On HMF, the Garden Org database, and the Peter Beales rose site, Reine des Violettes is called "shade tolerant". I have a very shady spot, in which Purple Skyliner is growing ,and I'd like to have something with it that starts blooming earlier-this spot is one which meets my eye every day that I go to my garden. Now, being here in Italy, I always figure that if Peter Beales in England calls a rose "shade tolerant",it will most certainly accept shade in my garden. My only doubt is that, on the Peter Beales site, Purple Skyliner is described as tolerating "sun, part-shade or shade" whereas RdV is only tolerant of "sun or part-shade". So, I was just wondering if anyone has RdV growing in the shade, and,if so, just how shady is the spot? Thanks in advance!

Mine is partially under an apple tree and backed up to a line of lilac bushes. I get a great spring flush but only a few sporadic blooms after that. I would say mine gets mostly only late afternoon sun.

Thank you, Seil!!! it might be worth a try, then; here in Italy the sun is probably more inense than it is for you...

Anyone else like to weigh in?

I have her planted under a tree where she gets early AM and late PM sun with light shade in between. She is a slow grower for me which I blame on competition from the tree's roots mainly.

I would not suggest placement with much shade, at all, unless it is from very tall trees.
Good air circulation may be of help , to avoid typical problems associated with roses. Especially as RDV appears to be rather slow growing, in my experience.
Although, it may actually depend on if you are growing the true, properly identified
correct cultivar.
You may want to try to get the leaves, to become appearing as green as you possibly can.

Bart, I find your querrie difficult to answer...I do have RdV growing here with half day sun. It seems happy there . I expect it to grow larger this coming season. If it grows better then I can be sure that it is partly shade tolerant. The shade is from trees that block afternoon sun. In general most of my bushes prefer that aspect, in summer. The difficulty I sense, is that there are just too many variables to draw in, before adscribing to the sun/shade option as the definitive one. You are gardening in a Mediterranean type climate with little or no extra water during summer. A shaded position may be of great advantage in that case. How well will it bloom? Who knows there? ( except you after a few years of trial of course). There's a point in any rose journey by which you are left to your own experimentation... . In this case I sense that you may have well reached that point.
Arturo

I have grown it twice in 2 different gardens. In a relatively good sun location with 7+ hrs a day it was very robust, and was enjoyable - but still got mildew and bs.

In a really bad location with just filtered sun, terrible soil, and a lot of neglect, it didn't do as well (big surprise!). But it did bloom, just not very vigourous.

I plan to plant it again in a new garden I am starting - if I can find it! Very hard to get in Canada now....
Its blooms are really something to enjoy

John

Thank you all for your comments. Arturo, you are SO right, the bottom line is that you just can't know until you try, because all roses tend to react differently in different soils, climates, latitudes, etc. -they are living things. From what I've read, roses in hot, dry climates really do prefer some shade, but that would ideally be afternoon shade. Sad to say, I have almost exclusively morning shade; the place I have in mind MIGHT get a little morning sun (very little), and then flitered light from a large oak until very late in the day, so it is a tricky spot. Purple Skyliner seems happy enough there...