Oh I forgot Lavender Simplicity. It is new to me this year and grow very well.

@seasiderooftop I've had two Charles de Gaulle for ~ 20 years, and it's a top fave. Beautiful and very fragrant. As mine got more elderly, it was tough to find them for several years, but Palatine carries them now. I bought two more two years ago, and they're doing great. I also have to second the kudos for Neptune and Heirloom... both very fragrant and bloom well. I better stop now, since I can go on and on about frgrant lavenders and purples.... there are so many more I want to comment on!

Rose Lai your Celestial Night is dramatically dark. So far mine is the dark magenta, I wish mine was the color of yours-it might help me to forgive the lack of scent

What a WONDERFUL thread!!!

@seasiderooftop ,where in the EU are you located? Just a head's up-here in Italy "EbbTide" is known as Purple Eden; "Purple Lodge" can be known as "Palais Brion". This latter rose is making a very good impression on me; it seems to be a much more vigorous plant than Purple Eden (Ebb Tide) or Twilight Zone.Blue Eden (Diane's "Clown Prince") also seems more vigorous, though my general impression is that Ebb Tide and TZ, though not as vigorous, are capable of achieving the darkest violet tones.

It's so true that the names can be misleading. Purple Rain has disappointed me very much, being far too close to red than it is to violet/purple I was hoping for a rose like this https://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=21.250945

instead, it looked more like this https://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=21.302660

However, it seemed a bit better last spring; I may try moving it to better soil

I'm glad that BenT weighed in; see what I mean about the helpfulness of verbal descriptions? they help you to evaluate the accuracy of images, and give a better idea of the colour ranges you can expect.

No one has mentioned Rhapsody in Blue so far. This rose is definitely quite violet-slatey blue; however it is not impressing me too much as far as the question of vigour goes. Then there is the beautiful Excellenz Von Schubert. I don't get a lot of re-bloom from that, but I love the colour: similar to that seen in the paler coloured flowers in Diane's pictures of her "Clown Prince". But you have to be careful when purchasing this rose , since apparently it's often confused with Gartendirektor Otto Linne ,which is deep pink, not violet. If memory serves me I got my ExVS from Loubert.

And how can such a thread go on without a mention of the incomparable Reine des Violettes?

BTW, I would LOVE to get my hands on a Lavender Crush!!! but,alas, it does not seem to be available here in Europe...at least not yet...

Oh my goodness... So many beautiful roses, I am absolutely dazzled!

Great to see your roses @kathyc_z10_socal , you live in a similar climate zone to mine so I am particularly happy to see your pictures of Purple Lodge! And Intermezzo looks gorgeous, I'm adding that one to my wishlist!

@Diane Brakefield Clown Prince is absolutely breathtaking! Wow! Those blossoms are incredible.

@User Thank you for the alternate names tip! That is very helpful.

I am in Malta. We used to be zone 10 but over the last few years we have become zone 11 and it is a challenge to grow most things here. Even the local tomato growers and vinyards lost a third of their crops to the heat and drought this summer. I usually buy my plants with the expectation that they will die, and I am pleasantly surprised when they don't!

Because of this climate, the local plant shops tend to not offer much in the rose department beyond the most basic rugosas and the desktop dwarf roses at the supermarket. There is one shop here that occasionally has a few David Austins, but other than that I am stuck with ordering bare root from abroad. So I like to have a clear idea of what I am ordering beforehand!

You mentioned Rhapsody in Blue and Reine des Violettes: they are both part of my current order along with Blue For You. They won't ship until early December though, so now I have to be patient!

Seaside Rooftop, how wonderful that you live in such a lovely place, and I sympathize with you and your fellow citizens about the heat. It was a scorching hot summer here, and I lost both blooms and veggies. We had drought conditions over and above our usual semiarid conditions. I'm in zone 7 desert hills outside Boise, Idaho. I apologize for jokingly referring to my rose as The Clown Prince. It is really Wild Blue Yonder, an 8-9 foot tall, 6 foot wide vigorous grandiflora I've grown since 2006 (hybridizer is Curruth). It came on the market the same year as Julia Child and Ebb Tide, and kind of got lost in the shuffle. I began calling him The Clown Prince because of the many different shades of blooms he produces. Currently he's bursting into bloom as our weather descends into freezing temps. I don't know if all those buds are going to make it. Here is another photo from earlier in the season. Diane

It’s because of Diane and her dang pictures that I ordered Wild Blue Yonder for spring delivery. If I get a quarter of the blooms and color variations she has i will be happy!

oursteelers, I'm sure in your PNW garden you'll get lots of growth and blooms with WBY. I can't remember how fast he grew and what his beginning bloom production was like, but he must have done well fairly quickly. He leafs out and blooms right down to the base, and all the canes are big, long basals. I don't think I have another rose that grows quite in that manner. Diane

@Diane Brakefield

Haha, you know, Clown Prince didn't even seem improbable to me, there are so many roses with unusual/weird names!

@BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) @User

I think (maybe) I might have found an equivalent for Lavender Crush that's available in the EU. Not the exact same but a very similar purple/white combo: Huddersfield Choral Society. I found it on the Gronloof website (warning: that site is a nightmare to navigate).

Looks similar to me... Anyone know more about this one?

Seaside Rooftop, I can't help you with the above rose, Huddersfield Choral Society, which is new to me, but it's certainly an unusual beauty. Is there any info on it on HMF? Are you able to obtain the rose called Ebb Tide in the US? I sometimes call it the Clown Jester because my rose can change colors like the Clown Prince. I can't guarantee yours would do the same, though, if you were to obtain an Ebb Tide. It's also a Carruth rose, and ET and Wild Blue Yonder seem to have unstable color producing genes that act differently depending on the heat during the growing season. Diane

Clown Jester

O, I totally like the name "The Clown Prince"! so much better than it's official alias, "Blue Eden" (there are WAY too many roses with the word "Eden" in them; gets confusing).

Seaside,I forgot about Huddersfield CS (now THAT'S a weird name!) I have it-seems to be very vigorous. I got mine from Myroses; that site is difficult, too.

Bart, Seaside,

I agree there are too many Edens in Europe, and some of them look and behave nothing like the original. I finally got straight that Ebb Tide is Purple Eden, Wild Blue Yonder is Blue Eden. I’d totally try out Huddersfield if it were available. Puple Lodge is high on my list too, we have limited availability of it here. I had heard that Rhapsody in Blue only thrived in mild coastal weather (I don’t know anyone in the US South still growing it). Here Rhapsody is thriving in Vancouver Canada, which is indeed very mild coastal weather

A few more Lavender Crush variations, I’ve wondered if Reine des Violettes is a parent, as LC is extremely fragrant:

Diane,

I’m convinced the only way to get those royal purple shades you have would be to move next door to you!

Even then Ben, I doubt it. Diane has magic beans in her soil.

My sister has grown Wild Blue Yonder since it was released and it is only a mannerly 5 ft tall.

I think that Diane is justifyibly the reigning qween of purple.

But, Ben, you come in a close second. Your Lavender Crush is the prettiest that I have ever seen.

So many yummy purples, so little space.

Ha ha, I cant even remember what this one is but it sure is sweet. Senility strikes again

@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw

"Diane has magic beans in her soil."

...and sunrays with fairy dust! :)

When I see her two Julia Childs, I want to tell mine: "Seeee, why can't you do the same? They are in the Gifted and Talented" program and you're failing class every year.

Small and defoliated by fall, blooms don't even last. Dang.

I think Rhapsody in Blue might be one of those semi-primadonna types, can't take it too hot or too cold. But near-by Rose Barni DOES sell it, and they make a point of offering stuff that does well in Italy. However they do comment that it can't take a lot of viscious heat. Mine is in a pretty shady spot-we shall see.

Thank you guys, but you're full of beans.

Kristine, you are hilarious. I'm familiar with senility striking. Forgot to add water to the coffee pot this morning.

Severe, you must praise and encourage your Julia Child, and give rewards, not threats. A big haha, of course, I didn't realize you had a black spot problem where you live. That could be holding Julia back a little. Wait....you're in Georgia....OK, senility strikes again. I would assume you do have a black spot problem there in the humid South. Here, the weather has turned horrible (it was horrible hot all summer), but now is cold and the last two days have been very windy. Not much color is left, except for trees, and it's the endgame for the year. Light frost tonight. You guys have more gardening ahead, and I'm tearing things out. I really feel cheated this year with an extra early fall--20 degrees below normal.

Bart, we have vicious heat, but my roses want the sun always, and don't do well in the blasted tree shade. But you're farther south than here, and your sun is stronger. Diane

Ben, I think you have some magic beans if anyone does. I love your elegant Lavender Crush arrangement, and all the variations of this rose. I had no idea the name Eden was so overused in Europe. The word "blue" is overused, too. Frankly, there need to be some changes made in the names of roses. So many are just awful. Diane

Reine des Violettes here.

Sheila. your RDV is really stunning! What a yummy color!

@bayarea_girl_z10a_ca I love your Quicksilver roses! Those are some of the nicest photos of it I've seen. Is it tough to keep it as a shrub? Its listed as a climber which I wouldn't have a spot for, but as a shrub I could manage.

Thank you Chris. I think it will be fine. Helen

This is a mini from Burlington Nursery. Bloomed all summer in triple digits inland Socal (9a).

In its second year. A keeper!

Polyantha Aunt Margy is borderline pink-purple. Needs lots and lots of water in this climate.

Sylvia, Aunt Margie is a cool color! I really like the color and form of that one.

I have been trying to get a Lavender Crystal from Burlington all year and she has been out.

I did get Lavender Jewel and Sweet Chariot which are both great

Another cool one is Lifes little pleasur.es . The color just makes me smile

Speaking of roses with blue in their name, I think of Midnight Blue. Mine is in part shade, very healthy, about three feet tall, and it can have at least two big flushes every season. Single flower smells fine, but when many of them bloom together, the strong fragrance can waft around my backyard. The photo was taken in early August, its second flush (the lower part of the bush).

Feiy - That's incredibly beautiful!! Incredible!

Kristine,

Every summer it’s a challenge just to keep Aunt Margie alive, but regular soakings are the best way to go in this climate.

I bought her from ARE around 5 years ago.

Well, it's a "sour grapes" kind of attitude, but I'm sort of glad to hear that Aunt Margy's is a water hog. It's not available here in Europe, and looking at pictures on HMF and reading that it's supposedly "heat tolerant" made me want it, but if it needs tons of water, then no.

However I wouldn't really call a rose "heat tolerant" if, in order to tolerate heat, it needs tons of water...

What an interesting collection you must have, Feiy Lo, with Midnight Blue, Pam’s Choice and I wonder what else?

@BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14), I'm a rose newbie. Three years ago I just bought my first rose, and now I have about 140 roses. I must be crazy. Because the sunlight in my backyard is blocked by the neighbor’s house and a huge walnut tree, most of my roses are planted in partial shade, which is why I have been looking for roses that can grow well in this condition. With some exceptions, basically single, semi-double, or double roses do perform better than those with hundreds petals. At least they don't ball in our cool and humid spring and fall, and of course, bees love them! I have seen many photos from your garden and always admire the hard work you put into roses to make them so beautiful. I hope that one day my garden will look half as good as yours.

Hi @Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a)

Thank you for sharing these pictures of your beautiful roses!

It is very interesting to me to hear about the ones that perform well in shady conditions. There is a corner of my rooftop that hardly gets any sun at all in winter because of a nearby building.

Which ones would you say are the most shade tolerant?

These are some roses that perform well in my part shade garden. I may add other roses which are too young to tell now to this list after they get older.

Doing well in less 3hr sun:

-Country Dancer

-New Face

-Aptos

-Veilchenblau (Rambler)

Doing well in 3-5hr sun:

-Bolero

-Poseidon

-Lyda Rose

-Midnight Blue

-Secret

-Comte de Chambord

-PAOK

-Darlow's Enigma

-Cream Varenda

-Hot Cocoa

-Mother of Pearl

-Birthday Girl

-Maggie

-Pam's Choice

-Out of Yesteryear

-Lynnie

-Olivia Rose Austin

-Tamora

-Marie Pavie

-Mary Rose

-Ghislaine de Feligonde

-Madame Alfred Carriere

-Renae (climber)

-New Dawn (climber)

@Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a),

Did you mean Country Dancer?

@Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a) That's amazing that you have so many that can take that little sun.

@Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a),

Inassume your shaded roses in the ground, Is the wallnut tree close enough that its roots might compete with the roses for water and nutrients?

I always wondered what affects performance worse: tree roots or shade?

For me, it's shade. I have plenty of experience with both tree shade and roots, and Evelyn flat won't do well in shade, plus a host of others. I make sure the roses get plenty of water, because the blasted trees are right there hogging it, but the shade is the worst, and costs me a fortune in tree service charges to keep those big suckers even halfway in line. Diane

BenT, does your Poseidon do well in the heat? I had coveted that one, but read something somewhere that discouraged me, and I thought it pertained to heat tolerance here in CenTX. Perhaps it is a waterhog?

My Lavendar Crush is much taller than yours as well -- has to be since the lower 2 ft are always rapidly defoliated from BS in my no-spray garden. I'm surprised to see yours so demure and floriferous.

My best "purples" currently are Plum Perfect and Quicksilver. My Kordes roses are not generally the most generous bloomers, but they are healthy.

Purple Lodge grew backwards and died for me. My grafted roses all too often do that for the first year or two, particularly in that one area of my yard, so I can't comment. It did have a spectacular color and nice fragrance, as I recall. I am sure it will do spectacularly for you.

Sweet Chariot, Aunt Margy, and International Herald Tribune are all beautiful purple/lavenders. I love Lavender Crush, though I think for me it is destined to be a large shrub rather than a true climber. Another nice purple, Grape Jelly, is also sold as a climber, but probably not for here in zone 6. Climber-wise, in the purple range, you just can't beat beautiful Purple Skyliner. Perennial Blue is lovely too, but more of a once-bloomer, and when you get into once-bloomers there are all kinds of beauties like Veilchenblau, Violette, Blu Magenta, etc. And of course, my beloved Hippolyte!!

Frances, does Purple Skyliner set hips? That one has also been on my radar.

@Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA, Oh you're right. It's Country Dancer. My walnut tree is on the slope so it is 3 feet lower than my rose bed, but we still remove some of the tree roots before I planted the roses. Compared with root competition, I am more concerned about the damage of juglone to garden plants. In addition, because the tree is huge, some people call it a high shade, except for the north side of the building.

Philip,

Poseidon’s heat resistance has improved remarkably over the the 3-4 years I’ve had him. At first I almost shoveled him because I thought the blooms were far too small and fleeting in heat. As the plant gained strength (and Poseidon is an especially strong robust grower), the blooms increased in size and quality, and now I’m very happy I kept this rose.

Lavender Crush has grown into a huge bushy climber for me too 8’ tall by 14’ wide. I tried tying most of the canes horizontally and got some really long laterals this spring.

Philipatx, Purple Skyliner does set hips, but not nearly as many as, say, Perennial Blue (which may go along with the fact that PS blooms so much more than PB). BenT, your Lavender Crush looks amazing! I wish mine would get that big, but I think our winters are a little cold for it to do that. Oh, btw, another really nice purple, relatively new I think, is Brindabella Purple Prince. Does anybody grow it? I've had it for 2 years now and really like it. Beautiful color, good bloomer, doesn't seem to mind cold winters, mine are getting pretty big!

Ah, now THAT is more like what I would expect a Lavedar Crush in your garden to look like, BenT! LOL. Mine is no more than 3 feet across and about 6 ft tall now after February's freeze knocked it back almost to the bud union, but I am stingy with the fertilizers. I grow my free-standing as I would have expected it to be a little stiff to pull off what you have accomplished. Yours is spectacular (as I would expect!) I'm generally less than thrilled with the architecture and health of mine, but it stays for its other wonderful attributes.

Now you have me reconsidering my reconsideration as to whether or not to acquire Poseidon... ;-) I gather you are as generous with water as you are all the other niceties a rose would desire, and could not speak to water needs? (I am guessing yours is own-root?)

Thanks for that info on P.Skyliner, frances_in_nj. That one has been on my radar for a while.

I think Star Roses might have wrapped up its evaluation of the Kordes rose Carmen Wurth, a nice new pink-mauve that has gotten stellar reviews in Europe. Will be curious to see if it made the cut and gets introduced soon.

Francis, I have Grown Brindabella Purple Prince for a few years and have found it to be a rose that is easy to get along with. It just blooms and never complains , no disease and not overly thorny.

@User I also grow Brindabella Purple Prince and it's a nice little rose. It experienced some pretty uncomfortable conditions on the Walmart clearance rack but as soon as it got into some soil and water it took off so I give it full marks for vigor. The fragrance is lovely and the color stays intense without fading. My only negative about it is that the blooms blow very quickly, it's 2-3 days from bud starting to open to petals falling off.