I tried them for a couple of years. They grew very tall and attractive but they were Very suseptable to rust. Perhaps multiple sprayings of fungasides would have helped but I doubt it. It is just so humid here. And then there is the wind and heavy rain on the lush growth. Unless you stake every plant with secure strong stakes, they will get knocked down.

Thanks Chas. I think mine did better when we had a drought.

There are some perennial forms that seem pretty resistant to rust and leaf miners but they only come in pale yellow or very pale pink. They also get very big and kinda dominate whatever flowerbed you put them in. Locally I have only seen them for sale at Plant Delights in Raleigh.

TJ - good lead, TY. I found some seeds online (rugosa) and will try to find them a lot of space.