I feel I've come full circle with rose growing. I started out with hybrid teas, gradifloras, and floribundas, from Jackson and Perkins over 30 years ago. During that time I was gardening at my mother's house, and our winters were severe for several years. Those first plants gradually perished after I went away to college and moved out on my own. When I started growing roses again, I looked to hardy old garden roses and some modern shrub/landscape roses. While I discovered many qualities in roses that I love, I now find I'm missing seeing a few classic hybrid tea roses in the garden.

I'm looking for a nice assortment of colors to dot throughout the landscape. I don't use chemicals, so I need varieties hardy to zone 6, that will tolerate heat and humidity. I have ordered deep pink 'Beverly', and will be ordering 'Francis Meilland' for this spring.


What varieties have you found to be the toughest?

I started with hybrid teas also and have changed to old garden roses as the hybrid teas and floribundas did not usually do well under my minimal care. A few survivors: Mr Lincoln, Chrysler Imperial, Peace, Queen Elizabeth, Scarlet Knight, Europeana, and Melody Perfume. There are probably a few others but they don't impress me enough, apparently to be readily memorable. Not typical, but a very vigorous hybrid tea here is Lafter. Cold is not a problem here but heat, humidity and disease are. I do not spray, prune, or fertilize. I mulch generously and only water while a new rose is getting established.

with PPal - don't know about Scarlet Knight, but those are the ones that I've got that are Old Faithfuls for me. Also BlueGirl, Mardi Gras, JFK, Sheila's Perfume, Doris Tystermann, SolarFlash, .... I probably have a ton more that have survived my ineptitude, but brain's not functioning.

I prune the dead off in the early spring to get rid of winterkill, but other than that, they have to fend for themselves for the most part. I do feed at least twice a year, though, and I have to water during the summer because of our droughts. This year I'm not having to winterwater due to the snow.

Thank you both so much! Feedback from a hot, humid area and from a zone 5 region is just what I need. Mr. Lincoln was one I grew as a teen, I loved the big velvety, fragrant blooms. I'm happy to see a lavender among them!

Rose Lafter, Oh my how could I ever forget. It was the only rose I ever shovel pruned for trying to kill me. A massive rose it was and I got to close one year while weeding. Became hopelessly ensnared. Even attempting to removed outer clothing only served to make matters worse. I believe it knew the fate it was about to meet should I ever get free. I'm here and it's gone. Thanks for the memories Porkpal.

Patty

Probably the only rose grower that doesn't like hybrid teas but times they are changin. So I broke down and I've ordered Figi from Chamblee. They say it makes a nice bush. We'll see how she does up here.

Fiji looks like a beauty! Says fragrant and disease resistant too. Hmmm....may need to look into Lafter, although you've got me a bit intimidated, LOL.

Patty - My Purple Splash climber, Charles de Mills, & George Burns are all bloodthirsty beasts. I had planted CdM next to the house because HMF stated that it was thornless. HA! Mine's got thorns on it's thorns!! He's an evil rose, if beautiful... And PS loves to snag at my hair as I bend down.. I've been ensnared in that rose many times pruning!! George just bites me through my jeans.. no such thing about walking through my yard in shorts!!

Toni, does Purple Splash rebloom well for you? And I've been intrigued by George Burns for a long time, is it a vigorous grower for you?

Wow! I saw your pic of the thorns on GB in the data base- that one is wicked!

Skiekitty - Never new there were so many beasties. Somehow I can't imagine running to the house with no shirt on.

Neal - I love Purple Splash. Beautiful blooms all season long for me, but it does get ugly with Black spot (found out in 2014 with all the rain we had last year). But in the fall, gorgeous HUGE red hips.. and she gets about 6-7' tall every year for me (I have to prune down to the dirt almost every year.. and this year will be no exception for winterkill). But I don't actually have it tied up to the arbor it's on (why bother tying it when I just have to untie it after the season? What can I say.. I'm lazy!!). But crappy vase-life and mild scent. And George Burns is a great rose. I accidentally killed my first one and my second one should be taking off like a rocket this year. But thorns! Yikes!!!

Patty - Uh, running around w/o a shirt is NOT an option for me. Yes, I know it's legal in CO to run around bare-topped, but I am NOT scaring the neighbors!! The children would be scarred for life!!

Nice to hear about a climber that puts on a good show on all new growth! You can see why PS appeals to me from these pics. The corner of the house on the left is where I've always wanted a purple/mauve climber, right where the big purple pot is setting. This area is where I'd like a couple of lavender HTs too (yayyyy- Melody Perfume!)

gemini_sage said:Nice to hear about a climber that puts on a good show on all new growth! You can see why PS appeals to me from these pics. The corner of the house on the left is where I've always wanted a purple/mauve climber, right where the big purple pot is setting. This area is where I'd like a couple of lavender HTs too (yayyyy- Melody Perfume!)

Oh, this DEFINITELY screams a couple of lavender roses. I'd put in Melody Parfume, 2 Rhapsody in Blue's flanking a White Licorice, Ebb Tide, Heirloom, & Intrigue.

It is a somewhat protected spot, so a good placement for some hybrid teas. And those are all fragrant varieties- which I'm really wanting there- I want to smell them every time I walk out the door! I've got Poseidon ordered for that area, and have been considering Ebb Tide and Rhapsody in Blue. I was a little concerned about Heirloom and Intrigue as far as hardiness, but that microclimate might just take care of that. Do you grow White Licorice? I've been eyeing that one for some time.

Just in case, the no shirt was in reference to becoming hopelessly entangled in rose Lafter. Two choices somehow get out of my shirt or wait for help. I waited!

I have everything I mentioned. Intrigue is far more smellier to me than Heirloom. Both, however, are very very hardy for me and do not suffer from like blackspot or other nasties for the most part for me. Rhapsody in Blue has some gorgeous blue tones to it. My White Licorice is flanked on either side by a Rhapsody in Blue in either side.. I love the blue on either side of the buttery white.




Are you leaning more towards the deeper purples or the lighter lavenders? If I may suggest, English Perfume is a wonderful smelling rose, but it's very light in color, but one of my absolute fav's as far as in the "mauve" family.



Something else you need for this area is some agastaches!! "Black Adder" or "Grape Nectar" would be a WONDERFUL addition.. hummie magnet, hardy perennial, non-fussy about moisture as long as no wet feet...

Awesome suggestions! Thank you so much! I'm wanting varying shades of lavender/mauve/purple, and English Perfume is beautiful! I like the way Rhapsody has the blue wash, reminds me of the old Veilchenblau(sp?), or Blue Rambler, but with the bonus of rebloom. I do like those Agastaches a lot- do they seed themselves like some of the others? I like finding self sown plants They remind me a bit of Penstemon smallii that I have in that area.

I'm checking with vendors as these varieties are brought up, and noticed some nice looking possibilities. Any experience with Neptune, Nicole Carole Miller, or Wild Blue Yonder? NCM looks absolutely gorgeous in the photos!

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose...

Neptune looks like a beauty:

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose...