My Twilight Zone was very shrubby with blooms all over the bush

It was very full and very bloomy

Hope that helps

Mine is 7th-year own-root, it got pruned by zone 5 winter so it's always less than 2 feet tall in 4 hrs. of morning sun:

My TZ has a tall upright grandiflora shape, about 4 X 6 feet. It's squeezed between a big Augusta Luise and an even bigger Julia Child. Diane

Thank you all so much. Diane, your purples are just SO fantastic; I just hope that some day mine could be half as nice! From your description, it sounds like the habit of your TZ may be influenced by its' placement, or have I misunderstood? Here's what's going on in my head: I have this very central area,very prominently visible ,and I would like to fill it with a combination of purple and lavender roses. I want to move at least one of my (Climbing?) Violette Parfumée roses (both are supposed to be the climber,but neither has climbed in the several years in which they've been in my garden). I was thinking to put that in the back,next to Ozeana (in the photos on HMF, the colours of these 2 seem very similar, but in real life I ind Ozeana to be basically a purpley-PINK, whereas VP is definitely mauve). Then I want a real strong, DARK violet, and TZ would be just the right colour, but I would like something bushy for this spot, since it would be in the front of this bed. The other option could be, if TZ tends to grow tall and bare-leggèd, would be to put TZ next to VP, and then something short and rounded in front. For that, I have 2 possible candidates: Young Lycidas (another move) or Trendy Babylon Eyes. In a way TBE would be best for contrast, but then I'm stuck putting YL on the path above a retaining wall, a much drier spot, and of the two, I think TBE could take the drier spot better than YL could.

But, if TZ does grow bushy when not squeezed between more vigorous roses, TZ could go in front...considering Straw's photo and Kristine's comment, this could be the best option. True, my climate is very different from zone 5 and the PNW. But the intense heat and droughtiness can tend to keep plants on the smaller side...Any thoughts?

Thanks, Bart. First of all, my Young Lycidas is not short--it's big and lax, growing up against several other roses. It is covered with blooms, and the long canes bend downward, so no "legs" are evident. But it's big. I also have a second, younger (4-5 years old), Twilight Zone also squeezed in between two large Munstead Wood plants. This TZ is shrubbier, and the three roses, TZ and two MW, all tend to bloom together. I can barely tell the difference in color among them. They are a dark wine color mostly. So that TZ is not nearly as dark as the one in the front yard. Why? I don't know, but I suppose soil and sun differences, and maybe TZ innately wants to "fit in" with its close neighbors. That theory is a little too anthropocentric for me. But the color differences and size differences between the two plants are what makes growing roses a wee bit challenging. Good luck figuring this all out. Diane

Above is my smaller Twilight Zone that grows between two Munstead Wood plants. TZ was younger in these pics, so it was easier to pick it out from the MWs. You can see that the color is still purple, just not as dark. I wish I had a pic that showed the bush shape better. TZ matches the purple snapdragon in the first photo. Diane

How big exactly is your Young Lycidas, Diane? "It is covered with blooms, and the long canes bend downward, so no "legs" are evident" makes it sound like a possible good candidate for the spot I have in mind. The fact that the canes bend downwards gives the idea that it could be very good as far as habit is concerned for the spot over the retaining wall, but I'm worried about the dryness of that spot, and there is also the fact that the colour isn't really right for this place- it seems too similar to the colours of the near-by Perfume Flower Circus and Mrs. Reynolds Hole.