I have a Royal Jubilee and Desdemona. RJ was growing in the ground but not thriving, so I potted her up, so they're both growing in pots. I overwinter them in the unheated barn, they come through the winter that way just fine.

O, it's always (late) at night (when addiction bites) isn't it? Anyway, have had a few Austins but they don't really appeal tbh and have all been passed along to D-i-L...apart from Snowgoose, Kew Gardens and Wild Edric which are not the usual frilly DA offerings. Anyway, D-I-L waters and feeds A LOT and hers look wonderful in pots (mine did not). Good luck and do enjoy your rose(s) cos it's never just one.

Not sure if I've ever seen a rose rated to zone 3. Maybe some explorer series or Kordes. Doubt any DA are rated that low. Seems like a climate more suited to conifers,

@charles: yes, I have a lot of conifers in my garden! But also many shrubs and perennials. I know there’s a good chance I will lose the DA, but I have a great snow cover so we'll see! :)

@rosaprimula: I laughed at your comment "it's never just one". How true! 😆

@Diane: thank you! I don’t have many roses in my garden but I like to look at the pics posted in the GW rose forums!

I can see why you caved! I think DA roses are exquisite! I've tried to grow many but just don't seem to have the knack to grow roses truly successfully (read "knack" as attention or effort, lol). About 15 years ago I went through my rose phase and killed more roses than most people ever plant, so I laid off them for awhile.

I did get several Austins from an old GW friend (Ego45, if anybody remembers George) - he gave me Pretty Jessica, Teasing Georgia, and Autumn Sunset, (I *think* AS is an Austin, off the top of my head) among some other roses, and I *have* managed to keep those alive, if not exactly thriving.

Got bit by the DA bug again about two years ago. Kept wavering but finally last year I bought an Olivia Rose. She survived this past winter in a pot outside and I am hoping to plant her in the next couple of weeks. I wish you every success with your rose, maz. Your garden is lovely and I'm sure you will do a fine job taking care of Gertrude!

:)

Dee

Thank you dee! I really got inspired by Youtube channel Garden with Marta. Some hardy roses seem to do well in my garden, so I thought what the heck, let’s try it! 🤩

Mazerolm...will you be planting your roses in the ground or will you grow them in pots? Tbh, Austins have never really done well for me. lol I love Carruth/Bedard roses the best. But I can help you to overwinter them. :) :)

I have a rose I protect with styrofoam. Works well

LOL maz! I just opened an email from David Austin roses and was thinking of you! I thought, well, I'm not going to buy but I'll just look. Finally had to shake myself and just close all the tabs, because it's too dangerous! I have my Olivia Rose to plant, and my Teasing Georgia to move, so for this season at least I will content myself with them. And not open any more emails from David Austin!

:)

Dee

@dee: lol!! Those emails are dangerous for our wallets! 😆

@rosecanadian: thank you!! I will plant them in the landscape. I know it’s pretty hopeless but I get so much snow that I'm trying anyway. I read somewhere that I could bury stems in Fall. Have you ever tried this?

I hope Carol answers your question. But if you bury your rose in wet dirt, and it will be wet with all that snow, from fall to spring, you will have a rotted rose. I'll bet on it. Diane

This is a terrific book on growing roses in cold climates: Tender Roses for Tough Climates by Douglas Green - Paperback - First Edition - 1997 - from The Book Junction (SKU: 20789) (biblio.com)

So what people in Calgary do is go to the leaf collection place where everyone dumps their bags of leaves (to be composted) and take bag after bag after bag of leaves. Then they place them (without opening the bags) around/between the roses. Then, using stakes to keep the structure in place, they take 3 or 4 inch thick styrofoam slabs and place them around the whole group of roses and on top. It works very well. I don't do this, because I have glacial till in my yard which acts like concrete boxes for the holes we dig for roses...they all drown. I grow mine in pots and overwinter in the garage.

@rosecanadian, that is a smart way. People always find a way 🌹

@rosecanadian: thank you for this precious info, I would not have thought of this by myself!

@mxk3: thank you for the book recommendation, I googled it and saw it’s still available to purchase!