It's been years since I've bought anything, so I'm starting off with a blank on potential sources. The easiest thing to start with is a two-year old bareroot. So long as they are shipped at the right time, all they really need is stuck in the ground. Two year old potted roses are OK, but the shipping can get ridiculous, and it can be hard to arm-twist the shippers to send them at the right time. Bands are just an accident waiting to happen for somebody who doesn't have experience.

Pickering has a three rose minimum, which may be an issue. Neither Palatine nor Spring Valley sell OGRs.

If you can find appropriate sources, good roses would be Ispahan, Karl Forster, and Jacques Cartier (but not Marchesa Bocella. Don't ask. Yes, it's confusing.)

Unless you really want it to be a surprise, I think your best bet would be to ask her what rose (or other plant) she would like. I'm assuming she knows her roses of course. I've received plant gifts (jewelry too) that I ended up having to get rid of because the color wasn't right, or I didn't have the space, or it just wasn't to my taste. That being said, my favorite cold hardy, disease resistant rose at the moment is Konigin Von Danemark. No re-bloom, but that would be marred by the Japanese Beetles anyway.

The best gardening gift I ever received (maybe the best gift ever) was a one year membership to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

Kristin

Maybe a gallica? There are so many nice ones and I think they do well there. They do very well, in my zone 4 garden...as does Celsiana and Darlow's Enigma. Hybrid musks might be a good choice, too :)

I would call Pickering and see if they will ship a single plant for a $10 premium; probably they would. Mad_gallica makes a good point about the safest starter rose being a 2-yr-old bareroot.

Kay, are you recommending "a rose sold by vendor X as 'Jacques Cartier'"? If so, who is X?

That's part of the problem. X was Royall River, who got their roses from a wholesaler, probably Canadian. I'm by no means the only one with a good one, but it does require some sorting out.

IIRC, years ago, Brent Dickerson did some research into the matter, and figured out that there were two, discernable roses out there. One, which for convenience, was called Marchesa Bocella, was short, with almost continuous bloom. The other, Jacques Cartier, was taller, and bloomed in definite flushes. It was also hardier and more resistant to blackspot. Flower form, leaves, and everything else was identical.

Rosefolly, does she prefer OGRs, or just roses that look like OGRs? I ask because Palatine has many hardy disease resistant roses that look like old garden roses (the old fashioned form) but are new offerings (i.e. Red Riding Hood, Cinderella Fairy Tale, Summer Memories, etc. They are very hardy in my zone 5 garden, are good re-bloomers, and look like an old fashioned rose.

Standing Perpetually is a very nice rose if you do not mind a few thorns.
The rugosas are a nice thorny class also. I am fond of Delicata.
For once bloomers most of the the Alba roses are great. Felicitious Parmetierea is not too shabby.
F.L.

Here is a link that might be useful: Standing Perpetually

Marchesa Boccella has been excellent in my garden setting. This would be my number one recommendation for an easy to grow antique rose, with wonderful fragrance and excellent repeat bloom. It's a good rose for a beginner.

Marchesa Boccella does get some blackspot late in the season, but is quite vigorous.

Reine des Violettes is wonderful as well.

Sydonie is another great rose.

I know of a vendor from whom I have acquired very large own root plants, so while I do like grafted roses, I've done well with own root as well.

Email me if you'd like info on vendors.

I re-read Rosefolly's statement "Fragrance is a must! She shares my taste for heirloom plants." Yes, I'm after the same thing. Thank you, Krista_4 for info. on Marchesa Boccella, Reine des Violettes, and Sydonie.

I was walking in my zone 5a neighborhood, 1 hour west of Chicago. I broke out laughing when I saw a neighbor posted a sign, "This is NOT a place for dogs to pee." right next to her treasured bush.

There's a full-sun spot for me to start a rose garden, but it's right next to the sidewalk. In contrast, I would put up a sign that says, "Doggies - please pee on this." My soil is deficient in nitrogen, and I need extra nutrients!

There are 3 cats across the street that probably would use my future garden as their litter box. I really would like to know the rose bush that can take this type of abuse, plus the extreme cold wind chill of Chicago. Being at the corner of the sidewalk, it would look really weird to have tomato cones stuffed with newspaper and leaves. Some kids would probably want to set them on fire.

On the plus side, we have heavy rains here. My future sunny rose garden is too far to drag the hose out, but I can dump used water from the kitchen a few times a year, like what I had done to my 10 Austins. They are still alive, thank God, being covered with horse manure and corn meal. LOL!

Actually, her favorite plants are herbs, and she has an extensive collection. I'm trying to lure her over the dark side.

You folks have given me some wonderful suggestions. I had been thinking of Stanwell Perpetual since it is a favorite of mine. It's nice to have some other ideas to mull over as well.

Krista, I've sent you a note.

Thanks everyone!

Rosefolly

The obvious choices for a herb garden are Officinalis, Rosa Mundi and Conditorum, the old gallicas originally used by the medieval monks and nuns as medicinal plants along with other herbs. If she knows herbs she probably knows about them already.

Yes, the Apothecary Rose sounds like an easy sell for an herbalist--plus it is an excellent easy-care rose for zone 5.

My only caveat for AR - or any gallica I've grown - is that it is important to open up the center for air circulation, in my southern NH zone 5, there was mildew if I didn't.

I nearly fell of the log wth MG's suggestion. Karl Forster! Out of a list of two!

First of all I agree completely! But it surprised me as KF is a relatively unknown rose. Mine was transplanted from an area where most roses died. It was 2' high and never bloomed. After moving it has become 5x5' Blooming heavily all up and down the canes.

The only problem is it was supposed to be a lower growing foreground rose.

Charles de Mills for a gallica, Celestial for a alba, Jens Munk or Henry Hudson for a explorer, Graham Thomas for a Austin. Lots more but these are my best in Z5....

Mark