Kristine.... I'm not sure this rose is growing Stateside yet, so I'll just come in here and let you know how it does for me..... I'm somewhat in love with it but it's not a sumptuous rose in the manner of some of his big pinky roses, many of the blooms are smallish and chalice or cup shaped... sometimes a medium sweet scent, other times light, but always there for me... I don't get any myrrh from it.. I find this rose stands out from a distance, it's creamy white blooms showing up well.. presenting a graceful effect.. hits of peachy pink and apricot, or often pure white.. For me, this rose is much better to grow than the popular 'Iceberg' which can defoliate with blackspot, whereas this one is virtually clean with good leathery type foliage. One of my plants has been evergreen all winter... please be aware my no spray garden is blackspot heaven.... After the first wonderful flush, there is a gap of 3 weeks before the next one started, during which time it throws up a big thick cane which breaks from side shoots all the way down, so you don't just get blooms stuck on the top... it stopped at 4 feet for me, but I do wonder if it will get double that in a warmer climate....? ....from then on it was barely without blooms right into late Autumn... I do hope I have enabled you... but if not, there's always another...

The pictures are stunning. I'm on year three with Desdemona and been really pleased with it. In my opinion it is the best white English rose. A few particulars. I garden in the Mid-Atlantic, USDA Zone 7a. High air humidity with hot summers and cold winters (though nothing like what New York and Pennsylvania gets). Rose came bareroot from David Austin Roses Ltd. Why I like Desdemona: 1. First rose to bloom in the spring. 2. Big, beautiful globular blossoms that open to show the golden stamens. I LIVE for this kind of flower form. The blooms also cover the plant, giving it great "presence" in the garden. 3. Blooms don't ball, a significant improvement over EARTH ANGEL, which I'm going to replace. 4. Strong stems (no nodding) and decent vase life. 5. Medium bushy growth habit with nice foliage. 6. Good, reliable rebloom. Now the bad: 7. Needs spraying to control blackspot, but no more than any other English Rose. 8. Color is cream, not white. If you want a pure white rose then get POPE JOHN PAUL II. 9. Not a fan of the myrrh fragrance. 10. Thorns, it has them. About medium and not terrible, but I prefer low thorned roses (ala Heritage). 11. I still think FAIR BIANCA's flowers are more ravishingly beautiful. The myrrh and vanilla fragrance is certainly more pleasant. I've got a wimpy BOULE DE NEIGE (Bourbon, 1857) that has been sitting in the same bed and never gotten above 2-feet. Tiny, pure white, exquisitely shaped blooms with rapturous fragrance, but is it good enough enough to earn a permanent spot? Not as is. Thing is even more prone to blackspot and defoliation. This is year 4. BdN had better put on some plant size or else DESDEMONA is gonna push it down the stairs like that dancer from Show Girls (film 1995).

Antipode (may I call you Ro?), Mme. Anisette is luscious, and I'm glad to learn how tough she is. That's a big plus here in the windy desert. She sounds a lot like my Julia Child roses. They are so tough, and stand up to both heat and cold well. I love your Charles Rennie M. as well. I've grown Young Lycidas for years, and he is fairly large and the canes are lax, but not floppy on the ground floppy. I like to lean the canes on the surrounding roses, particularly the climber Colette. He's totally non aggressive, and fits in with no harm done. Miss Nomer, your PCdM is just gorgeous. Diane

So extra specially nice. Mine was great her first year, but has started to disappoint in the last couple years. Yours looks more like my Wollerton Old Hall, which I LOVE. In fact, I got Wollerton just in case I decide to SP Desdemona. You've motivated me to give her some extra attention this year. She is a heavy drinker, so probably needs more nutrients, too.