Wow! The rose looks very happy.

I agree with Sheila. That looks like a very happy La Marne.

Yup, just like all the Austin, Kordes and other roses bred and selected in harsher, shorter climates begin forming mountains of plants when released into longer, "milder" (in comparison) climates. Peter Beales used to describe Ballerina as "one of our most reliable small shrubs", yet it grew more than 20' up a pine tree in Manhattan Beach, CA! It's all still "location, location, location". Nothing where your plant is growing is limiting its growth. You obviously aren't whacking it back severely; nothing is eating, burning nor freezing it, so of course it will keep growing to the limits its resources allow. It looks great, BTW. You should add this photo to its rose page on Help Me Find-Roses to help illustrate what to expect from the rose where it's happy and remains "un molested". https://helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.3671&tab=1

Bob thats a gorgeous rose!

Roseseek, Wow! I would have never thought Ballerina would get that large. I have been thinking about getting Ballerina for the bees. I will have to make sure it has lots of room.

@sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish) it can get that large, IF something doesn't limit its growth (pruning, freezing, being eaten, etc.) so it you don't want it that large, prune it. This is all exactly the same issue as the monstrous Tea roses reported in old California. Elsewhere, they were only a few feet tall but when grown in mild climates where they received the warmth and rains they wanted, with nothing limiting their growth, they got (GET) huge!

So true, Kim, I had a Ms Tillier that grew to 9' tall and 15' wide in 3 years. I ended up removing it as, at my age, I couldn't envisage being able to manage it - especially on blood thinners! I regret doing it though.

My mother's own-root 'La Marne' was lightly pruned and was generally a 7'+ shrub, for decades, in Santa Rosa, CA. Mine was hard-pruned and subjected to termite-tenting last year, but has popped back to 5' so far this year and looks good. Tough rose!

I am going to let my Ms Tillier be here, but I have 5 acres which makes a difference. It is colder than California too here, so we shall see.

That's a great looking rose: congratulations!

What a majestic La Marne! That's wonderful Bob, congratulations!

Gorgeous!

Thanks roseseek. I do appreciate large roses. They need to be able to survive the farm critters here so larger is better.

@roseseek and @sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish) I keep hearing about roses in Florida growing like really huge. I've got about 15 planted bushes - which I planted all about 4-6' apart per instructions - rest in 'holding cell' pots. I keep looking at the ones in ground, as I walk around them... gosh, they look soooo puny, scraggly, not-pretty. I've been thinking maybe I've done this all wrong, they might be too far apart? I've hesitated to plant any more (so I have like 10 more bushes in small 'holding cells' aka pots lol. Waiting, trying to figure out what to do. All the roses are starting to bloom a little, and I cut off the blooms to enjoy inside - hopefully redirecting the bush to grow strong roots. I water deeply, until water runs out of the pots, do the same amount for the in-ground, with a little more for the bigger bushes and for known thirsty ones. I talk to them as I walk around, which I know is pretty stupid - but I like it. It's been weeks.

Well.... ehem.... we have had 2 back to back, gloomy days full of monsoon rains. I walked out this morning and Zepherine D, Abraham Darby, Poet's Wife, Beverly, Litchfield, Galway and Molineux have all grown about a foot and a half - in two days. I kid you not. The difference was startling - they are more than waist high. ALL the roses have grown with nice new growth, some red, some pink, some green depending on variety. The antiques look to have overgrown their pots now. Sarasota Spice is cascading all over the ground. And Tiffany (yes HT Tiffany) has FOUR basal breaks. FOUR. I stood still for at least 30 seconds, looking around and saying to myself "What has happened?" Then I got busy weeding, checking on every bush until the next lightning storm chased me inside again.

Now I think it will be okay. I'll continue the 'plan' planting them at least 4-6' apart - stagger them just a little bit. Better get cracking!

That sounds lovely, Kimberly. I wish I had planted mine farther apart and I'm not even in Florida.

@Kimberly Wendt (Florida Z. 10b) they have to generate the roots to support the tops first and that can take a little while. I'm not surprised you see growth after that rain! Water is the best fertilizer! It PUSHES growth better than anything!

Hi back, I just ordered a water meter gadget for my hose, so I can see how much water I'm actually giving when I hand water my roses (I'm not putting in the drip system until AFTER I get everything in ground and situated). I'm now thinking that I'm not watering enough... or that rain storms actually don't lay down as much water as I think. lol. Setting out some cheap plastic 'rain gauges' too. Just when I think I understand all this stuff.... lol