I'm sure others will respond, but I would choose a different rose for your home front. M Hardy has a gorgeous bloom on a rangy bush with skimpy foliage. I love mine, but Botzaris has a much better bush. I think a Rugosa or David Austin rose might be a better choice for the front of a home, being fuller, repeat blooming and in the rugosa's case, Fall foliage color. Madame Plantier is a lovely once bloomer with a better bush, although it can get large.

I might put this post in Antique Roses to get more feedback.

Interesting.... I hadn't heard that it was a sparse spindly bush before and thought damasks tended to be just the opposite. Definitely will not be planting and Austins there -the few dozen I already have exhaust me with the level of care they need. Rugosas just don't impress me. Oh well....

Madame Hardy is at times my favorite, I love the fountain shape even without the exquisite round white blooms. The perfume also is one of my very favorite. I wouldn't discourage anyone from getting Madame Hardy, but I would say get a repeat bloomer for center stage, it is just too sad when the once bloomers are done for a whole year.

Try do a search on YouTube and there's a short video of mme hardy posted by JeffCat ( I think). After seeing that video of the overall bush my lust for a mme hardy rose has gone. Yes, its a beautifully shaped rose with a button eye - but the thorns looks dangerous. And since its a once bloomer the white blooms can be destroyed by thrips. The other reason is the white colour blooms -although a lot striking than iceberg rose - the white coloured rose can be boring over time.

That huge mound of Mme Hardy looks a lot fuller as a bush than mine so far. Very beautiful bush on YouTube, thank you Tangles.

I agree with you Sheila. I just watched another video clip by Nicholas Younes in HD quality and turns out Mme Hardy looks like a wonderful rose ! Hoping add this to my rose collection soon.