I've been growing CPM for a few years, she really is a nice rose. In our zones she won't get as tall and as wide as the tag says because of our cold winters. She has about average winterkill for a David Austin rose, which in my garden means about 6" of cane left after pruning the dead stuff in the spring. Make sure you bury the bud union about 6" deep. Abraham Darby is also a very nice rose and grows a bit larger than CPM.

I grow CPM and I live close by Peoria, IL. This is the 2nd year for her, and even though it got down to -22F for a few days in January, she didn't suffer too badly from winterkill. A little spring pruning and she rebounded quite nicely!

Be prepared to give her LOTS of room; she gets huge for me with long, long octupus arms. She is constantly encroaching on her neighbors. I've often thought about pegging her, in fact.

CPM is always loaded with creamy ivory, sometimes apricot blooms depending on the weather. I quite like this Austin; good choice!
-terry

Thanks for the feedback, yea was wondering about the severity of winter die back with this one glad won't be as bad as with my hybrid teas. Wanted to share a couple pics I took of her
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A possible issue with her is with her blooms being too heavy possibly because of the high petal count that the stems don't seem able to support them, wonder if this will improve over time after I put her in the ground.

Droopy heads are very common among Austin Roses. Many are designed to "nod," but while they grow and before they gain their maturity there is an awful lot of flopping going on. My Lilac Rose is in it's second year and is beginning to grow basals big enough to support a cluster of blooms. My 'Windermere' flops quite a bit, too, but better now than Spring, and my second 'Windermere' is ten times straighter and sturdier.

I am also considering Crown Princess Margareta for next spring. Many Austins have died on me, but survivers includen Evelyn, Tradescant, Sharifa Asma and Abraham Darby. Evelyn and Tradescant are vigourous and floriferous. The Growing Place (Naperville, Aurora IL) also have some roses, including 2 gallon own root. I bought Rose de Rescht, Jacques Cartier and Abraham Darby own root from them.

Droopy heads LOL, thats definitely a good name for them, good to know they should get sturdier as they mature in the ground.

I would say my zone 8 CPM is taller than wide with hardly any winter die back, mostly tips I think from a late frost.

As for nodding heads, I would call her more upright than not there as well, just give her a year or two more, if that applies in areas of winter die back. It's too late tonight, I'll see if I can find a pic to post...

I've been doing lots of homework about this rose, and apparently it takes to the 2nd year before the rose's "neck" is strong enough to hold the bloom up well.
Everything I've read is GREAT about this rose. I'm definitely getting one...or two...or three! By the way, Abraham Darby is one of it's parents. Abe is THE rose that hooked me on roses!

This has done well for me in zone 5. It has less dieback than most of my other roses. Generally, it spreads out for me more than up. I would also recommend Teasing Georgia. It is very similar and grows very well, easily 5 foot tall and 4-5 ft wide. Enjoy CPM, she will make you happy.

I am considering Crocus Rose but the Austin catalog says it has a light fragrance. What is an Austin rose without fragrance?

mine seems to have the Ocotopus syndrome too - it grows out far more than up, but she is pretty & smells divine -

predfern, it does have good fragrance. Not as much as other Austins, but it does have some. I am also particular about fragrance and wouldn't have a rose that had v. little scent. CR is fine by me.

The Austin catalog says that Crocus Rose has a "light tea rose fragrauce", while the website says it has a "delightful Tea Rose fragrance." Did something get lost in the translation?

http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/Showrose.asp?Showr=3653&Theme=

My Crown Princess Margareta is in its 2nd year and is more of a climber. I have it growing against a trellace and it is quite leggy and Octopussy. Blooms tend to nod more than stay upright, and unfortunately, I'm not counting on that to change. It hasn't for my abe darby, which I would say is a little more upright than CPM. I find this nodding thing more than a little irritating, but I still like the rose. Fairly strong fragrance, color bleaches to cream in the sun. Blooms in clusters, good repeat. Right now, mine is about 5 x 5. I live in Elgin ( a NW suburb of Chicago) and didn't protect it this winter. It died down to about 1 1/2 feet. All my roses are kinda small this year as I have been slow on fertilizing and its been cooler than normal. I think, this rose will finish this season about 7 or 8 feet high this year.
Al

Hi

My CPM is 2 yrs old.Last summmer she stayed close to the ground...this yr she is awesome!!! I've had numerous buds and the branches are enormous for a rose this young. I've had very little disease and the JPs didn't damage her either. Blooms do droop but are beautiful. I'm not home right now but I'll post a pic tonight. I love this rose...It is planted near the corner of our fence and has extended now to both sides of the fence...I was going to arbor it but I think she will climb both sides and do well.
Undoubtedly this summmer has been the best I've seen in years for roses of all sorts. We have had rain and cooler temps than usual. I guess the horrible winter storm we had here in Ky last winter may have crippled the JPs too.I've had some leaf damage but left them alone.

Another rose you may love is Evelyn. Very fragrant and I planted it in front by porch and window. She's extending out a long way now and I hope to train her to the brick to climb around the window.I have a grandaughter with that name!

My Teasing Georgias are huge!! But man...what an octopus!! We built a large lattice arbor and looks like they are going to climb it AND the fence corners near it. I can't seem to tie all the branches right to get them to go to the arbor and I don't want to damage them. I've had tons of blooms and little disease. I sure hope they come back well next year..I've heard these TG's can be difficult. Anyway....you might like them too...they are beautiful and fragrant!! I planted Roxanne plants under them and they are small but lovely with bluish purple blooms all summer...just a suggestion.Good Luck!!!

I planted Roxanne plants under them and they are small but lovely with bluish purple blooms all summer...

I think that's Geranium 'Rozanne'. Yes, a fine companion plant.

My hubby just put a trellis behind my CPM..but he laced the branches vertical..I think that is a mistake right? You want to give them support..but lateral support right?

Since you mentioned Bishop's Castle I wanted to say that I have this rose (and also Abraham Darby) and BC is very fragrant in addition to having very upright growth with no nodding blooms even on my young rose. Abraham Darby, as much as I love its blooms, is so frustrating with its weak canes with big blooms hanging down from them. I have it hidden away, far from the main garden, so that it won't frustrate me so much. For me BC is a much more satisfying rose in may ways.

Ingrid