Alfred Sisley has been a surprise in my garden; it’s done well no-spray the 2 years I’ve had it.

You say you need to double down. But if you still have Angel Face, I say you first need to single down.

Yes Riffs, you’re right its more like single down! I grew two roses in 2022, and in 2023 began my rose garden in earnest. Most of the roses I chose in 2023 have done really well no spray! Angel Face was a bad impulse decision. I picked her up as a bodybag and should have thrown away last summer. Iceberg was also an in store bargain but bad decision. Still learning for sure!

Olivia is super healthy rose in my garden.

I am in Pennsylvania right next to the Maryland line and Munstead Wood does very well for me in my no-spray garden. It gets a little bit of blackspot in fall at the base of the plant, but that's it

Thank you, Riffs for the note about Alfred Sisley! That’s encouraging because it was a body bag rose and I didn’t know much about it!

Thank you, Elena for the good words about Olivia!

And thank you Elestrial! That’s so exciting to hear about Munstead Wood and very helpful! :)

Olivia is very healthy for me but unfortunately does not bloom . Princess Ann and Munstead Wood were healthy for me .

I think my climate is confusing to Austin Roses !

My AS was packaged the same way - a Walmart special. I was intrigued by the colors/stripes, and that won out over discipline. I had low expectations.

Don’t feel bad about Angel Face. I tried her at least 6 times - with spray - failing each time. It was my mother’s favorite rose, ever since she saw a robust display of them (mature bushes) in the US Botanic Garden in DC more than 25 years ago. That they were able to achieve that maturity at that location (it’s hardly Balboa Park) is quite amazing (I realize now, all these years later).

Rifis, Angel Face is a wonderful rose when grown where it is dry like here, and my favorite local nursery carries her almost every year. She sells out early, too. I love her scent. I can understand why Angel Face was your mother's favorite rose. She's near the top for me. I'd love to see photos of Angel Face in the US Botanic Garden. I must check around. Diane

With Young Lycidas, another favorite.

Blue Mountain Girl, I agree that Munstead Wood is a top Austin rose, and I hope he grows well for you. I grow two of them, both continuous bloomers. Diane

I'm under heavy blackspot pressure in Middle TN and Oliva is one of my best roses and one of the few I have multiples of.

Roald Dahl is also quite healthy although it is a smaller bush and not very vigorous.

Oliva:

Roald Dahl:

concurring with everyone on Olivia. She’s done well for me here in MD. Boscobel and Roald Dahl were new additions last year and seem promising so far, but it’s too soon to really assess. Alfred Sisley was in it’s second year and defoliated from blackspot, but so far shows good vigor in putting out new leaves so I think I’ll let him stay for now.

I’m not in your location but being in the general Seattle area do deal with blackspot pressure. Of your list I’d say Olivia, Eustacia Vye and Princess Anne would be good to try.

No spray here as well and Souer Emmanuelle (Cathedral Bells) and Sweet Madamoiselle can be a bit spotty, SM the worst offender. I do not have Roald Dahl or Alfred Sisley and my Munstead Wood is too young to evaluate

Pinkrose, that’s interesting that your Olivia wouldn’t bloom! I have one Olivia I bought as a small bare root from David Austin last year and it barely grew. I wondered if that particular one was a dud, but maybe she’s not as well suited to our eastern soil or something! I decided not to get another Olivia, partly because she fades to nearly white in the sun and I already have other white roses. It’s so good to hear Princess Anne and Munstead were good for you!

Rifs, so sorry you couldn’t get Angel Face to look good! It is a beautiful rose and a beautiful memory that it was your mother’s favorjte! She had good taste!

Diane, I always love your photos! Your angel face is scrumptious and I love how dark purple your munstead photographed!

Subk, thank you for the photos and that photo of Roald Dahl especially! It’s great to see it looked so good for you! I love those fluffy yellow blooms!

Markay, I’m so glad you said Boscobel was ok at least in it’s first year for you in MD! That gives me hope! :) If my Alfred Sisley wants to stay defoliated very often he will have to meet my shovel. Hopefully he will do ok!

Thank you Oursteelers for your recommendations and experience!

Kristine thank you for the good word for Olivia and Munstead, and for the recommendation of the Fawn! I haven’t seen that rose before!

Thank you everyone!

Here are the ones I finally decided on! I will have to make a post or comment later this year to tell how Bring Me Sunshine does!

Those look like wonderful choices. I would love to try Eustacia Via. I hope they all do really well for you.

Thank you Kristine! It’s so exciting and hopeful to order roses in February when everything is still asleep and cold. Spring is just around the corner, I hope!

So, heres my new theory… once you get rid of the plants that attract blackspot, i think the rest of your plants will do better with it. it seemes to me that once one of my plants got it, slowly it spread (in varying degrees of severity) to the rest of the roses nearby. YET the roses seperated by about 50 feet by the fence (which actually get less sun and afternoon sun) didnt get any until the very very end of season. Isnt that interesting?! For me, Life of the Party and Midas Touch were the starting culprits… hopefully in year two they get ablittle more robust and healthy

Thank you Sophie! Hopefully that will be the case in my garden when I shovel prune Angel Face and the Icebergs. Moonlight in Paris is really blackspotty for me as well, worse than any of my Austins, and should probably go. The Boleros on the other hand did fantastic even in their first year! Masora, Silver Lining, Colette, Easy Spirit, and Poseidon are my favorite non David Austins. They had clean foliage and bloomed their heads off. My Austins did really well over all too.

Kristine - your The Faun is breathtaking!!! I love yours!!

Blue Mountain Girl you should post some photos of your favorites!!! i just ordered Poseidon for this spring, and i am so excited!!!! Colette I hear is supposed to be really pretty! You will have to report back next year and tell us if the garden did better with blackspot or not!

Here are some photos of some favorites!

Easy Spirit ^

Bolero ^

Marc Chagall ^

Peach Swirl ^

Silver Lining

Quicksilver ^

Colette ^ She is very pretty but her blooms do go mushy very fast if it rains. She bloomed her head off in September and October and I can’t wait until my two Colettes cover the arbor!

Masora ^

Koko Loco ^

Poseidon ^

Awakening ^

All are still young plants so some of the bloom photos are of small blooms. I’m very excited for this coming year with bigger bushes and more blooms! :)

Oooh!! You're going to have a great summer with these newish roses!! My faves are your Masora, Bolero. Awakening and Quicksilver.

Oh my goodness!!!!! BEAUTIFUL!!! Your pics make me so excited to see how my quicksilver and Poseidon are going to do!!!!!!!!! i want to get Bolero but cant decide if i should do own root or grafted. I love the peach swirl too!!!

Thank you rosecanadian and Sophie! :) Yes I agree, Rose, those are some good ones with such prettily shaped roses! And thank you Sophia! You will love both of those roses. It’s so stunning to see a lovely purple rose. To me there is nothing like it. :) For Bolero I would just decide based on your soil. Mine are grafted, (came as fairly small bare roots), and they put on quite a bit of size and bloomed so well for the first year. I’m excited for you!! :)