I have three mystery roses. Two have stories, one was found in a park. They are all in hot and humid Georgia, zone 7b.

1) "Gladys' Mountain Rose" -my great-grandmother brought this rose to Cobb County from the north Georgia mountains when she moved her family down so she could find work at Lockheed Martin. (She was a Rosie the Riveter!) It was sometime in the 1940s. The rose is in rich soil but probably doesn't get enough sun and has been neglected for years. It's only about 3 feet tall with thin, thorny canes. The thorns are pinkish.

I guess you would call the flower a semi-double? It has a medium fragrance that has a spiciness to it. I have always called it a red rose, but now I believe its more of a dark pink. I think it repeat blooms in a couple of flushes. It just had 3 flowers, and it might bloom again in a few months.

2) "Concord Road Pink" - this rose was planted in the 1950s? by my great-grandfather, an avid gardener. After he left us the garden was neglected but this rose was always robust and thrived in spite of it. It grows in an erect, upright fashion and I have seen it reach maybe 15 or 20 feet tall. I took a cutting of it before the house was torn down, and it rooted well and grows vigorously. It could be my memory deceiving me but I remember the original parent rose having brighter, more vivid blooms. Maybe a nutrient deficiency? Weather?

Flowers have a mild sweet rosey smell. New growth is red, especially when it's cold. Erect stiff canes with thorns.

The richer pink of this bud is the color I remember on the old bush, but many of the flowers on this new bush seem washed out.

3) "Durham Park Rambler" - at least i