Wow @dianela7analabama! That’s 3rd season?

Mine us starting it’s 2nd season and it has one cane that is about 6 or 7ft long, and there are a few buds, but it’s definitely still a baby.

@bellarosa In USDA Zone 5, I think you're not going to get much more from it than a modest bush.

@dianela7analabama Now THAT is impressive! Wonderful.

Dianela, that is utterly beautiful. That's superb how you've trained this rose which allows it to show its full beauty. However, I fear for the other roses in your photo. I think Mel's Heritage is setting out to conquer the world!

Bellarosa if you already have a 6 feet tall cane maybe it will build up in a few years. How was your cane loss this winter? Maybe Mel’s heritage turns out to be tougher than we expect.

Thank you Paul. You have created many amazing roses, but wow Mel’s heritage is just so lovely I couldn’t be without it. My dear husband who cares nothing for roses always says “Mel’s heritage is the best”

Ingrid thank you! I am keeping Mel’s heritage to that size by giving it a good haircut every year. I know it can get much bigger. Thankfully my next door neighbor who actually owns that fence allowed me to train my roses there and is loving how the roses cascade down to his side of the fence. I do all the upkeep of course.

Here is a picture of the area when I first acquired this property and started planting.

Thanks everyone for your advice on Mel. I'll keep him.

Wow, Daniela, your Mel is amazing! I'm impressed!

@bellarosa

Thank you! I am hoping yours puts on some good growth this year. Please update us. You may be the only person here growing it in zone 5. It would be amazing if it turned out to be a good large climber in that zone even if it takes a little while to get there.

I'll keep you all posted. MH has very healthy leaves and I can't wait to see him bloom. He's very prickly! LOL

Roses have prickles, now there's a surprise! LOL

I know wht she means. Given his lithe canes, I always find it shocking hes so thorny , with tiny prickles. Its the stealth thats surprings! LOL! In a crazy winter that was moderate except for the two cold spells with extreme windwchill, Many of my zone 5 roses were cut to the base. So far I dont think Ive lost any. In fact, it helped me prune roses more harshly that usual and they seem the better for it. Its always hard for me to take off so much cane.

Anyway, one a 6ft. fence, most of, but not all of his canes survived, unlike prior years. He is coming back vigorously so its not a worry as I didnt want him too huge in this spo.t. I have no doubt he could survive, even if cut back every year and still make a good showing on a horizontaal support in zone 5.

Yes, Paul, he's very prickly! LOL.

My Mel’s Heritage bloomed at last and sadly I now know it was mislabeled. This is the 3rd mislabeled climber from the 3rd vendor to bloom so far this year. It is so frustrating to grow something for a year only to have it bloom in the wrong color.

Gosh, I'm sorry Markay.

@Markay MD-Zone 7A (8A on new map) Where did you buy that rose from?

I also dislike getting the wrong rose, but in one occasion it was a lucky mistake when I ordered 3 awakenings from rogue valley and they sent me 2 that turned out to be Blossom-time. Maybe your new unknown rose is something incredible and rare and that’s why Paul Barden is asking? I still sympathize so much with you I would be furious and Mel’s heritage is a must have for any garden that has the space.

@dianela7analabama I doubt that's a rare rose - my guess is that its 'Excelsa', which is about as rare as 'Dorothy Perkins'.....

Markway, sorry to hear that!

@User, I got it from Rose Petals Nursery. Scrolling through their site, Excelsa was my guess also. This is by far the biggest disappointment of the mislabeled roses.

@Markay MD-Zone 7A (8A on new map) I hope you've told them.

I‘ve had Mel for 4 or 5 years now. Has a lot of winter die back but gets some size. I have him on an arch. This pic is from 9-2020. Hes currently about knee height .

Dingo, I remember your MH rose. Has yours bloomed yet? Mine has a few buds, but is so lazy in it's blooms! No open blooms yet and I'm getting impatient! LOL. Luckily, I have a few other roses and perennials blooming. She might get pitched if she doesn't shape up!

@User, I did. I was hoping for a replacement, but they did not have any available so they issued a refund.

"She might get pitched if she doesn't shape up!"

You've stated that you're in zone 5, and its been determined that a climate as cold as yours is at the very edge of the range in which 'Mel's Heritage' will grow (beyond its range, actually). Its not going to make a big sprawling climber like it does in warmer zones, so if that is what you're expecting, I suggest you get rid of it now and plant something proven to grow large in a zone 5 climate.

I find it odd that a rose with a male named still gets referred to as "she"!

@Markay Odd they say they don't have any, but you can go to their web site and order it.

Paul, it doesn't mean that I won't keep MH. I will probably just dig her up and plant her in another part of the yard. I refer to all my roses as she. Yeah, I know.. Your picture of her is lovely.

Mel might turn over in his grave, or not.

@Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR Unlikely - I think he was used to that sort of thing.

I'm sure Mel wouldn't mind.

And yet this insistence on referring to ALL roses as "she" is truly bewildering.