Here in central Michigan, (zone 5 a-b), TG is one of the first roses that have thrived for me --rather than just survived. It took about three years to get going well, but it definitely is worth the time. I don't spray -- it has no blackspot. I don't winter protect -- it easily grows to 6-7 feet by the end of summer. I just pruned it back yesterday to 24-30 ". One huge flush in the spring, scattered summer blooms that the Japanese beetles love, and a grand finale. It is growing in an area that I raised up about 18" from our clay, and I supplemented its soil with plenty of peat, sand and manure. I like to cut the flowers -- they are pretty but rather weakly scented and not particularly long lasting when cut, but they are beautiful. It's a keeper for sure! Sunny

In my experience in a decidedly different climate, Teasing Georgia is one of those Austins that wants to bloom on long canes and sulks if you try to cut her back too much. I have two of them, both in no more than part sun, and they still bloom rather like you describe after about 8 years. I'm sure they'd bloom with more sun, but they'd have long canes regardless. Mine are also freestanding bushes and you're right that they get large. All I can suggest is to give them some extra water (Austins love water) and maybe a little fish fertilizer to encourage her to pick up the pace a bit. In your down season (whatever that might be) you could try chopping and training her horizontally as Nik says, knowing that she won't bloom for at least 6-8 weeks after that. Most Austins love to get chopped and bloom enthusiastically off the laterals after you prune them, but Teasing Georgia doesn't seem to be typical in that way. Maybe that's why DA lists her as a "climber" even though she isn't really a traditional climbing habit, to encourage folks to let those long canes be long. The more horizontal they are the better and you could try pegging down a few of the more accessible ones if you want. Just in my experience, your feedback is within what I would expect of this rose. Cynthia

This is the first I've seen this thread and it makes me so excited that I already have this rose. When Lilyfinch was moving away I bought from her several of her roses that she had received in the early spring, but realized didn't need to be planted before she left. Poor JG was a nub and hadn't had an easy time of his early life--I think she threw him in the batch I bought from her for her for free. I planted him at the base of my beautiful limestone chimney and it wasn't until late in the summer he seemed to make a recovery a got going. He should start with a few blooms this spring--we'll see. This thread sure has gotten my hopes up!! dianela7bnorthal I'll let you know how he does on disease resistance. I'm just north of you and I suspect we have similar disease pressure.

Those are beautiful! I did go down a clematis rabbit hole a couple of days ago when I realized I might be expecting too much for a rose bush in that area. But I think that they grow entirely too large for my purposes here in the PNW. I just have a 6.5 ft by 6 ft fence I need to cover. My house runs perpendicular to two other houses so it's at the intersection of two fences from both houses and I don't want anything that I can't keep pruned down to my side of the fence. All the shade tolerant clematis I read about seem to grow monstrously large. I'd love to hear if anyone thinks differently though. For now my plan might be to shift the climbing rose bush a foot or two down in the other direction where it's sunnier. I won't be able to see it from my window but visitors to our house will see it. And then to cover the part of the fence I can see through the window with the evergreen star jasmine. I'm not sure how many flowers I would get due to the partial shade conditions, but it seems like it's easier to keep pruned down. I'm going to have the same star jasmine vine in another part of my yard that does get more sunlight so it could be an interesting experiment. I'm still thinking this through though. And I have time since I don't plan on planting this area until next February/March.