Good suggestions, Cori Ann, and bayarea girl. I actually thought about talking to the head of roses and perennials at Edwards. I know her, and she has special ordered roses for me before--and they turned out to be best sellers (that's a story for another time). She is the neatest woman, and an expert on peonies and clematis, which she grows for Edwards by the hundreds. I don't know where she gets the time (I know another person like that, Cori Ann). And trying Regan is a good idea if I can't get Anju to order Peach Swirl, bayarea. Regan starts taking orders in July. Thanks for the suggestion. Thank heavens I've had my nightly ice cream already, or I'd get on a flight to Cali for some of that peach swirl with vanilla and whipped cream. A huge bowl. Boy, does that sound good. Diane

Pink Rose, and other helpful souls, This post prompted me to investigate Princess Charlene de Monaco. I discovered how beautiful she is, and looks surprisingly like Evelyn to me....maybe not as many petals. I have an idea. I am fed up with my Evelyn after five years of coping with her thin long, extremely weak canes and laterals. Her flowers were profuse, large, and fragrant, attributes many others did not experience besides fragrance. However, she never put on much size, bush wise. She never presented her flowers for me to see, always facing the ground and bending to about a foot above it, obscured by the bushes in front of her. She's at the back of my bed, and it looks like there is a hole in the bed with a puny bush in it. I am not growing roses for my turtles to enjoy! She's getting the shovel this spring, just as soon as the ground defrosts. Do you think PCdM would make a satisfactory replacement for Evelyn? If her flowers are held upright, and the bush maxes out at 4-5' for me here in W. PA, I would give her a try. I'm not trying to make PCdM into Evelyn, but a similar looking, fragrant bloom that is held upright is what I need. What do you think, yes? Moses

I can't believe I haven't replied to this thread before! I must have missed it. I have 5 PCdM planted in the absolute prime spot in my garden...that's how much I love the blooms. They grow very tall and upright, usually 6 feet tall by the end of the season, but they get pruned back rather hard after each flush. How many flushes? Well, they are still technically new in my garden....this will be their third season this year. The first flush is magnificent....HUGE flowers! So gorgeous and so scented. Also, they last a very long time in the vase, with nice stiff stems which hold the flowers very well. I usually have about three flushes a season, which is a lot for my cool, part shade PNW garden. So far, the second and third flush's flowers have not equalled the first. And even in my relatively cool garden, she does bleach in the hot sun after the blooms have been on the plant for a while. The foliage of this rose is not its strong suit. It does get crinkly and mildew-y as the season progresses, but I notice it's getting better and better as the rose matures. I think if I fertilize with seaweed, it may help....will be doing that this year (we use rosetone as well). My plants have regular water from an irrigation system. Close ups of the first-flush blooms:

There are many threads on this rose, and there are many people who are very happy with this rose. You can do a search. My experience has not been as stellar. I loved the photos of Princesse Charlene de Monaco when they came out. When I saw it at a nursery, with pink, large deep cups and luscious fragrance, I had to have one. Now in its third season, the flowers have not been the same color. They open apricot colored fading in one or two days to a very pale color. Form is not deep cups here, as the flowers open up much more flat. Fragrance is still good, although variable. Growth has been noted by many to be rangy with long stems. The intense sun here keeps roses more compact here, and PCdM is more compact than the 12 foot monsters that others have shown, but still with very long stems (good for long stemmed cut roses). Rebloom for me has been poor. I'm debating whether or not I will be renewing this rose's lease next year. At purchase it looked like this: Now looks like this: Opening like this: ...although first flush this year looked like this: