Thanks so much, Kippy. I look forward to checking these out this weekend. But I'm not so much looking for pink, as apricot, preferably with somewhat flexible stems. Diane and ingrid, Austin touts Evelyn as a 6' climber, and my memory is that several Californians on this forum have claimed 20' long Evelyns. Ingrid, I always check out the photos on HMF, but I never trust that as much as a person-to-person opinion here. Is there an apricotish version of SdlM, or Duchesse de Brabant, or the Tantau rose you just linked on the Austin thread? Also, seeds of the somniferous poppies can be purchased at One Stop Poppy Shoppe and several other smaller seed companies. Burpee has a double peony type called Venus. These poppies are supposed to be out of their element in our climate, but I planted last autumn to take advantage of the cold, and so far all but the darkest color are holding their own and stopping visitors in their tracks. -jannike

Somehow, Ambridge rose had fallen off my radar. That is an incredible looking rose, Flowers. Now it's on my wish list. Kristine, your Lady of Shalott is incredible! I had always thought of it as a very bright orange, which is not my favorite color, but then again, Lady Emma Hamilton has always caught my eye. Like others have mentioned, Abraham Darby and Evelyn are my favorites. Both have flowers of a lovely form, and of luscious colors. The fragrances are different, but both delightful and mouthwatering, more so than most roses to my nose, and I am very fragrance focused. Abe is more of a stocky rose in my garden, and Evelyn is more graceful. I've read that Abe can be susceptible to rust, so if that is a problem in your area, you may want to avoid him. Abraham Darby Evelyn

Seeingreen - the old Tea roses do tend to nod (we do not call it "drooping"!), but the solution is easy - there is such a thing as a "rose bowl". It is an old style of vase for roses. Many of them are crystal, and I have seen ones made out of ceramic too. The are shaped like spheres, with the top cut off. They are perfect - you just fill the up with old tea rose flowers, which then nod over the edge. Then you put the vase somewhere just above eye level, so that you can see the lovely blooms from below. The same thing works in the garden - in warm climates most old teas will climb a bit, and you can then look up at the blooms also. All of my teas have pretty thick petals, and last in vases indoors just fine. China roses are another kind which are heat tolerant - I tend to leave mine on the bushes, so I do not have much experience with them in vases, except for Le Vesuve, which acts more like a tea rose. Hopefully someone else on here can let you know. Diane and catspa - thanks for the suggestions! I will have to check out those roses. My issue is not getting rose plants through a periodic drought. but getting them through the endless cut backs on watering gardens we are facing here locally, and all over CA. That is political, and does not always jibe with whether we get enough rain or not. Jackie

Joey: Gorgeous roses !! I love your Moonlight in Paris and your Gertrude has perfect form and such nice deep colors. Some pics. taken this late June at above 90 heat: James Galway spring flush lasts forever (at least 1 month of blooming). I still have about 6 blooms on Zeph Drouhin as of today 6/29/22. I sniffed Zeph. Drouhin this morning and it was wonderful old rose. Below is James Galway: Below Dee-lish gets ruffles in high heat. Scent is very strong in hot weather, rasberry/strawberry/guave and rose: Poseidon loves the heat, exploded in blooms. It blooms better this year due to winter-kill. Normal height after zone 5a winter is 3 feet, but this year it's down to 1.5 feet. Below Summer Sun from RU is now having 6 buds on 6/29/22. Twilight Zone is looking very deep purple today but I didn't take a pic. of it. Sonia Rykiel is having 6 blooms which I cut for the vase.