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May 13, 2019 9:49 AM CST
Name: Steve
Prescott, AZ (Zone 7b)
Irises Lilies Roses Region: Southwest Gardening
Hi Cinta,

I hear you loud and clear. And it's not you. I had similar experiences when I lived in New Jersey. I also have found that freeze/thaw cycling can be much more damaging to certain roses than constant cold. For example, here in AZ we can have 80F days in February and freezing weather at end of April. The temperature can cross freezing dozens of times in between. Most Hybrid Tea roses just die. Playboy, a floribunda that did well for me in NJ, zone 6b, I cannot keep alive here in zone 7b.

I've had way more luck with old garden roses. I think Rosa Mundi was among my first successes in NJ. The same cultivar loves it here, too. It's a gallica. Most of David Austin's roses have a good measure of gallica heritage. They do well here, too. Of the ones that arrived here in good shape, I've lost very few. Graham Thomas can be a monster, but it does grow well. I think Teasing Georgia is better. Darcy Bussell is fantastic. Ambridge Rose builds up slowly, but is worth the wait. Abe Darby can quickly reach monster size and I'm still undecided whether it merits the space it takes. Crocus Rose is a hidden gem. And I am amazed at how much shade Susan Williams-Ellis will tolerate. The best of the bunch, IMO, is Lady of Shalott.

The old roses Fantin Latour, Mme Plantier, R. alba maxima, and Marchese Bocella (aka Jacques Cartier) have done well for me in both places.

Floribunda roses have some multiflora heritage and they tend to tolerate freezing and thawing. I've been very happy here with Cherry Parfait, Day Breaker, and Rainbow Sorbet. Many minis, thanks to a little floribunda and a little wichurana blood, will also do well here. I expect they would do well there for the same reasons. There are some shrubs that work well. I succeeded with Sea Foam early on in NJ; Ballerina, Sally Holmes, Pearl Drift, Carefree Beauty, Larissa, and The Alexandra Rose, too.

There are just a tiny number of HT roses that I have found fairly dependable: Moonstone, Gemini, Big Purple, and Selfridges. I'm told by several people in the NE that Savannah is a good choice. Peace and Chicago Peace have reputations as tough roses, but I have yet to figure out how to keep them alive. I have never had a hybrid tea rose on its own roots survive being planted out of a pot here. Lack of vigor, yoyo temperatures, and even a little black spot or mildew combine to do them in - although most don't last until the fungal disease part of the year here. If that number of failed HTs here does not go into the hundreds it certainly amounts to many dozens, from at least six different suppliers on three rootstocks (own, Dr. Huey, and multiflora)

Some of the more recent cultivars such as Peach Drift and Gayle Hammond are really nicely branched and cold hardy. They grow vigorously and look good even out of bloom. They lack that high centered form, but are not without their charms.

You might look for roses in the High Country Roses catalogue. They specialize in roses that can take Rocky Mountain and high plains conditions: yo-yo temperatures, drought, high humidity, cold winters, and so on. Palatine's catalogue is good for cold hardy roses that can take humidity. And Antique Rose Emporium specializes in roses that survive warm climates with little care.

Not everything will survive. I'm pretty sure I've killed three or four roses in my garden for each one that survives there, but at last count more than 175 have established, and at high bloom they are glorious. Good Luck.
When you dance with nature, try not to step on her toes.

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