Agree with everything Fig said.

Everything.

In your climate, it may not matter, but almost all of the older HTs do better with a rootstock.

I had two, one own root and the other grafted. They stumbled along, it was a race to see which would bloom and which could produce fewer blooms each year. Other roses in that bed improved with age. Dainty Bess never did.

I would love to live where DB on fortuniana root stock would be possible.

I did have DB a long time ago in another location, and it was OK, not super vigorous but not too wimpy either. On the other hand, I have the 1950s Floribunda, Lilibet, and that one is a true wimpy runt. I think I'll replace it with DB.

At any rate, I got the "back in stock" notice from High Country and saw they only had a handful so I had to act fast and ordered one. I think they're out again. Congrats and good luck to anyone else here who grabbed it.

@fig_insanity Z7b E TN What are your favorites among the recent gang of singles?

@mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY) and @stillanntn6b , too, what are your current favorite singles?

Looking backwards and forwards, there are singles I have loved. The one that I admire, love, would not be without is a species that :

Repeats

Is beloved by bees

Has cast iron strong deep green foliage

Has white blooms with such strong petals that I can see them on my plant over a tenth of a mile from the house.

And it seems that the RRD mites don't recognize it as a rose and leave when they land on the petals,.

Rosa bracteata.

Which is hated as an invasive in Texas.

No other singles can hold a candle to it and the crosses that Mr. Moore made are lovely roses but definitely don't exhibit the hybrid vigor that might be expected.

R. bracteata is not one I'm familiar with, but reading at HelpMeFind I came across some interesting things. The fragrance is described as "unpleasant"? What does it smell like? A comment said that the bees love it so much they spend the night in the flowers?

It sounds like it would be a good rose for @ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9

I keep wondering if I should also try Mrs Oakley Fisher again. I love the color of that one.