8 Teasing Georgias! Yikes. Maybe he needs a barrier for an annoying neighbor.

Not to doubt the person at Ace Hardware, but they might just be telling you what the DA salesman told them. And maybe those are the best selling roses. Most roses would perform differently in different climates, but I think most DAs are pretty much the same. Maybe she meant that the weather in your area is comparable to the UK where they were bred (but they are actually grown in Texas for US sales).

Overgeneralizations usually lead nowhere. Although my climate is nothing like yours, it is nothing like England either. Some of the newer Austins are some of my healthiest roses. DA have been breeding roses since the 60s and generalizing about hundreds of roses is not helpful at all. Most breeders nowdays take disease resistance seriously in their breeding program and that applies to DA too. Having said that no breeder can breed for a climate and location much different than where he is breeding. My recommendation is to go for DAs introduced in the last 15 years if you are very worried about health issues and read in here and in HMF about the particular rose before commiting to it. Same applies to any rose really.

...hot humid climate and England don't really go together... I can't imagine it's anything like Maryland... it'll be hot, rainy and humid tomorrow for some of us here.... next week, I shall probably have the heating back on for a day or two..... things blow through... I don't think we get the bugs either that I read about so often... apart from aphids...a caterpillar here and there... not much else bothers my roses to be honest...

I have started growing roses for about 3 years. I was introduced to Austin roses two years ago. I must say the DA roses do really well for me, better than the hybrid teas. They bloom more and pests don't seem to be as interested in them as the hybrid teas. I think that you should give DA roses a try. If they do well in my area (SE PA), they should do well for you too.

Many of DAs newer roses are much more bs resistant than the old "favorites." After checking around carefully with others on this forum, I say you should order two or three of the newer ones and try them out. It is possible that the newer ones might, in some cases, work fairly well for you.

Here are a couple of my newer and best (bs-resistant) DAs.

Lady of Shalott

Queen of Sweden

Munstead Wood (dark red) and behind it (to the left), Wedgewood Climber (pink/pastel).

Those DAs are quite bs-resistant in my region 6--some of the "tougher" DAs I've tried to grow in the past. Can't guarantee what they will do in your area--but one or two might be worth a try.

Good luck.

Kate

I agree it depends on the climate. Up here where I live (Canada), the Austins available here does pretty well. It won't get monstrous (like our neighbours down south) and it is quite manageable on its own. The Austins I have grown does get bs later in the season, same as my other non-Austins but they are more shrubby which I like. In general, there is a rose for most growing zones. What may do well in may area may not in yours and vice versa. That is why forums like this one exist so we can find out what does well in similar zones.

Re: Teasing Georgia. I would definitely mass plant this one if I have the space. It is very fragrant in my garden. I can smell the tea fragrance before the buds even open. Since I live in a cold zone, I don't have to worry about it being a monster.