I've had Koko Loco for @3 years, just got Honey Dijon earlier this spring to go with Koko Loco. Their colors blend really nicely (in my opinion!).

Neither have a strong fragrance to me although I can smell them - I'd call it light compared to PJPII that knocks my socks off. :-)

I love them both for their color, but I find that Honey Dijon blooms better than Koko Loco, and Honey Dijon's blooms last better. Neither is what I'd call fragrant.

I rather like Distant Drums and Distant Thunder more than both of them, if we’re comparing weird brown roses.

Ben - so far I don't have a source for DD or DT. But, I do for Honey Dijon and KL. :) :)

Susan - Thanks for the info. Honey Dijon seems like the better rose. :) Yeah, I know they're not fragrant (maybe a light-med fragrance)...but I've been thinking for so long about getting one of these. :)

Laura - good to know that there is at least a slight fragrance. I won't get them both, because 2 roses without strong fragrance isn't what I want. :)

:) Thanks!

Ben, I'd definitely choose Distant Drums over Honey Dijon or Koko Loco, if I had to choose only one. I'm not familiar with Distant Thunder, but I sure like the pic Deborah posted the other day. Distant Drums is one of my most floriferous roses... I've had at least 4 full flushes so far this year, and I love the blooms and the bush. Carol, sorry it's not available for you :-(

Susan - I grew Distant Drums when I lived in Edmonton (north of here)...and the fragrance/stink LOL overwhelmed me no matter where I was in the yard. The myrrh scent was off the charts. Maybe the fragrance would be less here since I have my roses in pots...but I don't want to try again. I must be a super-smeller for myrrh. :) You've had FOUR flushes?!! Wow! What a bloomer!

Carol

I’m not fond of those straight-up myrrh scents either. To me some of them should just be called a ’smell’ not a fragrance. Sceptre D’Isle and Wollerton Old Hall are pink and apricot mothballs. So no love lost for you and Distant Drums, (although I find DD myrrh more peasant than those mentioned above).

Susan

I think what I like about Distant Drums/Thunder is that the strong pink livens up those brownish centers.

I'm sure it's not a problem for you in Canada but I will say Koko Loko is one of my few non-stop bloomers above 100° in Sacramento. I love it.

I've seen Honey Dijon in the nursery but it doesn't bloom much, so I'm assuming Koko Loko would be better for that.

Carla in Sac

Ben - really? Wollerton Old Hall and Sceptr'd Isle have stronger myrrh scents than Distant Drums? I must never get them. :) :)

Carla - so Susan says that Honey Dijon blooms a lot and you say KL blooms a lot. :) :) You know what...I think this is a moot point now that Palatine will be adding more roses to their list. I won't have room for either HD or KL. LOL :) :)

I'm also not a fan of the myrrh fragrance, but Distant Drums is so great that I ignore it. I wouldn't say Honey Dijon blooms a lot (I said Distant Drums did), but for me, HD blooms more than KL. But few roses can beat DD for rebloom for me, plus I love the blooms :-D

I don’t know if it matters but I find DD black spots easily but doesn’t mildew, while KL does mildew but hasn’t black spotted. Neither defoliate. I don’t grow Honey Dijon but it looks fun.

I don’t spray (much—I’m not no spray but I just don’t have the time, and I have two toddlers that are always around).

Ryan - mildew is a problem for my roses. Whereas blackspot isn't. So that's good info.

Susan - sounds like a winner for you! :)

I have to I was shocked by how much I dislike both roses in person. Hopefully you can see them in-person before deciding. I even asked a local rose garden why they did not have them, when they are soooo popular. I was told people hated the color. On-line they look lovely and muted, in person, Honey Dijon looks exactly like diaper mess and Koko Loco looks like it wants to be purple, but isn't. If you already ordered them, I am hoping you like them. If you haven't order them, maybe see them first if you can.

Thanks, Ann! Gives me pause. And, no, I haven't ordered them yet...probably won't now that I know Palatine is adding more roses. :)

I have 3 Distant Drums. I love them. They get minimal black spot here. They are good bloomers and I love their color changes..lilacs, lavenders, browns, sometimes a little peach. Often, they age to coffee mocha color in the vase. I am thinking of getting more! Mine are grafted to Doc Huey. I would like to get some on Fortuniana.

Sultry - so the intense myrrh fragrance doesn't bother you? I could smell mine all around the yard when I grew it.

Ben - wonderful!! You are the king of growing roses in pots!

Rosecanadian, not at all..it smells a little like cloves to me. Maybe my nose is funny lol.

Ben, So cool! I didn't know RtR was a child of DD!♡♡

Ben, holy cow, is that first pic of Rosie the Riveter what she looks like most of the time when she opens? I'm not super fond of the colors on the second pic, but if I could get the first colors at least some of the time... egads!

Susan

To my eyes, Rosie the Riveter’s color are beautiful almost all the time, but best when there’s some copper tones

For added interest, at night she folds up and becomes the ’Taco Belle’ or Venus Beetrap

Carol

and lucky for you she did not inherit DD’s fragrance, she smells of light cinnamon, not myrrh!

Ben 

Are those current photos of Rosie the Riveter?

I've never seen one looking like that in California.

Carla in Sac

Sultry - cloves...much better than what stunk up my whole yard. LOL

Ben - Oh that is SO sweet that she closes up like a single rose sometimes does!!! A nice little bee hotel. :) I love those intense colors. mmmmmm Cinnamon...a MUCH better fragrance. :) :)

Carla

Those are Texas pics, but I don’t have a single variety that isn’t better colored in California. I’ll get RtR next season and I guess we will find out.

Ben

I was also thinking that doesn't look like a California lawn LOL

I can't wait to see how yours looks. I shovel-pruned mine, it had about 1/10 that color and was extremely thorny.

Carla in Sac