Having so many plants I love to grow, and gardening in an area that is challenging for many Rose varieties, I've found many that require way more babying than I'm willing to give them. However, many Roses are well suited to my climate, and have the iron clad constitution required to co-mingle with lots of other plants. 'Erfurt' in the pic below, is just such a rose.

Would love to know what Roses have found a permanent home in your Cottage Garden!

'Erfurt' was on my list of wants for a long time then when I found information on it I believe I read it is only hardy to Z6. Is that so? I love the single petal blooms!!
Veronica

Well, upon doing a quick search, zone 6 is what I'm finding too, but I could have sworn I only ordered zone 5 hardy varieties that year I bought it from Chamblees. Mine are out in the exposed front yard, where they get lots of wind, and have been completely cane hardy. Makes me think with a touch of protection, Erfurt would do well for you.

'Ballerina' is a dependable performer in the garden. Some of the panicles of bloom are huge!

One of these days maybe I will bite the bullet and order 'Erfurt'.
'Ballerina is lovely too'

This old Rose was given to me, I have no idea of the name. It only blooms once, but what a display! The fragrance is wonderful too!

I really only have Hybrid Teas. Though i have one Floribunda... they are not "IN" my cottage garden, but i have been moving more plants to the Rose bed -- so i bet it will be a Cottage Garden before long.

We have 2 Eng. roses (Austin) Pat Austin & Pegusus. John keeps trying to get 'Paul's Himalyan Musk' to climb a birch tree. In CT we had an old pink with small flowers which ai have since ID ed as probably 'the Fairy'. We had Hybrid tea 'Tropicana' for yrs, but after it dies have lerned not to do those in this climate. 'Pat Austin' is the closest that I could get to the color.

Lucy, how do those Austins perform for you? I've had mixed results with them, I think a lot don't like our heat and humidity, although most have a nice first flush of blooms.

I picked up a rose called 'Carefree Celebration' last week that is very similar in coloring to 'Tropicana'- that coral-orange color. Keeping my fingers crossed its as carefree as the name suggests!

Pat Austin which is own root does better. Like any other group of cultivars, some better than others. I will have to look up the ones which the Austin catalog says is better for the heat. Not sure about humidity as their american site is in TX.

I have better results with own root roses too, seems grafted plants come with an expiration date here. The 'Carefree Celebration' I picked up is own root too.

Terese, I'm doing the same thing. Had some roses in my 'big bed', but now they get surrounded by whatever else needs a home! One day I'll organize it...maybe...

Neal, I love that magenta rose! Gorgeous!

Two of my favorites right now are 'Don Juan', a climber I have in the middle of the herb/butterfly garden, and Memorial Day which I think is a tea, but has the most delicious fragrance! Don Juan seems to be pretty tough. It's fallen over numerous times and just keeps on blooming no matter what. I've been horrible about not spraying anything, and it only gets water whenever I remember to pull out the hose, as that bed is not on the drip system yet... It does have a touch of black spot at the moment, but doesn't seem too bad.

Thanks Kelly, that magenta rose smells as pretty as it looks too. It has a lot of buds now.

Hmmm, as bad as I am with cuttings... don't suppose I'd be able to root a rose? Might be worth a try... if I've anything you'd like to swap!

Kelly, you won't even have to root this rose, it sends out suckers. That's how I got this one started. I'll be happy to send you a start. It's an old rose that just blooms once a year, but its so carefree, its totally worth it. I think after blooming is the best time to dig, that's when the new growth has hardened off and it won't wilt as badly.

Thanks Neal! Let me know if you want a swap, or what the postage is!

Arrrrgh!!
I just typed out a looong message w/ photos and my *bleepin* computer crashed!
~~~SIGH~~~
I'll be back.

In the gardens to the side of the house, I have two David Austins, Othello and Graham Thomas and two floribundas, Hot Cocoa and America's Choice aka Hans Christian Anderson. There is also a green rose out there. I have 'Linda Campbell' up next to the house and a huge mess of 'Dorothy Perkins' and "White Dorothy Perkins' covering a screen that sort of blocks the gardens from the road. There are rose fences around the yard on the east drive and down around the front. Those are all old garden roses and some new rugosas - hardy to a fault. I don't do hybrid teas as they die. The only roses I've ever lost were grafted. We get 300 inches of snow and my roses go naked into the winter with the exception of the two on the screen, which I wrap with burlap. Occasionally I have some break down, but for the most part they weather the storms nicely.

Neal, that's one of the lovely things about the old own root roses, they sucker and are easy to pass along.

This is La Reine Victoria, a pillar that lives in the strawberry patch.

Kathleen, where do you get your own root roses? I've looked at Hot Cocoa for a long time now, how would you rate it as a grower? Own root seems to be the best choice for this area too. Folks often ask which is best, grafted or own root, but I think it depends on the kinds of Roses preferred and the growing region.

Kelly, as weather cools down and I get back into the garden, I'll plan on getting that rose dug and shipped for you. And don't worry about postage or trade, its the least I can do to thank you for your graphic design services

Most of mine were here! I think the David Austins and the Hot Cocoa might be grafted, but are in a protected area. Hot Cocoa should do well for you. It is changeable with the amount of sun and the temperature. Right now it's a smoky orange, but when it cools off it is sometimes quite brown.

I've gotten roses from High Country Roses and Chamblees, although I didn't have very good luck with those from Chamblees. I suspect the difference in latitude was too great.

I have the best luck with ogrs, a rugosa named 'Hansa', the multitude of 'Dorothy Perkins' ramblers, species rugosas, a Scots briar, gallicas, which grow like crazy up here, but might not like your heat and humidity. I have some old centifolias, multiflora hybrids, and a couple that I just don't know.

Part of the reasoning behind grafting is that the base of the graft won't sucker. It also allows some delicate roses to be grown in colder zones. And, the roses die, so you have to buy more. At least that's the way I see it!

I've gotten roses from Chamblees and had pretty good results from them, but the best own root plants I got were from Countryside Roses- a couple of those are monsters now! OGRs are mostly what I go for these days too, by the time the Japanese beetles arrive they're finished blooming

Kathleen, how hot are the summers in your area? Seems heat and humidity really take their toll on modern repeat bloomers, except for the Knockouts. 'The Fairy' and 'Red Fairy' tolerate it quite well too.