I managed to isolate a pic of buds, although I cannot see any hips on the pictures:

Jackie

I just had a thought (it happens sometmes...) - could it be Harison's Yellow?

Jackie

R. hemisphaerica, im guessing

Just got some more info - the mystery rose in question is growing happily at 8,500 ft in zone 4. It sets buds in late May and blooms once starting in mid June. Blooms last 6-8 weeks.

Paul - thank you so much for suggesting R hemisphaerica. The resemblance is spot on, but is it that cold hardy?

Jackie

I agree with Paul. If it's not actually R. hemisphaerica, it's something very closely allied with it. Mine is no more (guess what happened to it. I live in Rosette Central). But the photos pretty much are perfect examples of the traits I remember.

John

EDIT: Jackie, I think we posted at the same time. I just saw your question about hardiness. I can't speak for Z4, but it was bone hardy here in Z7, even as a tiny thing when I first got it. It survived at least two Polar vortex/express events when it got down to Z5 temps for a couple of nights. So I think it's actually hardier than the (default) setting that HMF quotes.

Thank you John - I have also noticed that the hardiness info on HMF frequently needs to be taken as a place holder for more accurate info.

Jackie

Hazeldean or Persian Yellow are possibilities. I grew both in Alaska and also here so they are hardy. I also have Harison's Yellow but that was not hardy in z3 Alaska. It might be great in z4.

My guess is Persian Yellow. That is available at High Country Roses in Colorado.

I'm sure that is Harison's Yellow. Mine is completely hardy in zone 4 and looks identical to that one.

My Persian Yellow is deeper yellow than my Hazeldean or my Harison's Yellow.

Your plant looks great Joey.

I have Harison's, Persian and R. hemisphaerica. All are hardy in Zone 4. I think this looks closest to Persian, although mine has never thrived. Leaves on R. hemisphaerica are grayer and more matte. Flowers are smaller and paler on Harison's.

Joey, I don't think your rose is Harison's either.

Belmont any ideas what it might be? I was told it was Harison's Yellow by a local nursery owner who grows HY herself. My mother in law has Persian yellow, and it looks different to this one.

Joey, I’ll leave the positive ID to Belmont, but I am as close to 100% sure that your absolutely GORGEOUS golden rose is not Harison’s as I am of anything in this uncertain world. I envy the health of your rose. I think it’s going to be identified as one of the historical yellows that blackspots like crazy in my area. Your rose is traffic stopping! Carol

Jackie, your friend’s BIL is so forunate to have such a beautiful historical specimen in his garden. Wow! Carol

I hope I wasn't being obnoxious, but those were my first impressions. I could be wrong.

Joey, is the color on your photos pretty accurate? Because that seems really bright for HY. Persian seems more that color.

I can't see the hips on any of your photos but here are some later hips on mine. Both the hips and the leaves on HR show some resemblance to the scot's rose--round hips that eventually turn very dark (almost black), and fairly dark green, rounded foliage. HY also has a unique scent to the foliage in the rain. Hard to describe but a little piney.

There was a woman on HMF who seemed to know a lot about HY, and she thought there were several different variations circulating. So maybe that's an explanation for why these Wyoming ones look off to me.

Here's the hips and leaves of my plant. There are variations to the leaf shape depending on weather when it does its growth period. It may be worth mentioning that all the roses in that garden have very intense color, and I think that's because of the soil makeup when I filled the raised bed. Apricot Twist, Mountain Music, and Queen Nefertiti all grow very near this rose and have unusually deep color compared to pictures of them in other gardens. Local legend has had this rose originally growing at a stagecoach stop in Colorado which was opened by homesteaders in the early 1900s. When the stage stop burned down around 1970, nearby ranchers went and dug the rose up and brought it to their home...my husband knew them well when he was a kid. Years later I lived in that home and by then the rose had grown to about the size of a large pickup truck. When we moved to Wyoming I brought a piece with me.

Wow, that’s a great rose history story. I am glad the rose was shared and saved!

The hips on my rose are more fully globular and seem to have more glands. It’s hard to see the glands because I blew up the photo so much .

I think we have at least different forms of HY, or maybe different roses.