Mike--
You will love Pretty Jessica. This is her first season in my yard, but she has really impressed me so far. Such big full blooms for a shorter rose. Mine is in mostly afternoon sun and, in the worst heat, does get singed edges, but the blooms usually survive and last several days despite the heat (and I'm talking several weeks of 100+ heat). Right now our temps are dropping into the 70s--will be interesting to see what she does in cooler weather. I expect her blooms to be rather long-lasting.

Your main problem with Pretty Jessica is finding a place that sells her. Roses Unlimited carried her last year, but was sold out rather early. Eventually I found a place in Minnesota (Orion Farm, or some name like that)which sent me a nice PJ. I couldn't find it for sale anywhere else last year.

I say, go for it.

Kate

I got mine at Heirlooms this year. They had alot.

I planted the band into the ground in July and have already had a few blooms. It has been sending up new growth already. I am looking forward to seeing what she will do next year.

Karen

Mike, Pickering sells her. I also like the more compact Austins, looks better in a mixed bed.
Judith

Mike, I purchased my first two Austins on the same day at least 12 years ago. Pretty Jessica and Sharifa Asma. They have remained my favourite since that day. PJ is am extremely neat bush with romantic old fashioned blooms very rarely without any and three decent flushes fo me. The fragrance is just as wonderful.

Pretty Jessica

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Pauline - Vancouver Island

Order soon, because PJ has been mentioned a lot on the board this summer. I already nailed mine, or I wouldn't be saying that. :)

How wide does PJ get?

Michael, who did you "nail" yours from?
I have to quit these forums if I plan to quit ordering roses!!!
Enablers everywhere, beware all new interested people, beware!

Carla

Does anyone know why this rose was replaced?
Now I really want one, I feel like I'm standing in line for beanie babies!

Carla

Mike,

I've grown Pretty Jessica for three years. She started out as a tiny band so she still is working up to her potential size since my growing season is so short. She about 20" by 20" now. I expect that she'll be bigger next year. I haven't had any problem with out of control canes.

The first year I had her, her blooms were too large and heavy for her tiny canes so the blooms nodded but not anymore.

As others have said, she is seldom without blooms. Her blooms are large and fragrant and last at least a week for me. I'm sure it's because my weather just doesn't get as scorching hot as those in warmer zones. I have just a few weeks of above 90 days here.

I love this rose. It will keep blooming well into October.

Carla, I purchased mine from Rogue Valley Roses a few years back. They have a waiting list feature if you are interested in making sure you get one for next spring. I've used this feature before and they are very good about contacting when their roses become available.

Nice little rose bush fragrant blooms did well in the heat here. Stiffer petals that Wife of Bath while Pat Austin and Eglantyne fried or went limp it stood it's ground. I'd say it was a 2 to 3 day bloom in the heat Pat being 1 day or if sunny and high 90's half a day.

I think I want one, but I wonder why David Austin roses
no longer sells her, if she is so good. The only thing
making me want her, is all you naughty enablers and I love
Moodyblue's pic of her. I read somewhere, that her disease
resistance was not good. I'm hoping that's not the case.

I have heard mostly really good thinks about her and I ordered my 2 from Pickering. Since they are on multiflora, I can only grow them in containers because of my alkaline soil. But that was what I wanted them for anyway. But....they have a 3 plant minimum so added 2 Tamoras for 2 other containers.

This is all good except there is no room for my Happy Child plans now, I will have to wait.

Mike, I would order if you really want PJ, I could not find her anywhere other than Pickering.

I decided on Pickering. Yippee.

Carla

DA typically declares a rose superceded when the patent expires and they are making less money on it, and perhaps some similar rose does better in the UK, but the latter may not be the case in the US.

GET HER! She is a must have. IMHO David Austin has superceded PRETTY JESSICA for two reasons:

1. She is no longer under patent (and he can't exclusely control propogation).
2. This rose tends to perform better in the United States than the UK.

This rose has everything. She is a petite bush and won't top three feet. Yes this is one of the few English Roses that doesn't turn into a Jolly Green Giant. She is a joy in the front of the flower bed. Decent disease resistance, reliable repeat, bloom size is big, OGR flower form is absolutely 100% perfect, and the INTENSE Damask fragrance is positively addictive.

Trust me, You N-E-E-D this rose!

Image of Pretty Jessica by Celestial Rose
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Oops forgot the link. I bought mine from HEIRLOOM ROSES. Given your zone I suggest you buy her for delivery next spring.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pretty Jessica at HEIRLOOM ROSES

Geez, I was going to wait a while to make sure this rose was really what I wanted and now some uncontrollable urge has placed a credit card in my hand and the gentle whisper of "Pretty Jessica, Pretty Jessica" has become a roaring in my ears ........

Molineux, now you've done it! I must have her. Your
explanation of why David Austin does'nt promote this one
sounds reasonable to me.

PATRICK IS SO BAD.

They don't call me the Evil Enabler for nothing.

But honestly, PRETTY JESSICA is a no brainer. This is one of the few roses that actually looks like its pictures. I especially like the color: cool lilac on the outer petals blushed rich pink in the middle. A color effect similar to the very best pink Gallicas.

Here is another pic by Celestial Rose. If this one doesn't make you drool then click the link to the HelpMeFind site.
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Here is a link that might be useful: Pretty Jessica at HelpMeFind Roses

Plus, they're going so fast. Everybody's ordering.

I ordered one too! LOL from heirloom...you enabler you....

You thought the enabling was over? Celeste has posted yet another gorgous pic of PRETTY JESSICA. Just look at that globular flower form! SHEER PERFECTION!!! And each flower is positively dripping with perfume.
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MOLINEUX IS A VERY, VERY

Patrick, you have inspired me to not be able to live
without Pretty Jessica.

I also have to thank MOODYBLUE(Pauline) for being a
champion of this rose and making me aware of it. I
would not have even considered this one if not for
the decadent enthusiasm you both have given it. And
Pauline and Celeste have sexy pics of this pretty
rose called Jessica.

Okay, I'm drooling. I am on Vintage Gardens for my NY Eve (whoo hoo!!). This rose jumped right in the cart. Along with a few others which may or may not stay.

One of the most Blackspot infected roses I had. Never exceeded 18" and had no leaves by June 15. Weak grower, for rich soils and persistent caregivers only. Great scent, I will give it that, but who cares since the plant is such a runty under-performer? One of the worst Austins in my experience. Get 'Mary Rose' instead, or 'Sharifa Asma'.

Thanks for the heads up. Black spot not much of a problem here in So. Calif. I'll hold out for PJ as I already have Mary Rose and Scepter'd Isle and they are both happy. My problem with Austins is they get too big.

Trospero, what part of the country and zone are you in please? I've already ordered it for spring, due to all the enabling on this forum, so I'd like to know if I will have to worry about BS where I am. Thanks,
Judith

West coast, Judith. Prolonged, wet Springs here but VERY dry humidity-free Summers.

Paul

Thanks Paul. Hopefully, it's the prolonged, wet springs that contribute to the BS, which we don't usually have (but what's 'usual' anymore?), although we do tend to have pretty hot, humid summers. So far, though, I seem to only see BS in the fall. Oh well, I guess I'll justs have to wait and find out how she fares next summer.
Judith

Disease resistance IS regional. Black spot is a big problem here in the Mid-Atlantic. Frankly, I have other Austins that are more prone to the fungus than PRETTY JESSICA. I do spray, however, and in good conscious cannot recommend her for no spray gardens. Is she a black spot disaster? Not in my garden but YMMV.

Patrick

Patrick, I don't spray, but I think I am going to start this spring with a lime-sulphur dormant spray, and, if needed, some Safer's Sulphur spray over the summer. That's as far as I want to go. Anyway, they don't sell anything stronger up here. She is too lovely to resist though; I just had to try her out in my garden, thanks to your wonderful enabling! :)
Judith

Paul, where on the West Coast are you located? We had a bit of black spot here in So. Calif. in 2005 after 25+ inches of rain, but generally, we only deal with powdery mildew and rust.

MARY ROSE is pretty but the fragrance is disappointing. The scent is highly variable and even at its best doesn't come close to comparing to Pretty Jessica's powerful Damask perfume. Fragrance-wise SHARIFA ASMA is just as good but the color is completely different and the flower form isn't as tight. PRETTY JESSICA is a cool pink along the same lines as the ancient Gallicas, while Sharifa Asma's light warm pink is more modern in tone. Something to keep in mind if your garden design calls for specific color tones (i.e cool vs. warm).

All that said, of the three choices MARY ROSE is the most disease resistant, but I still can't recommend it for a no spray garden. Although I haven't grown it, I've heard good things about THE MAYFLOWER. You might want to try that cultivar instead.

Judith....
I just wanted to tell you that those pictures of mine of Pretty Jessica that molineux posted were grown here in my New Hampshire garden....you and I have very similiar climates. Mine has never shown any sign of disease and I
have very rarely sprayed her. She is a compact grower and here in zone 4 never gets more than 2 1/2 feet tall, but is always covered in blooms, so many that I end up picking a bunch of them and floating them in a bowl as you see in
the above photo. I am very pleased with mine and the fragrance is divine....very strong old rose. I think you will be glad you ordered her.
Celeste

Oh Celeste, thank you so much for chiming in here! You have made my day. I am so smitten with your photos (and Patrick's and now your, description of the fragrance, so important to me), and now to hear from someone in a similar climate who has had NO disease - well, what could be better? I am planting her in the front, so 2-1/2 feet tall is perfect. Just three months to wait.....
Judith

Is she thorny? Would it be safe to plant her next to mailbox?