Rita, you and your rose crazies certainly belong in this cubit. I also belong to the Daylily, Lily, Iris, and Bulbs cubits, so I have to wonder why you didn't mention joining the Clematis cubit. It's as fine a rose companion as the others and I can't conceive of growing roses without having clems climbing all over some of them.
My experience with Heirloom was a total fiasco, but I also love Clements roses. Fortunately, I was able to buy lots of them from Roses Unlimited, and especially from Roseland when it was still offering mail-order service.
I also prefer modern roses to OGR's, mainly because they take up less space. I have a few dozen OGR's and I occasionally take one out to make room for 4 or 5 modern roses. I also find that modern roses are healthier and more resistant to pests and diseases. The only things that get powdery mildew in my garden are a couple of old ramblers and a few of the teas and bourbons. All of the gallicas and rugosas are irresistible to rose curculio weevils. All in all, I'd rather grow modern roses.
