Rick, thanks for this info and that beautiful pic. I love how puffy those flowers are on it.

Not so worried about fragrance, just trying to incorporate some lavender colors into a space and noticed Mary Rose and Charles seemed more lavender than pink in a lot of photos. I will look up Lilac Rose now too.

How did you like to winter protect yours when you were in zone 4? This is my first winter with all of the austins I got this spring, so I'm trying to figure out best mulch or material to winter protect for here in zone 5b.

I only grow Charles. He was a slow starter for me but finally took off in year 3

I only grow Charles. He was a slow starter for me but finally took off in year 3

@Bc _zone10b I'm in zone 9 so others can give you better advices with cold hardiness. I like both of them and they bloom and repeat well. CRM blooms last longer on a bush compared with Mary Rose. CRM is a short bush 3ft H while Marry is 5ft H. CRM is a blooming fool in my garden so I have to remind myself to give him extra water and fertilizer else he'll get diseases (powdery mildew and rust in my garden). Here are some pics. Helen

Helen, you have the most beautiful CRM!

@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw Thank you Kristine. I love the different bloom colors on your CRM bush. I agree that CRM takes time to be a mature bush. Helen

Wow thanks for the great photos! They both look really nice, I do like the more globular blooms on Charles too. @bayarea_girl_z10a_ca Thanks for the comparison pics, would you say they're both a similar color, and definitely more pink than lavender?@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw -I love how giant and circular those flowers are! Thank you both for the help!

Yes, they are pink not lavender. If you are looking for lavender color, there is Quick Silver (climber) or Love Song. Here are their pics. Helen

Oh wow, beautiful @bayarea_girl_z10a_ca

I love how they are spilling over kind of waterfall like. Thanks for the pictures :)

Love song is a wonderful lavender

CRM has an orchidy undertone but it is definitely pink.

Love Song

Helen, your Quicksilver is magnificent !

I currently have Charles Rennie. Here's a pic.

The other lilac I have is "Adorable" (which is the name it was released as in Australia). But it's called "Carmen Wurth" in other countries. It's a Kordes Rose, from the parfuma collection.

I used to have mary rose, and thought it more a clear pink than a lilac. I also used to have Reine victoria, an old bourbon. The blooms are not that large, but they are a perfect cup form. And it begins with a lilac tinge before becoming more pink. Comte de Chambord is beautiful, not really lilac, some say "light magenta' or "mixed pink". but the fragrance is amazing. It would mix in well with the lilac spectrum of colours too. Cheers.

If you are looking for a mauve-ish rose, have you considered reine des violettes? It might do well for you as it is supposed to be hardy to zone 4b. It's a very fragrant rose with old-fashioned cup-shaped blooms with many petals.

@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw - beautiful color, thanks for the picture.

@Ro theAntipodean -Ro Thanks for the pic. That's the coloration I really like on your Charles...not quite pink but not quite lilac either. I love it. Your Adorable rose is pretty too, really nice bold color, thanks for telling me about that one. I'll look up the others you mentioned too.

@Kes Z 7a E Tn -I haven't heard of reine des violettes but looks beautiful on HMF. Thanks for sharing. Glad it's hardy...that's the other tricky part for me. Color, and hardiness. Appreciate it!

Thanks Ro! I looked up Reine, looks beautiful.