looking at unhealthy plants. If I can't give them what they need, then they need to be elsewhere. 'Bring Me Sunshine' looks to be a promising replacement for Golden Celebration. Looking at Evelyn or Emily Bronte to replace Abraham Darby if I can't get it to act right. @ingrid_vc zone 10 San Diego County Interesting but it makes sense I suppose, since it's easier in the shade for moisture to develop. Is yours own root or grafted?