I'll echo others' comments, I think most Austins do fairly well here. The only one that did horribly was Ludlow's Castle. (It's a dog-I've never heard anyone praise that rose!) An aside-Many of the soft colored roses are myrrh scented (e.g. Ambridge Rose) which is a love it or hate it scent for some people (it unfortunately makes me feel sick) so you might try to smell one before you fill a garden with Austins. That said, for me, here are the best I've grown (all have good disease resistance no spray, I tolerate some blackspot as long as they don't defoliate and 2/3 of leaves look okay) Objective Best: Molineux and William Shakespeare 2000. Subjective Best (because I prefer the fragrance/color/larger flowers:) Pat Austin, Jude the Obscure, Golden Celebration, The Prince. Molineux: always in bloom, excellent disease resistance manageable, bushy shrub (not an octopus/wannabe climber) individual blooms are short-lived/not a good cut flower light musky/tea fragrance William Shakespeare 2000: looooong-lasting flowers on bush; good cut flower strong damask "true rose" fragrance wider than tall/spreading Pat Austin: dazzling large copper colored flowers with medium fruity tea scent arching shrub, poor cut flower Jude the Obscure: excellent disease resistance romantic soft colors, strong grapefruit based fragrance poor repeat bloomer, ok cut flower IF cut as bud opens octopus/wannabe climber (it sends out waving 8'+ tall canes by end season) Golden Celebration: large blooms, strong fruity fragrance, good cut flower arching growth more blackspot problems than others I've listed The Prince deepest color, damask/old rose fragrance, good cut flower manageable bushy growth, Hope that helps! Dawn

How about Crocus Rose? I planted mine last Nov and I've been very impressed. It is already 5 feet tall and hasn't stopped blooming. It is not a "nodder"--the canes are stiff and the blooms face up, but I do give it some support (5 ft canes on any rose can flop with wind, rain, kids, knocking them over). The color is pale apricot fading to white. Light sweet fragrance. Don't know how it would do in your climate but we have had a hot summer (for the PNW) and it has done very well. No blackspot (no spray) but it has gotten some powdery mildew lately.

It is important to remember that I live in Richmond / Vancouver BC. I can only talk about how the roses doing here in my garden, with my soil and our wet weather. I like the following roses for: strong growth, fragrance and colour. Favorites: Abraham Darby, Crown Princess Margaretta, Charlotte, Gertrude Jekyll, Golden Celebration, Jude The Obscure, Pat Austin, Summer Song, Sweet Juliet, Williams Shakepear 2000, Tamora Here is the list of my DA roses Abraham Darby - probably the healthiest Charlotte - pretty good Crown Princess Magaretta - pretty good Jude The Obscure - great fragrant Tamora - very pretty Golden Celebration - very strong growing, large flower Graham Thomas - strong growth but black spot somewhat in late summer Gertrude Jekyll - great rose Evelynn - A diva but when she behaves, she is beautiful and fragrant Mary Magdelene - Always performes, nice fresh fragrant Summer Song - Beautiful color, very healthy Pat Austin - Great color, wonderful fragrant LD Braith Wade - Beautiful flower, not much fragrant Winchester Cathedral - very strong growing, strong fragrant Falstaff - strong growth but defoliage. Very beautiful flowers. Very little fragrant in the sun The Dark Lady - large beautiful color, no fragrant William Shaepear 2000 - great rose with nice fragrant Mary Rose - strong growht, light fragrant Sweet Juliet - strong growth, nice fragrant New ones this year, I might be able to talk about them next summer :) Heritage Gentle Hermione Lady Emma Hamilton - the color is wonderful and the fragrance is out standing. But I have only got 3 flowers so far this year so ... :) Sharifa Asma Scepter Isle Teasing Georgia Generous Gardener

Michael, I've found that white roses are difficult to photograph, but at least they are far easier than the red ones, which I don't even attempt anymore. Heritage was a natural for planting near that path, since it's almost thornless. Yes, those are geraniums. This is the first year I've grown them, and they have done really well. My grandmother always grew the red ones, but she never had any peacocks! Adrienne, the china roses are really the best adapted rose class for here. And that works out just fine, because I like them a lot. Spice is a special china to me, because its blooms last a long time, and have a lot of petals. Carol, I can see why you have so many Austins, because they are memorable roses. I really enjoy the two I have. Thanks, Jean, Carla, & Leslie! devon_gardener, I don't spray either, and my Heritage hasn't needed it anyway ... at least in my garden it hasn't. Very healthy for me. But as for rust and powdery mildew, that's something that is not prevalent in my climate for roses (except PM on Clotilde Soupert which is the only rose I've every grown that gets TONS of it). Randy