As far as the shade-tolerant thing, NO rose is going to bloom as much in shade as in sun.

When you say "shade" do you mean good sun for half the day?
Or very little sun all the time?

Because if you mean the former, Perle d'Or should be just fine. So should Marie Pavie.
If you mean the latter -- you KNOW that I am going to recommend a fuchsia.
:-)

Jeri

No, I ment half day sun.

FJ

Marie Daly is nice - have been very pleased with mine.

If you are in Northern California, doubt that Perle d'Or will stay small for you. Mine at home is five feet tall and wide, after four years. In the cemetery, they are 8 ft tall and wide, after 15-20 years. Wonderful, wonderful rose, though.

Mare Pavie is perfectly nice for us in the Sacramento cemetery, but it's in full sun. Don't know how it will grow in half day sun.

Whatever you do, don't get Clothilde Soupert. I grow it at home and it balls and mildews much of the year. Pink Soupert is ok, however, just not as fragrant.

Pink Pet (Caldwell Pink. Little Pink Pet) is a terrific rose, covered almost constantly with small blooms.
Anita

Petite Francoise or Etoile de Mai. The first is a very soft pink with lovely form and EdM a luscious yellow. Berndoodle grows the latter and says on HMF's entry that it only grew to 5 inches. Maybe she'll update up as to whether it's actually grown since the photo she took.

My Marie Pavie grows beautifully in half-day sun, not as profuse in blooming but foliage is perfect and blooms are plenteous.

Sue

You might also consider two roses that tend to stay very small, like Anna Marie de Montraval, white, bead-like blooms with a lily of the valley scent; the rose tends to stay under a foot to a foot and a half. Another possibility is Eblouissant that stays low growing; a deep pink to light red that does not lose its color. Another possibility would be Little White Pet which blooms in largish custers of pink red buds that blossom into tight white clusters of pompom shape on a bush that stays small.

JimD

My Caldwell Pink does really well in shade (maybe 4-ish hours of sun a day, but even that is dappled) - always in bloom.

I'm glad Jim wrote in because I don't see much love for White Pet whenever polys are mentioned. Ditto what he said, when in full bloom, it looks like a fluffy little white pooch.

I'd give Little White Pet (ours is also in half day sun) and Caldwell Pink the edge for continuous bloom, but I also love the wonderful fragrance and large blooms on Marie Pavie, Marie Daly, and Perle d'Or. Perle d'Or has a wonderful sikly quality to the petals, and very subtle tints of color. Bloomed well for me kn north Texas with less than 6 hours direct sun (and it was shaded by Reve d'Or on the arbor overhead!

'Mrs. R.M. Finch' blooms well with half a day full sun, and it has lovely rich medium pink platter like blooms,and a light sweet fragrance, and here in Oakland, Ca has a very long bloom season, producing full flush of bloom through early November. It is a nice little plant at a bit less than 4' tall here.
'Anna de Montravel' would be my first choice for a white Polyantha for partial sun, in California. If you live near the coast you may need to spray this rose to prevent P.M..

I love Polyanthas.
Luxrosa

I grow Marie Pavie in Norcal in about 5 hours of sun per day. It is in an atrium that leads up to the house. It would bloom all the time if it weren't for the deer, who have no shame and walk right up to the front door. In fact, MP has blooms on it now in less than 4 hours of sun per day. I keep it around 3 feet tall by 4 feet wide.

Joanne

Caldwell Pink does really well for me, healthy & beautiful blooms. It's one of the healthiest roses of any kind that I've grown. And I like its bloom form (firm little full pom poms) and color (soft medium pink with blue tone). But my Marie Pavie & Marie Daly stay smaller (superb short & wide compact habit) and have the advantage of great fragrance (sweet musk that's more than capable of carrying on the breeze). Hard for me to pick between those two. Wish I could combine them and get MP's scent and plant shape along with CP's health, color, and bloom form. I haven't grown Perle d'Or, but sure like what I've seen of that one too.

Randy

I love Verdun.

Thank you everyone for your recommendations.

Anita I love you. I was in love with Caldwell Pink for many years but could not find it locally and/or in Vintage Gardens. Thank you for letting me know that it also goes by the name of Pink Pet. It is ordered.

FJ

I'm glad that I was of help!

For future reference - Helpmefind lists synoyms, so if you search for Caldwell Pink, it shows up also under Pink Pet. It also has a list of sources. Makes life so much easier than figuring out all this stuff on your own
Anita

I was at Chamblees yesterday and picked up Echo, a polyantha, in the sale bin. It had a few light pink blooms on it and looked healthy. Anyone grow it?
Judith