I’ve had a PJPII for several years that had been a weak grower, but planted one on multiflora this spring, I’ve been very pleased, the blooms keep getting better, and yes they are very fragrant! It has totally won me over this season. I don’t spray and I've had only minor issues with blackspot, and we’ve had lots of rain this year.

What other fragrant roses do you have in your no spray garden?

The rose I've had the longest is 'Julia Child', which has been a real performer for me most seasons. It has good fragrance, very good repeat bloom, and can be just covered with blossoms. It usually has clean foliage, but this year, I left it too full in the middle and I think it didn't get enough air circulation, then half way through the summer, we had some unexpected distractions so I barely stepped foot in the garden for the past 2 months. It had another very producitve rebloom, but the lower foliage was not very good. I think it will be fine next year, start over for the season and clean up the bed before winter. I like to add compost and alfalfa meal after each bloom cycle, but missed the second application. The only disappointment with JC is the size of the bloom and petal count is not the greatest. But - what rose is perfect?

'Prairie Sunrise' is another very healthy rose I've had for about 3 years. It is fragrant, the roses are a lot bigger than JC. It's a shrub rose and has somewhat elongated stems for cutting. The color is not my favorite - an apricot - that keeps it from being my favorite.

This year, I added 'Beverly', 'Savannah' and 'Pope John Paul'. They did pretty well in their first season on the whole, but I'm thinking next year will tell whether they are keepers or not. Right now, barring any health issues, PJP will b a keeper for me. 'Savannah' has some very pretty blooms. An apricot pink color that is unusual. I like it because it does read pink more than apricot. There's just something about the color that is very pleasing to me. 'Beverly' so far is my least favorite, because of the color of the blooms, which were a blotchy pink this year.

I just don't think you can really decide in the first season what a rose is going to do for you. I used to wonder why so many rose growers end up buying so many roses, but I absolutely get it. For some reason I think you are expecting and hoping for 'perfection'. [g] And keep looking for that one rose that has everything you are looking for. :-)

Prairiemoon, I have all but Prairie Sunrise. I’ve had Beverly for several seasons, even added another one this year, it’s definitely my most vigorous Hybrid Tea. The blooms run the gamut here as far as color. My Savannah usually leans more apricot, I like it, but at times wish it showed more pink. It has been very healthy. They’re both very fragrant.

I will look forward to another season with all of them. Beverly will get a second chance to impress. I did like the healthy foliage during the first half of the summer.

I wish I had more room to try more roses. I have only a small bed that is full sun. I've tried a lot of roses and shovel pruned them due to unhealthy foliage. Some of the David Austins. I had Golden Celebration for a few years. It would do well for half the season and start having ratty foliage and I would end up pruning it to the ground half way thru the summer, letting it regrow and then the next year it would start out well again, but I found that after a few years of this kind of treatment, the rose declined. I tried a few others, I don't remember the names. Always very fragrant, but not as healthy as I needed.

Have you ever tried Francis Meilland? It’s very disease resistant and very fragrant too.

prairiemoon, I have the same criteria, small space, want fragrant, somewhat disease resistant roses. I have been eyeing Savannah as I saw it at ARE, but was not sure of blackspot resistance and habit.

Sara, that's a pretty rose. Where do you live? I'm just wondering if blackspot resistance is the same where you are. I tried the white Meidland rose. I really liked it. It was very productive and the foliage was pretty and dark, the white flowers were great, then it got the worse case of blackspot I've had on a rose. :-(

Rekha, Not sure if here in New England our susceptibility to blackspot is the same as Texas, but I have had blackspot on a couple of roses that I shovel pruned. This year, Savannah showed no signs of blackspot. I'm wondering about the habit as well. I've seen photos after I bought this, showing it to get really large and gangly, but the description was for a much smaller footprint. This year, it stayed low and was pretty much symmetrical. The foliage is a pretty dark color. It produces a good amount of foliage and branches. I thought it's form was very good. The flowers are almost luminous to me. Next season I'll take some time to take photos and post them as the season goes along. I just couldn't do that this year.

I had Savannah and for me it got so huge

It took over and didn't have as many blooms as I would have liked

Kristine, I’m keeping my fingers crossed with mine, so far it seems okay, but since it’s the first season I can’t be sure, it is vigorous. But I think roses probably tend to be much more vigorous for you, Our zones are quite different. I feel like if I have a vigorous rose I got lucky, they’re few and far between here.

Sara - both those roses are very pretty! And very healthy looking too. Thanks.

After this talk about the vigor and size of Savannah, I went out and took another look at it. I notice that there are two new shoots coming up out of it that are about 8 inches taller than the rest of the plant. Not sure when they shot up, but, it will be interesting to see what it does for size, next year. I like vigor, I just don't have room for a monster rose where I planted it. [g]

I sure wish that I had room for Zaide. I really love the color.

I will have to enjoy yours Sara Ann.

Prairiemoon, I ordered the Pope in tree form. I can't wait. It looks like such a gorgeous rose

Thanks for sharing your experience

Thank you prairiemoon and Kristine.

Here‘s a couple of pictures from my Savannah from several weeks ago.

Hope you enjoy PJP, Kristine.

Very pretty rose bush, Sara. Your foliage is more green than mine. Mine has a bronze tint to it, in full sun. The flowers look very similar. Is that it's second season?

Thanks prairie, it’s the first season for it.

Year two for Pope John Paul. It is now my favorite rose. Last year it was fine but there was some kind of insect making a mess of the outer petals on the buds. I wondered if I was going to have a problem with it again this year.

It's looking very good right now. Has produced enough canes, the foliage is clean and it pushed out a decent number of flowers. The first few just started opening. I'm struck by how slowly the flowers open from the buds. It took about 5 days from when the bud first started showing some white, to an open flower. Last year I noticed how long it lasted in a vase. It is fragrant and noticeably so in the house too. I haven't cut one for the house yet, they're just so pretty on the bush.

This morning after an overnight rain, there were raindrops on everything and the sun came out and I caught a few photos. Really, I know it's true of all plants and gardens, that you can't really capture how beautiful they are in photos. These PJP blooms are that way this morning. As pretty as the photo is, in person, they are just so delightful.

So, can anyone tell me, are roses the same as perennials, in so far as the garden saying... "First year it sleeps, second year it creeps, third year it leaps"? I'm wondering what to expect for next year as far as size and abundance of flowers?

Loving the Pope!

He had spider mites at first but we got right on that and he has been healthy ever since

Prairiemoon, that saying is for climbers

Thanks Kristine, do roses leap in their 3rd year though?

Your standard came out very well. Is this it's 2nd year?