I have Strawberry Hill, and I adore the fragrance - it's amazing!! Mine isn't stingy, but the canes need support and are aespaliered around a support.

Carol

Thank you, Carol! :)

Just what I wanted to hear! I'll put her to the back or side of the bigger bed with a trellis/obelisk on hand.

I think I might need one for Brides Dream as well, shes getting far too big for her britches, and the blooms are too heavy. She's nodding all over the place, and I just had to cut back a cane after a strong rainfall broke the top portion :(

I know all about strong rainfall/winds/hail wrecking canes. That's a shame. :(

You should put her somewhere where you can enjoy the fragrance - I love sniffing this rose!!

Carol

Ambridge Rose • small flowers, drops petals quickly....shovel pruned it a couple years back.

Moses

Carol - if I put her at the side of the bed, or back depending on where you're standing I suppose lol, I can use her on a trellis against the ramp, the rail at that specific spot is only 4ft up, so I should be able to smell her when I go to the back deck! :) Otherwise, I'll use her in the spot currently occupied by John Cabot (who is a pain in my tushy) and I'll smell her every time I go in/out of the front door

Moses - Thank you! The colour looks lovely, but I'd rather they stay on the bush for awhile, as I'm not one for cuttings/bouquets

Oh, I just received an Ambridge Rose (own root) last month, it's still in a pot, and planted Strawberry Hill and Windermere this spring, they're too young to tell. I am so glad to hear Strawberry Hill is a good rose! :-)

I'm expecting pictures when the blooms come!! LOL

Carol

Blondie, is yours in bloom now? I'd have to find mine. Ordered many DAs from Hortico these a couple years, they're in every garden, I lost track where I planted them. Lol Love yours!

I love Windermere. I have three grafted purchased three years ago and just bought three own root purchased from Austin this year. All are doing great. For my garden area she is the most disease resistant of the Austins, no black spot and flowers almost non-stop. Not a lot of fragrance and kind of smallish blooms compared to other Austins but worth it for the flower production. Most of my Austins don't do well here. I think it might be just a bit too cold here. I don't winter protect since I have a vole problem and they love that nice cosy mulch nest! The newly planted own roots have nice cane development and are budding now and should be flowering in a couple of weeks. I also have 'Queen of Sweden' own root this year. She is also very disease resistant. All were bought direct from David Austin and were really large and healthy. I've ordered from them in the past and wasn't that impressed, the roots were wimpy and only a couple canes but the ones I got this year were very nice. Windermere flowers are a creamy white and about 3 inches across so one of the smaller Austins.

Queen of Sweden planted end of May own root from David Austin

Windermere own root planted end of May

3 grafted Windermere 3 years old planted about 16 inch triangle as Austin recommends. These just finished their first flush and were decimated by gypsy moth caterpillars. Now onto rose slugs!!! I can't remember if Japanese beetles like them. I don't think they bothered them much though. A small blessing in the never ending battle of the bugs!!

Sharon

HalloBlondie - How is the scent? Yours looks great! Do you have it growing freely or is there support?

Carol

Carol - There will be tons of pictures! Promise! :)

HalloBlondie - oh those are gorgeous, I'm impressed too!

Enchantedrose - Thank you so much for all the info!

I have Queen of Sweden on the list as well, I'm happy to see them both doing well for you!

My garden is pest free at the moment, just a few aphids which are smooshed on site (knock on wood) ...but I had an awful time with thrips & caterpillars in the spring. I'll cross my fingers that they dissipate quickly for you!

I have Strawberry Hill own root from a band this spring. She is nice, no blackspot and bloomed twice so far. Can't say too much else since she's so new.

@carol - mine is growing as is. It's new so it still has a nice shrub shape. Not sure what it's overall habit will be in my garden. Some of my austins are tall canes & sprawling ie. Abe & teasing georgia. Some are really nice shrubs ie. Winchester & Benjamin Britten.

Thanks, HalloBlondie,

Carol