I have always liked 'American Freedom.' I don't know anyone growing it up north, so I have never tried to get it. I have seen 'J.T. Davis.' I liked it. I know a few people grow it up here, but I don't recall how it did. 'Mrs. John Cooper' is another I have seen up here.
I think Ohio hybridizer Jim Biaglow used a lot of Grace's. I remember him being wild about Clothed in Glory. Jim lived in town in a suburb of Cleveland and had a brick wall built by his house with brick walkways to try to grow the tender Southern plants. They have a lot of snow cover up there, so that probably helped too. I know a few people who have a brick walled in location to grow Southern plants.
If anyone knows if American Freedom grows well in zone 5, I would put it on my get list.
