I have been researching your roses on helpmefind. I always look for roses that other gardeners in similar climates have grown successfully. As you said, Melva, zone ratings aren't cast in stone. Here is a list of some of Melva's roses that I am tempted to try based on ratings and reviews that may help other potential shoppers in cold climates. Maybe the ratings and brief descriptions will help. If not, sorry for taking up valuable forum space with my sketchy notes.
Climbing Roses:
Magic Dragon - z5a+ Moore red mini climber, double
Red Wand z5a+, pinkish red double (could fit by my William Baffin)
Alchemist -z4b+ once blooming climber loved by CaliforniaSue, already on my wish list and in my top 4 from Melva
RUGOSAS
Therese Bugnet - z3b+ recc for N.Sweden, double clear pink, spring bloom some repeat, disease resistant
Mrs Anthony Waterer -z6+ very bright pink flowering, fragrant
Conrad Ferdinand Meyer z5+, silvery pink very fragrant, 6-10'
Tea Roses - I thought they were not practical for my zone, but I am glad that I looked them up
Lemon Tea -I am having trouble finding much information on this one
Jean Bach Sisley z5b+ repeated flushes, pink fragrant blooms, 4' sometimes grown as a climber-need to read more about this one. I would love to try to grow a tea rose
GALLICAS - trying a Gallica rose has been on my todo list, especially after reading Paul Barden's site
Canary Island Gallica mauve/purple z4-8, grown at brooklyn botanical
Charles De Mills z4-8 ars 8.6 barden 9.5 deep red
Cramoisi des Alpes 4b+ pink picotee compact 3-4' almost dwarf - could fit this one in somewhere...
Crimson Gallica -found rose maybe super tuscan, purplish pink fragrant once blooming z5+ (tuscan is on my wishlist)
Shailer's Provence -centifolia z4b+ seedling of virgin pink fragrant
Melva's MISC
Queen of the Bourbons- z5b+ med pink
Autumn Delight z5b+ fragrant white hybrid musk single ars 7.1
Swamp Rose z5b+, pink 6-8' spring blooming once blooming
Madame Laurel de Barney z5b+ bourbon once bloom spring
Carefree Beauty buck rose zone 4b+ pink - lots of people recommend this for cold climates
Gypsy Boy bourbon violet red once blooming z3b+ sweden rec. 3'
Melba's rooted rose list:
mac-couldn't find much information on this one
apple blossom-hybrid multiflora rambler- z 5+ big 6'+ single clustered pink once bloom w repeat
natchitoches noisette z5+ fragrant double blooms, reblooming and disease resistant 3-15'
heideroslein- z6+Hybrid Musk, Lambertiana-I got this one from Melva, can't wait until it grows up, it had a couple of cute blooms this season.
wild flower - z6+ austin- single pale yellow 18"+ single
laure davoust - hybrid multiflora rambler - found rose pink double clustered 12'
yolande d' aragon -portalnd rose-z4b+ beautiful, fragrant mauve-pink blooms
cupid's mark- McCann mini red striped rose, 3'
madame louis frankel...noisette - I couldn't find any information on this one
perle d or - china hybrid, polyantha z6+, 5 protected 3-6' fragrant, peach fragrant 3' called "Yellow Cécile Brünner’"
debutante -Hybrid Wichurana-12' light pink once blooming rambler "mother days rose"
Decisions, decisions, decisions
