I had Ambridge Rose only briefly because it rusted almost immediately and I didn't keep it. Carding Mill, when I had it, bloomed very well and also held up well in the heat. I went through an unfortunate period when I discarded roses much too quickly and Carding Mill was one such rose, even though there was nothing wrong with it. I think I decided it was "too apricot". I can only shake my head now.

Thank you Ingrid and Erasmus for sharing! I read elsewhere that Ambridge rusts... I have not seen this on CM. Erasmus can you comment on longevity of blooms for both? CM is rather short lived for me and though the color is great, the flower when open is delicate and falls apart.

CM is also myrrh, but I like this fragrance.

I also find the bush growth pattern for CM dainty. Thank you for verifying that Ambridge differs in this regard.

erasmus, your beautiful photos are worth many words. I find myself gravitating more towards CM because it seems overall more dramatic, although the initial color is a bit strong. The color when it fades is very lovely.

I had Ambridge for several years. Hated its fragrance although my office staff loved it. To each his/her own. There are other DA roses that are supposed to have that myrrh scent and I like them but not Ambridge. Its scent reminded me of sugar-free cherry bubble gum, and not in a good way.

It did well for me. I don't recall any fungal disease but then I usually don't get them here in my hotter than Hades climate. It stayed small for me (for an Austin) only getting about 3 feet tall. It was not on its own root, however. It was a prolific bloomer for me. Flowers do not make a good cut flower. When I had to replace the roses in the bed where it was located (reversion back to root stock), I did not get another one. I have not missed it. While it was a good rose, it just was not one of my favorites.

I planted a second Ambridge Rose because I wouldn't want to be without it. First one is grafted and second is own root. The own root one is growing slowly but does have some good branching. My grafted plant is rounded...about as wide as it is tall. It got to be over 5' tall, maybe close to 6, but I cut it back and I'm maintaining it at about 4' now. I like that size. It's not a puny Austin and not a monster.

I took a special note of the longevity of one CM bloom in particular...am pretty sure it lasted a week. I have not kept track of the longevity of most blooms. I'd say CM is pretty orange..sunset colors. You might like your Evelyn better, Ingrid. But in your climate I doubt bs would be a big problem. We don't get rust here and usually no mildew.

I don’t have Ambridge and Carding Mill is new to me this year but so far I absolutely adore Carding Mill. Might be my favorite new rose and I think I got around 35 new ones this year.

Even took a picture right before we left on vacation cause I just love it so

Thanks everyone for sharing! It’s so interesting that though we all love roses, we all have various preferences and tastes. Moreover, the wide array of variations in rose cultivars and species permit us to discover roses that suit us as individuals!

Just like each of us is unique and makes for a visibly and experientially interesting world, each rose brings a special something to the garden don’t you think...fragrance, color, shape, thorns, memories.

Thanks for letting me share my thought to ride into the weekend!