Dang ... I could like them all for one reason or another. But you really had me with the first one with, "The frangrance is intoxicating." Thanks for the pictures, too. Very helpful.

Checked the website ... the bad part is waiting until January for shipping. :-( I guess I will have to do morning glories in the meanwhile.

You could check K and M Roses and see if they have any SoF roses. They have them on Fortuniana rootstock, which is more resistant against the nematodes we have in FL. They also carry other David Austins. I think Cool Roses also carries Austins on fortuniana rootstock. Nelson's has a few but usually only sells to other nurseries.

I have 4 Spirit of Freedoms and will order more lol. I really love it 🥰

~SJN

Thanks for the tips. I will explore.

Don Juan is a great red climber with nice fragrance

I live in South Florida, Miami Dad county and am looking for climbers that do well on their own root as well as on Fortuniana.

SJN: Are you Spirit of Freedom all on Fortuniana? Would you be able to recommend/comment on other David Austin roses that either do well on their own root or on Fortuniana suited for South Florida?

cpartist: I assume Don Juan needs to be on Fortuniana as well

X_P, I am in NE Fl in the Jax area. I cant say for certain what will do well in So FL but I know who can lol!! There's a GW member named SoFL Rose who has a blog you will love. She has many recommendations and photos of roses. We also agree on many roses that perform well in both South and North FL.

Her Blog https://southfloridarose.com/blog/

My Spirit of Freedoms are on Dr Huey root stock but I plan to get some on Fortuniana. If I lived in So FL I would probably get it on fort. I think SoFL Rose has some of her Spirit of Freedoms own root though.

Other Austins that do great for me are:

Pat Austin, Lillian Austin, Lichfield Angel, Bathsheba, Teasing Georgia, Olivia Rose Austin, Boscobel, Tess of d'urbervilles, Lady of Shalott, Bishop's Castle, James Galway.

Some others (not Austins) that do really well are Don Juan, Distant Drums, Princess Charlene de Monaco, Earth Angel, Peach Swirl, Raspberry Cream Twirl, Quicksilver, Poseidon.

Miracle on the Hudson is a semi double red flower that is carefree and blooms and blooms. Hummers and butterflies love it. It gets big fat rose hips for the birds in the fall.

Same goes for Fire Opal, another carefree semi-double bloomer.

Mrs BR Cant is just fabulous! I do nothing to her and hardly even water her and she is so healthy and has luscious big pink blooms that smell like candy.

Rosette delizy, Duchess de Brabrant, Madame Alfred Carriere, Crepuscule, and Rubens are also great here.

I'm probably leaving some out but thats off the top of my head.

Just realized you were only asking about climbers lol..I listed many that were not climbers..the Austins I listed as climbers that do well are Tess, Teasing Georgia, Bathsheba, Olivia, SoF, James Galway, LoS, Both Pat and Lilian have shown climbing ability here so I think they both could be small, well mannered climbers.

SJN: Thank you so much for your thorough discussion. It is extremely helpful for someone like me who is beginning to learn and understand more about growing roses in Florida. I have read SoFL rose blogs and seen some of your older discussions on Houzz. It was a few years ago that she wrote about the David Austin roses, and I remember hers were either on DH or Fortuniana. She did mention some were on their own roots but the verdict was still out. I am trying to find newer posts/discussions although I am sure what I am asking is repetitive and has been asked many times before :). Although I know you are in Jacksonville, and the climate/soil conditions might differ, I think I can still gain a lot of valuable insights from your rose growing experiences. Again, thank you so much!

Regarding your other DA roses, are they all on a rootstock or on their own roots? I am enthralled by Spirit of Freedom (I know you said this one is on DH), Teasing Georgia, Lady of Shallots, Evelyn, Pat Austin, Claire Austin, and Tess d'Urbersville. I hear Abraham Darby and Darcey Bussell are excellent for Florida. I did read an interesting article by Dr. Malcome Manners years ago that Abraham Darby and Graham Thomas grow too vigorously on Fortuniana in foliage and in height but did not flower much. But others have commented Abraham Darby can be wonderful on Fortuniana. Currently, I have Heritage and Lichfield Angel on Fortuniana but trying to figure out which other DAs to get and whether to get them on own roots or on Fortuniana.

I was looking at the Kordes roses too! From reading SoFL Rose blog, I know she developed a strong interest in those. And of course, those are very gorgeous and seem to be more resilient and better adapted to the deep South than DA roses. I know she raves about Bliss, Wedding Bells, and Plum perfect. Earth Angel is one of Kordes. I think I actually have Novalis but it was mislabeled when I purchased it at Cool Roses. What is your experience with them in terms of own root vs Fortuniana? Do you have a favorite Kordes? I love Earth Angel in picture but have heard others say the flower is small and can ball up. How is your Earth Angel and is it on its own root?

Then the OGR roses! I think they are fabulous! I recently traveled to Texas and visited Antique Rose Emporium (such a beautiful and cool place!) and brought Belinda's Dream back on the plane with me, lol. I got the climbing variety of Belinda and she is on her own root. Right now she is still sitting in the pot because I am hesitant to plant her down on her own root. Do you think she will be okay on her own root in the soil? Interestingly, I have Louis Philippe, Duchess de Brabrant, Mrs. B.R. Cant and Old Blush on Fortuniana (from Nelson) although they probably don't need to be and will be okay on their own roots. Is your Mrs. B.R. Cant on any rootstok? And how large does it really get? I decided to order two more Fortuniana roses from Antique Rose Emporium after the visit, not only because I think the rose itself is beautiful and will do well here, but that I can use it to learn grafting for fun!

I have been reading some of older OGRs discussions by Sherrycola on Houzz and her recommendations for the OGRs. I want Crepuscule and Cramoisie Superiuer badly but hear climbing roses take awhile to take off and flower. What is your opinion on old garden climbing roses? Do you think these and other OGRs would do well on their own roots in sandy soil Florida? Some of the other ones I think are so cool are Le Vesuve, Maman Cochet, Pinkie, Clotilde Soupert, Madam Joseph Schwartz, and many more!!!!

I feel really grateful for your advice and recommendations. I will go through the roses you mentioned. I really look forward to learn from you and others on this forum!

Don Juan is the classic, and I loved it while I had it, but be warned, I planted this rose and from then till this day have been plagued with chili thrips.

I am not a rose collector but I have both a bush and climber of "Old Blush". They are super hardy. I only trim them to control their size. I don't water or fertilize them. I have propagated the bushes cuttings many times. I've never noticed a fragrance though.

I have Fortuniana Climbing rose. It blooms mostly in spring and sprawls out. It stays pretty healthy but the blooms aren't spectacular. Like you I got it for rootstock lol.

The antique climbers I have are: Marchael Neil , Devoniensis, Maman Cochet, White Maman Cochet, Florence Bower's Pink Tea, Cepuscule, Madame Alfred Carriere, Glorie des Rosomanes (don't think this is actually an antique but often gets lumped w them), I know I have more..I will have to go look lol!

Most antique climbers kinda sit there the first year, then get going in the second or third year here. I usually start all my antique own roots in pots for the first year to protect them from getting dug up by critters etc. Then I put them in the ground once they are a little larger. The slowest one I have is the White Maman Cochet climber..I'm almost wondering if I was sent the shrub version instead because my pink Maman has went nuts and I got them at the same time.

I will post again once I go look at what others I have lol.

SJN: Have you tried grafting and any success yet? Lol. I am totally convinced by Dr. Manners, unless potted up, the only way to go for all roses, including the OGRs, is to graft them onto Fortuniana before putting them in native soil. I have also read climbers do take time to establish and bloom. My original plan was to get OGR or Austin climbers and plant them along my fencing and pillars. For now, I might just put Belinda's Dream (a climber version) in a large pot on the concrete part of my yard so it's not in contact with the native soil. And for the rest, until I figure out how to graft myself, I will have to get the DAs from K and M and OGR climbers from either Nelson's or Cool Roses.

I love Devonaiensis and heard it is a great rose for Florida. Madame Alfred Carrierer is such a beauty! Has your White Mama Cochet bloomed at all? I prefer the white one, lol. And One rose I love is SDLM but hear it balls a lot here in Florida, and many recommend Clotilde Soupert as a minature version of SDLM.