General rule of thumb (there are notable exceptions to it) is to give roses as much sun as you can (as long as you don't live in the desert southwest, or someplace like it).

Hi, I think this is a great compliment to your Dad, finally following his footsteps, and the way you write, I feel you have some special rose talent! Welcome aboard here. I KNOW you have come to the right place. People here are so knowledgable and fun. ENJOY THIS SITE and the people on it as much as I do!

Your dad was right. I do believe each rose has it's own personality and special requirements!

Also, I think, what you are going to love, (which most of us refer to all the time) is the site below. Anytime you wish to check on a particular rose, you will usually find the whole history there.

Look forward to hearing how your roses are doing and any other imput or questions you have. I am not an expert, but there are lots of them here. This is a wonderful place to be.

Pauline - Vancouver Island

Here is a link that might be useful: Help Me Find Roses

watch that site. It sucks you in....

Welcome! You already made a good decision by ordering from David Austin. They sell the largest bareroots I have ever seen, very good quality and excellent customer service.

I love DAs too!

Welcome! In Kentucky you have clay soil. Clay is a good backbone for a garden (it retains moisture and nutrients) but needs to be improved with copious amounts of organic matter to improve the drainage for roses. Don't dig a small hole for one rose, water will collect in the hole and your rose will die (that's called the 'bathtub' effect). Amend a large bed and mound up the soil so the rose will be raised a bit. If you can beg, borrow or rent a tiller its nice to till in amendments. You can add: leaf mold, ground pine bark, manure, grass clippings, peat moss, etc. Top off the bed with two or three inches of shredded mulch (pine bark, hardwood, cypress, etc) to retain moisture. Plant the rose so that the graft (knobby thing) is about two inches below the soil. Its pretty late to plant bareroots in your area, mound mulch up around the canes to keep the sun off and keep them moist. Stick your finger into the mulch daily to see if its moist, you may need to water daily. As the roses begin to grow, gently remove the mounded mulch. Don't add fertilizer to the planting hole and don't fertilize until after your new roses have bloomed once.

And keep coming back to ask questions, its always a pleasure to meet a fellow gardener.

welcome, jljohnson! I am a newbie, too, but so was EVERYONE at this site at one point in time. Rest assured that any problems you will encounter, or mistakes you will make, have already been encountered and made by others.

My advice as a fellow newbie with a brand-new addiction: have a plan, and have your beds dug before ordering or buying any new roses. This will save you the problem of having to make a possibly second-rate decision on placement in order to save the life of the rose.

Best wishes, can't wait to see pics of your roses!

Haven't been able to get back..sorry! Thanks so much everyone...checking out that rose site too!! I planted according to your instructions. David Austin suggested some root plant food but I waited a week and sprinkled just a little. I wanted to ask how one replies to each individual response here....I can't seem to figure that out..is it possible? (thanks ahead of time)
Everyone's kind words and encouragement have given me hope!!
I am seeing some new fleshy growth along the canes..nearer the bottom of them. I've also seen a couple of thin canes shooting off green ones that are dark brown. Are they dead or alive shoots? I have no idea.
Been reading about the aphids and such. I use Concern and I inquired on an agricultural site here in Ky as to what I could use that would not kill my Koi.I sprayed my wild climbing rose(which I keep trimmed down) and nothing attacked it this year and no black spot either..I was thrilled. Hopefully it will work on all the pests that will attack my new roses! I still have my mulch piled around the canes and check every day to make sure the soil is damp..only water if needed. Here in Ky we have had a very cool and WET Spring. Just up until about 2 weeks ago we stayed in the 50's here. It's warmer but not humid yet.
Again,thanks. I'm hanging in there and my husband told me to just "camp out" in the garden since it seems every time he looks up I'm standing over those new roses in anticipation. They most likely won't bloom this year but I just hope they survive. With friends like you I'm sure I will have more than enough support! You all may want to check out "Concern"..I don't recall what website I found it on but it seems to take care of aphids and the rose predators. I do not spray plants otherwise...just never know what might drift over to the Koi pond and I don't want to take any chances...well...running off to clip the Wisteria back some...now there's a plant!! It would take over the world if given the chance!!! :)))))

Hello and welcome to Garden Web. I have learned so much about roses during the last year since I'm a fairly new member myself. There are a lot of really knowledgeable folks here that are very patient in answering questions, and it's a great place to reach out and make friends with fellow gardeners all over the country.

I also planted Crown Princess this year and am very anxious to see how she does. No blooms yet in sight, but she is putting up some magnificant growth. I do have two Gertrudes, and she has filled with blooms. She's one of my favorites. You do have to keep her pruned hard after each flush so she continues to bloom; otherwise she gets tall and lanky and will quit blooming.

Again, welcome and we hope you post here more often.
Smiles,
Terry

Hi Terryjean....great to meet you! Thanks for this advice. I'm a bit concerned for the princess...not sure it will get enough full sun and only have noticed that a few small tops are browning..cut them off and the inside of cane looks white and okay though. My Gertrude has some new fleshy stems on a couple of canes already.
I know everyone has been soooo helpful...I have certainly been uninformed about those pesky Jap Beetles!!
I check the dampness daily in the soil around the roses but still water some at the roots. I still have mulch around the canes as I was thinking not to move it until growth appeared. Did you get blooms the first year? Mine are next to the lattice work fence in the back of the garden and then the Gertrude is next to the privacy fence.
Thanks so much....I will be needing you as this progresses I'm sure. My first attempt at roses...but I must say David Austin sent huge bare roots with great canes.
Can't wait until the fragrance fills the patio!!! :))))

My Gertrude has leaves!!! We're having unbearable heat right now but it's doing well as far as I can see. I just root water early in the mornings. My Crown Princess seems yet to be dormant. The only thing I've noticed is a small cane coming from bottom that is brown. I didn't cut it off...wasn't sure what to do. The other canes are green one or two have a little brown on them so don't know if that hurts or not. It's 93 out and feels like 100. They are getting sun as I was worried about that but that seems to be okay. Now that my Gertrude has leaves..should I remove the mulch around the canes. I placed it loosely and the tops aren't covered....didn't want to smother it or something. Thanks all....I still haven't gotten my roses from Jackson Perkins or Autummridge. I filed a BBB complaint for the latter and then got an e-mail that they were shipped....still not here and prob won't be worth planting them in this heat...not sure. Just happy my Gertrude is so far coming along!! :)))) Peace and Luna love all!!