No ma'am, you're right on target. Renae is from whom Annie Laurie McDowell inherited her DEMAND to bloom. Both are obsessed with flowering at the expense of growing, so pinching off the buds is the best practice to force them both to climb. Kim

Thank you, Kim. I figure you would know!

Rosefolly

That's such a coincidence. I have two Renae's (mine from Burlington because she didn't have ALM) that are waiting to go on either side of an arbor front and center in the garden. They will also (I hope) set the stage and be signature plants. How big is the one you planted? Mine are going gangbusters in their pots which, I think, are 3 gallon pots. I was thinking of waiting until the fall when it is cool to plant them but I'm now thinking they might outgrow their pots. I have been pinching their buds off also.

Anne

I've drowned young roses before. I'm very wary of doing it now. Renae will be beautiful. Everyone should have one. I do want to get Annie Laurie Mcdowell someday though.

I remember when you were trying to decide what to plant there and I am glad the Renae is working out in that spot. I've wondered how your garden is looking and how your daughter's wedding plans are. I hope everything is wonderful, Paula.

Renae is a lovely rose in every picture I've seen of it, and since this is in a "signature spot" a rose that blooms this heavily will make a wonderful impact. I have a baby ALM in a one-gallon pot and I'm glad the point about overwatering was brought up. It's such a delicate little thing, and I'm afraid the slightest error on my part will spell its doom. I normally plant bands straight into the ground with great success, but this was a preemie when I got it and I'm nursing it along with bated breath.

I hope you'll post pictures when Renae is finally allowed to bloom her heart out, but I realize that may be a while yet. Well worth waiting for, I'm sure.

Ingrid

This reminds me to get out there and do some pinching. She sure would rather be a ball of pink that climb. Mine came from Burlington too this winter.

Still on the list for ALM too (but hearing how small yours have been, I will wait)

Russian River Roses in Healdsburg has a Renae eating their potting shed. It's a remarkable specimen.

There's a photo on the paged I've linked below. In the center background is their shed with Renae covering it.

Good luck with yours.

Diane

Here is a link that might be useful: Renae at Russian River Roses

Diane, that picture is incredible! I'm assuming that Renae can be kept within more reasonable bounds since you're planning for it to be at the entrance to the garden, rather than being the garden all by itself.

What a wonderful nursery that must be!

Ingrid

I like Renae for an arbor or something where you can see her pretty buds close-up :) And she's so thornless, and fragrant! I love her.

None of mine have tried to eat any buildings yet. I want her to eat the side of my shed. She's kind of loose and droopy in her young growth, but that's so nice when you want her to flop over the top of something higher, I think. She's flopping over my fig, and that's her only problem at the moment :D I have to keep putting her lower/shorter growth back where it belongs.

(Critters like eating her flowers as whole buds, I can say! Like capers, I guess :D She blooms enough that they can have all the lower ones.)

Anne, mine was in a gallon pot from the Sacramento Open Garden. It is about the size of a rose you would get if you ordered from Chamblees or High Country Roses. I'm going to be away for 3 weeks this summer (England and Sangerhausen). If there is a heat wave while I am away, young roses will be safer in the ground than in pots. I planted pretty much everything I had except some back-up cuttings.

Pamela, I can think of three different roses that have died on me over the years whose deaths I now think were due to overwatering, all in different spots. It happens when I think a rose isn't getting enough water so I start to hand water more. And more. And more. I really ought to get a new moisture meter and stop fooling myself this way.

Harborrose, thanks. If I ever get my hands on ALM I'll try it again, but for now I'm happy with Renae. Of course I'll have to find a different spot for ALM, but I'll work it out when the time comes.

Ingrid and Diane, I have room for Renae to get reasonably big, but I'm not going to let it take over the universe. It's growing next to a 6 foot high fence with room to spread about 12 feet. It will have to be content with that, and I think it will. Being thornless and supple, it ought to be reasonable to train.

Kippy, pinching off roses seems so wrong, doesn't it? But apparently it is necessary with some of them.

Rosefolly

Well that little Renae is sneaky one.

Just when I was super busy with work stuff at home and moving giant blocks she took the opportunity to set as many buds as she could.

Today there was a pink ball in the zone I knew Renae was....I did a bunch of pinching and clipping. But she must still be happy cause there is a new big bright green cane sneaking out of that pink ball too

I was looking at my garden yesterday, pulling the most obvious weeds and watering here and there. Darn if Renae didn't bloom while I was away! I quickly pinched off all the roses, as well as a couple of buds that had not yet opened. It's a quick one.

Rosefolly