I've contemplated getting this one for several years now. He really is a beauty and I can certainly use some shorter roses. But I have great willpower this year. I'll wait until I start planting the new beds next spring. Then I'll know what I need to fill in. I DO love that form though....

I agree--I've been pushing Happy Child for several months now. Mine is a first-year plant, but it has those lovely blooms (except mine are more lemon yellow) and amazing rebloom for a new plant. In my Zone 6 (midwest), it has had no disease problem of any kind. I really like this happy fellow.

Kate

Happy Child is indeed a very good Austen. Even in Florida it stays reliably short, quite a relief after planting monsters like Graham Thomas and then watching them eat the house!

It retains its color well, and has a nice fragrance. It will stay clean with regular spraying, and repeats well.

Fanfrickentastic? I love it - always looking for a new superlative to describe our favourite roses! I also have this on a list for the future due to some lovely photos a friend has sent me. Beautiful, fragrant, and the perfect size for a pot; what more could I ask for. Thanks Patrick (by the way, I've already ordered Evelyn thanks to you LOL)
Judith

HC is 6 months in the ground here, spotlessly healthy, nicely formed, and looking like this on Saturday.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:312108}}

Can you tell me where you got your Happy Child? As far as I know, Austin has a grafted HC and Heirloom has an own root. Is there any other supplier?

I got my own root plant from HEIRLOOM (http://heirloomroses.com). The last time I checked they were still shipping to zones 7-11 and the rose was in stock.

Here is a link that might be useful: Happy Child thread at the Rose Gallery

I plan to order Happy Child this spring. I live in Texas. Would it be best to order an own root from Heirloom or a grafted plant? Thanks......

Which one is best will depend on what is important to you. Own root plants take a lot a patience, there is no way around it, and Heirloom sends some of the smallest plants in the business. From them you can expect a tiny baby plant that is little more than a rooted cutting (they call these things "bands"). Very-VERY small. Its chance of survival can be increased by keeping it potted the first year, coddling it, and gradually changing the containers until the plant/roots are big enough for a gallon sized container. The second spring plant it in the garden. From start to finish it usually takes 3 years for own roots to mature, sometimes even a year or two longer.

A grafted plant will establish itself quicker but is more likely to be virused and will have a shorter garden life. What happens is that a callus builds up over the graft and over time cuts back the production of new canes. The span for a viable plant is usually about 10 years. Experienced rosarians can sometimes extend life span by scrubing away the callus with steal wool but this also runs the risk of damaging the plant. Still, grafted isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you are an exhibitor (where your chances of wining go up with the latest "hot" new cultivar) or live in an area decimated by Rose Rosette Disease (RRD; where the chances are high that plants won't live more than 10 years anyway) then grafted may be the right choice.

Personally I prefer own root but that is just my preference.

Either way HAPPY CHILD is a naturally petite rose and will never top 3 feet tall, which is a perfect fit for a pretty 3-G pot or the front of a flower border.

You really love those Austin yellows don't you Patrick? I wonder if you've ever tried Yellow Button? I'm very fond of it(sorry no photo right now) I think it could easily be grown in a pot. It's just a sweet little thing, small flowers small plant.

Patrick, you are right......long term benefit over instant gratification.....I am familiar with Heirloom roses, just growing out several fall ones now. Sunita is doing very well, the others lagging behind, one will have to be replaced. I have found the best way to get these started is to put a plastic liter coke bottle over them which creates a greenhouse effect that they love. Wish Chamblees would start growing this variety own root - their roses are so healthy.....or guess I could buy one of each - when the grafted one is declining, the own root would be coming into its own.....
Judith

Pam is right. I do have a weakness for those yellow reproduction roses. So far I've tried:

CHARLES DARWIN - definately a keeper if the subdued mustard yellow doesn't put you off. Also tends to shatter at the spead of sound. Nice bushy growth habit, long stems and so-so disease resistance. The fragrance is positively orgasmic.

CHARLOTTE - truly a beautiful rose. Looks like a yellow Bourbon. Soft-soft-soft pure yellow color. Few thorns, gracefuly arching growth habit, good repeat, fully hardy in zone 5, and superior disease resistance. Alas the light fragrance was a disappointment so I shovel pruned her. Pity.

HAPPY CHILD - see first post.

MOLINEUX - the energizer bunny of the entire Austin line. Brillant kaleidoscopic color blending every imaginable shade of orange and yellow. Nice versitile growth habit and superior disease resistance (although it isn't bulletproof against black spot). Cheerful pompon flower form, strong stems (medium), sweetly fragrant (moderate musk and tea blend). Does lack the wow factor found with GOLDEN CELEBRATION or GRAHAM THOMAS but is a whole lot easier to grow. T-H-E best yellow Austin for the novice gardener.

SYMPHONY - drop dead gorgous flower. Think a creamy yellow Souvenir de la Malmaison. Excellent repeat too, shapely shrub that stays under 4' and good disease resistance. Alas no fragrance, so she got chopped into mulch.

THE PILGRIM - big and beautiful. Produces without doubt the most beautiful flowers that I've ever seen on a yellow Austin. Fresh and strong fragrance (Tea rose and myrrh blend) that reminds me of high quality mens cologne. Repeat could be better but by no means is this a once bloomer. Outstanding vigor. Good disease resistance. Love it.

GRAHAM THOMAS (a classic), GOLDEN CELEBRATION and JUDE THE OBSCURE are the next must haves. I've seen all three in cultivation but want to finally try my own hand with them. Hopefully, I'll avoid the pitfalls, especially with GT.

I grow Graham Thomas as a climber on our red brick house, is an absolute traffic stopper! Has been very easy to grow for me, blooms all summer, very little disease problems. Good tea fragrance. Love this one but it defintitely wants to climb so let it!

Jude has grow to about 5 feet tall and of course the fragrance is unbelievable! Very strong and really does smell like fresh grapefruit! I have 2 of these and the one growing in full sun has much better repeat than my plant on the north side of the house. I maybe get 3-4 flushes a year.

Golden Celebration is another one with to-die-for fragrance, very sweet and fruity! This one makes an awesome shrub and blooms well for me throughout the summer and fall with 4 flushes of bloom after the inital spring bloom.

These all came from Chamblees and ARE. I have Charles Darwin on order for spring, really need that Happy Child...

Thought the forum could use some sunshine so I'm reviving this thread. Anybody else willing to elaborate on this cultivar? Good short Austins are hard to find and this child is a beauty.

Jeri Jennings are you watching? He stays small (under 3 feet in climates that experience a winter), so in California should mature into a medium sized shrub. I know how frustrated you were with THE PILGRIM. Well this rose will give you the same look but without all the Jolly Green Giant frustration. Come on my dear, what do you have to loose?

Image of HAPPY CHILD by Dublinbay, previously posted at the Rose Gallery
{{gwi:264424}}

Patrick!!! You are one of the worst enablers here! I'm gonna get you a crown. I already have that white Austin out there cause of you, not to mention how many others. I should report you to my husband. I guess Happy Child shall be mine. That photo by Jay nearly knocked me out.

Carla

He-he-he-he-he...

Patrick and others,
Thanks for the feedback on the yellow David Austins. We've been having an extremely bad year and a lot of them (the only recently hybridized roses that I grow in numbers) are suffering, but they do fairly well even in drought if they have some ground to get their roots into. When I get some more decent ground (not rocky and dry) I'll probably get more. You didn't mention 'Teasing Georgia' and 'Crown Princess Margareta', did you? They're holding up with dignity after about ten hot weeks with 3" of rain. Own root, beautiful flowers, fragrant, they want to be big plants if God will just send them some moisture. We're all holding our breaths.

Melissa

Happy Child and Julia Child! What a coincidence!

Patrick is deliciously evil, but I am so happy with
Graham Thomas, so that's my story and I'm sticking
to it!

By the way, I forgot to mention above, that is Patrick's
evil eye, hypnotizing us all to perpetually get one more
rose(LOL).

Julia Child, Happy Child, Summer Song, those are the ones I really want.
BTW, Patrick, you will swoon over Summer Song on rose forum and antique gallery!

Carla