I just bumped a thread called ”Honest Thoughts About Abraham Darby”

You definitely want to read it because there are plenty of opinions and they are all over the map!

@jc_7a_MiddleTN I did read through every comment on that thread before asking again here. And you are right— rose growers are all over the map in their opinions of AD. My plan is to train it as a climber on a split rail fence and hopefully that will help give it plenty of space for air circulation and i can keep any BS to a minimum. Rust is not a big problem in my area, so I am interested to see how I come out.

I'm not a fan of Abe, so I read the thread through, and noticed no one clarified whether their huge ADs or ADs that were climbers were own root or grafted. I think that can make a big difference with this rose. My own root Abe, the original Twig Darby, a term I coined, is a turkey as far as I'm concerned. I grow a lot of Austins on Huey and multiflora, and none of them are tiny wimps. So I can only conclude that all the wonderful big bloom machines that were mentioned on that honest opinion thread were grafted. It would have helped if it had been mentioned. Diane

Abe Darby is my all time favorite rose for fragrance, not that I have broad experience but it's hard for me to imagine a better rose for exceptional perfume.

@Diane Brakefield That is an excellent point, as I am getting own root from Heirloom. I do have an own root Claire Austin that is only a year old and growing like a weed, so I guess time will tell how this new guy fairs.

My Abe is own root from Heirloom and really great here. My Spirit of Freedom own root Heirloom is also great.

Diane's is also gorgeous even if he seems to be a bit shorter.

@Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR Yours is gorgeous! That gives me hope, and that is all I need!

My abe darbys are very spindly and weak looking as own roots in part shade.

diane’s ”twig darby” nickname is extremely appropriate!

Mine blackspot early and often but all these photos of what it could be keep me from being too impatient

Some of these pictures are genuinely offensive

jc_7a_MiddleTN You crack me up with your sense of humor. Laughter is good medicine. thanks. Wait until I post pics. of my roses being 1 inch. tall after zone 5a. winter,, so wimpy that they can never be offensive.

I'm with you jc_7a_MiddleTN, that photo was so offensive I ordered Abraham Darby.

I have 2 own roots. Both in half day sun. Ones a big bush, the other is trained to a trellis. Both rust if they don't get lots of water. We're dry here so no trouble with bs. If this rose will grow for you it's worth the extra trouble. Give him five years to settle in before expecting a great plant or great flowers. A good repeat bloomer here by Disneyland.

That is such heartening advice Kitty.

A few years ago I had an own root AD, and though it never got very big and the blooms were not full, I'm trying again with better compost enriched dirt to see what he will do. When the other roses were just leaf bushes between flushes, Abraham Darby put out a few sparse continuous blooms. All I really need is one rose still blooming to carry me through the dry times. Abraham Darby is my hero rose.

I'm still waiting, kittymoonbeam. I think my AD is six years old now, he's aging out, and so am I. He is pampered the same as all my roses which is plenty. Wonderful compost, Tones, and Lilly Miller organic granular, plus lots of water. Diane

Diane you sound like a loving Rosarian.

Diane, your Abe might be an aberration. I am only 5ft-2.5 inches myself, so I am sensitive toward the height size challenged. I know you are taking care of him as best anyone could.

I have a Tea Comtesse Emmeline d Guigne (I think sp) who is a midget apparently. Jeri tried her in California and she would not grow for her. Ditto here. Alana in the SE wants to grow her and I hope she does. I would really love to see someone successful with this rose.

It is puzzling.

Thank you both for putting up with my AD complaints. It's not just height, but the small canes cannot support the lower blooms which end up face planted. And the blooms are small, which is OK, but he still can't support them. Height is certainly variable all across nature, and is controlled by multi gene inheritance, plus environmental factors, too. But mostly genetic. I think the extra height you and my granddaughter, Clare were supposed to get ended up going to your extra large brains, a good trade. Ooh, I just saw lightening. Big storm coming and Diane takes it easy. Diane

It's raining cats and dogs here in N Idaho.

Now I remember I made little crutches out of broken tree branches to prop up Abe's face while my son took photos. I had forgotten he looks at the ground.

Mine does more than look at the ground--he is splat on the ground. Diane

Could it be he kisses the ground you walk on ?

Sheila, if it makes you feel better, you're taller than I am! I'm jealous of your lightning Diane, I sure do love watching storms. We haven't had any lightning yet this year but I'm eagerly awaiting, our worst storms can be quite scary as it seems the tornadoes creep closer every year but it's very... Thrilling? Invigorating? Something about it I like.

Lol Berrypie, all of Diane's roses should kiss the ground she walks on! His prostrate nature must really be deep bows of respect and gratitude 😜

I received my AD about a week ago. Time will tell how these little twigs do. High hopes!

Ang NC,

On HelpMeFind Member Favorites, among thousands of roses Abe Darby came in second only to Maidens Blush the once bloomer.

I'd say you got one of the most loved roses, in my estimation the fragrance can't be beat, - just wear good gloves around him.

And I'll bet the vast majority of those Abes in the favorites vote were grafted. Diane

That's ok, I'm happy with smaller Abe, less thorns.

I'm anxious to see how some others like Sweet Francis do this year so I can recommend them. She is apricot in color, don't know much else.

I saw them at RPN for a while. I think Abe will live on elsewhere.

I finally got my first bloom from Abe! Worth the wait. I knew he'd be open this morning so I rushed out there to make sure he wasn't attacked by Japanese beetles and promptly brought that bloom in the house for safety. The beetles are worse than ever this year, and I even treated the lawn before Spring.

Your Abe bloom is really pretty. All my Abes are grafted on either Doc Huey or Fortuniana.

I do have an Own Root Strawberry Hill from Heirloom. When she was smaller, she was pretty floppy.

I put a tomato cage around her to prevent her canes from flopping down or hubby from weed whacking her lol.

When Heirloom sent out a notice it would be the last chance for own root Abe Darby, I immediately hit the buy button, now I am so glad.

This morning I raced through the chores, finished watering the pot ghetto, and almost went in without smelling my first Abraham Darby bloom. Abe's piteous little bull nosed bud struggled to open from months of relentless rain.

Even stunted , that frilly petal packed , sublimely tea perfumed rose is why I bought Abe again and would say it is without a doubt my favorite rose in the world.