Bart,
I have a lust for Susan Louise that is positively unhealthy. I love that rose and the way the petals curve backwards as it ages. I loved it so much that I gave it a winter protection that no other rose has ever received from me. And it barely hung on through several not very cold winters.

Those "not very cold winters" did not damage my tea roses, nor did they set my chinas backwards. My tea roses reached six to eight feet in height; Susan Louise languished. And then Susan Louise started coming back smaller each year, regardless of what I tried.

And I'll probably try her again, because I do love that rose. (My elevation is 1100') (What killed SL was a combination of canes that didn't harden off enough in fall and on older canes cankers that girded them.)

Ann said it all. 'Susan Louise' is truly a rose to lust after, but in my experience as well is more tender than Teas and Chinas. It was the only rose in the garden that succumbed to our terribly wet winter, and it was planted among other warm climate roses. I don't know whether it will survive. We're at 450 meters with a southern exposure, extremely heavy soil (pottery-quality), and winds that whip straight through from the gap of Trieste. The winter wasn't exceptionally cold, but it was exceptionally wet. I think 'Susan Louise' needs protection from wind, decent drainage, and sun; it might like the protection of a wall.
Melissa

In Sacramento, Susan Louise grows like a small tree. Ours in the cemetery has had health problems too, sunburn and some canker, and borers in the big trunks. I think it's always an ungainly plant but oh! the flowers. And it repeats well. I'd like to try growing it espaliered. We don't have to worry about freeze damage here, but I think it would appreciate a warm spot and some protection from afternoon sun. A bit of a diva.
Anita

There was one we saw on Mare Island, next to an empty Victorian home. Everything around her had been hit with Roundup, and there she was -- fully foliaged, and blooming her heart out.

Jeri

My Susan Louise has been languishing for 3 years. It is in a large pot (2 1/2 ft in diameter by 2 1/2 feet high) without a bottom (my idea was that the roots could eventually get into the soil below) nestled in a sheltered corner of a South facing wall, and is still only about 18 inches high. I have seen maybe one flower a year.

Lately, it has been severely pruned by deer. I have not been able to do anything about that, as it has rained without stopping the last 4 weeks, but today the sun has finally come out, and I can venture outdoors at last. As the soil is still too saturated to step on, not to mention "work", I will keep to the paths and driveway. Luckily, I can reach to put a deer cage and "deer away" on SL from the driveway.

I planted it where it is because just 3 feet away I have a 16 foot tall Belle Portugaise, which is supposed to be SL's parent of some sort. It is magnificent, and is setting those huge elegant buds as we speak. Poor SL looks so pathetic next to it! Anyway, I am glad to hear it is troublesome for others too - maybe it is not me. I will try to protect it from the deer, and feed it, and see what happens.

Jackie

I've planted 'Susan Louise' three years ago, it was an own root little plant, no more than 20 cm high, coming from La Roseraie du D�sert through Le Rose di Piedimonte.
I've planted at the South end of my "rose walk", at the base of an almond tree, with the idea of lefting her supporting herself a little, leaning on the tree trunk.
Well, she's now a 2 meters high, loopsided "stuff", bending to the opposite side I hoped they do :o/
The blooms are gorgeous, but are easily damaged in my dry climate; the plant is vigorous but suffer for summer heat, defoliating almost completely by early august, and recovering only in late september. Being planted north of the almond tree, she benefit from a little shade in the afternoon, as Anita suggested.
Best bloom ever are produced, as for many Teas, from November through January.

The best Gigantea I have, by now, is undoubtedly 'Follette'. Leaves and growth are way better than, for instance, 'Belle Portugaise', which I also have and like.

She's startin' to bloom and... OH MY.... it's stunning. The blooms open slowly, good for picking, and are very long lived, almost a week, both in the plant and in a vase.

Back to the original question, Bart, I have a friend (Paolo, which is also a Melissa's friend) with a garden filled with roses, near Citt� di Castello, about 650 m above sea level. Teas are good with him, but Giganteas seem to suffer for very cold spells, freezing to the ground sometimes.

Ciao ;o)
Maurizio

I think what some of us might want is a gigantea hybrid that has a bit more winter hardiness.

Sigh.

I do love the tea Safrano for many reason, not the least of which is the petals' taking a gigantea like form as they age. Safrano has the hardiness, at least in my transition zone. (Safrano needs to meet some gigantea pollen sometime in the future.)

O, dear, it sounds like maybe getting Susan Louise was not such a good idea.I also got Emmanuela de Mouchy.Any one have experience with that? And how about Nancy Hayward and Climbing Lorraine Lee? In the Botanica rose book, they say these last two are "zones 5-10" , whereas Susan Louise is only "zones 7-9". Emmanuela de Mouchy is not listed;I'll look on HMF. I'm not a big believer in zones however; I consider it just to be an indication.In my area in Italy, there can be such great differences in weather,depending on the exposure (micro-climates, perhaps?)
It's nice to hear from you again, Maurizio! In case you didn't guess, I'm "black bart" from the Peter Beales forum; on this one for some reason they wouldn't let me use that name. Is Folette a repeat bloomer? Most sources say it only blooms once, but I think in one Italian catalogue(I think Nino Sanremo's???), it's listed as repeat-blooming...regards to all,bart