When we first planted Austin roses in Ventura County -- almost 30 years ago -- we found that our foggy/no-winter climate often caused them to bloom sparely while growing very large. That's why we now grow very few of them.
(Oakslesly, we are in Camarillo, in the hills above Pleasant Valley Hospital.)
Now that our climate has grown much hotter and drier, we find that the Austins are among our thirstiest roses. The ones that are flourishing are doing so largely because they get a lot of extra water, delivered by hand.
As it's grown hotter, we now have better luck with Hybrid Perpetuals than we once did -- and even a few Bourbons. Tea Roses tolerate our conditions better than most.
And the reason we have 12 or 13 plants of "Grandmother's Hat" is that it is hands-down the most-successful rose in our conditions -- has been, for many years, and continues to be even as the climate continues to alter.
