'Erin Alonso' is a great performer in Southern California. It blooms a lot and it grows like a weed. It is a pure yellow sport of the great 'Bee's Knees' which is a yellow blend. Grow both and you will be happy! Forget the three roses you mentioned. They are not really good.

There are loads of yellows, but one that has done really well for me is Sunnydew. Seldom read about it, but is performs well and takes our 100+ summers and below 20 winters.

Weldon

I have Bees Knees, too. The blooms are very good, I'd say excellent for a yellow rose. Heat doesn't phase it either. Mine's not fully mature yet, though, so I haven't really gotten a lot of blooms yet.

Y2K is a great little rose that stands up to heat well. Has a pronounced red edge, but if you're not committed to only pure yellow, it's a good candidate. Very compact, only growing perhaps 16-18 inches tall. Unfortunately, mine was a victim to Hurricane Katrina, when I was forced to evacuate New Orleans for 6 weeks and couldn't water the roses. Y2K was in a pot on concrete, in a very exposed position and it just dried out too much. :(

I just got the mini-flora Butter Cream a couple of months ago, and it is a STUNNER! Exquisitely shaped blooms that hold their exhibition stage for a long time. The baby bush has taken off quickly and has already rebloomed twice in the short time I've had it. It's pale, creamy yellow, but definitely more yellow than ivory. Got mine from Almost Heaven. My only disclaimer is that I have yet to see how it handles our summers, but I've read favorable reviews.

Rise 'n' Shine was blackspot prone for me, but otherwise a very good garden rose. If blackspot's not a problem where you are, I'd say it's a good choice for a prolific rose. I think the bloom form is only OK, but then I'm biased toward florist rose shape.

My favorate older yellow is a larger mini called Good Day Sunshine, from Pete and Kay Taylor of Fairhope, AL. Great garden rose with wonderful hybrid tea form blooms of about 1 and a half to just under 2 inches diameter. Solid, unfading canary yellow, on a 30 inch bush (may get as large as 36in.) Early to bloom in spring and one of the last to stop in the late fall (winter, here). It blooms nearly continuously, rather than in distinct flushes. It takes the heat well, although it appreciates some respite from blazing sun. Mine was crisping in the mid-day sun last june after several months of hot drought. But I moved it to my back patio, where the sunlight is dappled, and it did great, blooming much better than many other roses would in partial shade. The biggest problem with this rose is that I don't think its available anywhere anymore. :(

But Peter Rabbit, tell us why you're not impressed with Double Gold. I've been eying it from Nor'East or John's Miniature Roses, because I'm looking for more minis with fragrance. It's supposed to be prolific, compact, with big fragrent deep gold blooms. Are the catalog's over-advertising again? ;) What's the problem? ...blooms blow too quick, or can't take rain, or really isn't fragrant? I wanna know. Thanks.

Mike

I've been looking for an exception yellow but haven't found it yet. I'm in a humid climate and prefer exhibition. I like Bee's Knees. Behold is supposed to be good but not where I live. I happen to think that Rise n Shine is a great rose. It held up to my sister's total lack of care for some years! I'm not a fan of Erin Alonso because it opens and fads fast. I have Butter Cream but haven't had it long enough to say yeah or nay. It has been slow for me.

Gosh, thank you all so much for the great info! I will look into your recommendations. I'm still studying the forums and still researching yellow minis. Right now I'm particularly interested in Rainbow's End after reading about it here. Not a solid yellow, I know, but it's very pretty and sounds good!

Thank you all again. You're awesomely helpful!

Gail

Ralph Moore's mini "Sequoia Gold" is a wonderful true yellow that survives hot San Antonio summers. A garden plant though, not for "hardware hunters".