It's great to see you posting photos of your roses again. It was your pictures that 'enabled' me to purchase 'Pretty Jessica'. In fact I bought two and planted them with two plants of 'Prospero', another Austin rose that stays small, because of your photos with 'Pretty Jessica' in close proximity to a dark pinkish purple/red rose; perhaps it was 'Reine des Violettes'. My 'Pretty Jessica' and 'Propero' are looking great together. I think they are in love ... ;-)

Thank you for your comments, I was a little uneasy about posting. It's been so long, I wasn't even sure if I remembered how to post a pic. I'm glad your Pretty Jessica has found love with Prospero in your Texas garden. I'll bet they make a nice "couple" ... very cool.

Randy (thanks to Ingrid for reminding me of your name) here's a recent photo of the happy couple.

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Hey, they really do made a great looking couple! Especially with the blue flowering companion plants. Salvia?

Mine is still a baby but seeing your pictures has made me happy that I have this rose. It's had a few blooms but I think next year will probably be the charm.

Ingrid

A beautiful rose, I love the petal-packed blooms.

Lovely!

It's a slow grower, Ingrid, but I think you're probably right about next year.

Krista, yes, there's a ton of petals packed in there. Often they look carefully folded like tissue paper.

Glad you enjoyed, hosenemesis. I like your forum name. I've had my battles with water hoses. A couple weeks ago I was given a wrinkled looking hose for the patio that looks like its made out of some kind of fabric. I didn't give it much of a chance. I was wrong, it's been excellent.

Randy, the blue/purple flowered plants are larkspurs, which are very easy to grow. Their flowers persist well into June and beyond. Then they go to seed. Rosettes appear in late fall to bolt into full flower by mid spring.

Thanks for the info on larkspurs. I'll have to give them a try in my garden.

All you have to do to get larkspur started is buy a six pack or two and plant in early spring. When they go to seed sprinkle them around where you want them to grow. No need to try to cover the seeds. Splashing water through the summer will do that job for you. They'll even germinate and come up through mulch.

After a few years you'll be pulling them from where you don't want them, but they come out so easily so it's not a big chore in exchange for so magnificent a display of color. Purple/blue ones will throw out a few white and pink seedlings which are pretty, but I pull them before they go to seed because I want only the blue ones.

Excellent, thanks for the tips on growing larkspurs.

Randy---How nice to see you posting----great pictures of PJ-----Roselee----PJ looks wonderful with the Larkspur

Florence

Randy, I also have 'Pretty Jessica' because of your posts, and I'm grateful.

Same here. Randy's and celestialrose's posts were what made me take notice of PJ.

I bought two newer Austins this year: Rosemoor (2004) and Queen Anne (2011). Queen Anne has already been given away. Rosemoor has been a bit disappointing as well, but I'll hold on to it for a little longer hoping it will begin giving more fragrance which was rated as strong but so far has been barely moderate.

If I explore any more Austins in the future, I think I will stick to his earlier, "retired," introductions.

Randy, I too have PJ because of your postings. It is slow to get started but the blooms are lovely. So glad to see you here!

I Love Pretty Jessica! The scent is wonderful, and it's such a nice small plant. I have two, and they are both planted in the front of the border, which is NOT something I would do with many other David Austin roses.

Just beautiful, Randy.
I lost my PJ this year. Don't know why, but I knew I'd have to try again so now I have a new band. Your beautiful pics are very encouraging. And one of these days I'll start posting pics too. Lou

Thanks for the kind words, Florence.

Michael, I'm glad you're enjoying your PJ.

Belle, I tend to like the older ones too.

Barbour, good to hear you are growing PJ in your beautiful part of the country, that is so different in climate than here.

Oregon, you are right, my other Austin's are jolly green giants. I see you grow Gruss an Aachen, another favorite smaller rose that I grow. How does that one do in Oregon?

Lou, so sorry to hear your original PJ didn't make it. But glad you have a new one now.
Sorry for my faulty memory, but didn't you used to post photos of the rose garden that used to be at LISDOLA? I used to go there about twice a month and enjoyed that garden so much. I even purchased and placed a plaque marker next to the Marie Pavie that grew there. It was a perfect specimen, and I wanted all visitors to know its name.
I haven't been out there in a long, long time. Is the garden still there? Seems the last time I visited, it had begun to decline. But as I say, it's been a long time since my last visit.

Randy

Does anyone know where I can purchase Pretty Jessica now? Thanks a lot

Pretty Jessica is still listed on Long Ago Roses' website, but I don't believe that they ship to all the states anymore.

Pretty Jessica at Long Ago Roses

You could also ask Peter Schneider if he grows it. He grows many of the older Austin roses, and he could custom propagate it for you if he has a plant.

Peter Schneider at Freedom Gardens