You may want to ask the Antique Roses forum here -- there are definitely some folks who check that regularly who would have thoughts on this. I grew Madame Isaac Pereire in a pot in Seattle and it did as OK as one could expect a climber to do in a pot. However, I couldn't get Souvenir de la Malmaison to survive. Oddly, its sport, Souvenir de St. Anne's, did great in my garden, with the small exception of a little bit of powdery mildew if it was stressed at certain times of year. It was usually the picture of health.

I’m in the Seattle-ish area, don’t spray and bourbons do all right for me!

MIP has neglible black spot, SdlM does great now that I gave her full sun, Zephirine Drouhin is good even though it had to grow to reach the sun, Mystic Beauty is wonderful, Boule de Neige is a must have, KPV is a other good one and Great Western is one I never see mentioned but doesn’t get blackspot and is the most gorgeous color.

What is KPV?

Kronprincessen Viktoria-that is probably the wrong spelling but I’m too lazy too look it up:)

Oh, KPV looks elegant, but I'm obsessed with Mystic Beauty. Where did you get it? Apart from Souvenir de St. Anne's, I've been afraid to try the SDLM line for the balling problem, especially in my part sun garden. Hearing you say they're doing so well makes me feel like I've been bitten by rose bugs a few times again. LOL.

You can get Mystic Beauty from Roses Unlimited. :)

SDLM did well for me growing under the eaves of our last house (in St Johns, Portland). It had the deep eaves typical of Portland homes, so it could protect the blooms from the rain. Before that, I grew it at the base of a hornbeam tree (in Beaverton). The tree - despite having an aggressive root system - did not in any way slow down SDLM which was continually in bloom. In fact, the tree protected the blooms from the rain better than the eaves did in our next garden.

I also had a good experience growing 'Deuil de Dr. Reynaud' as a climbing rose in Portland. It did not blackspot too much. Some BS appeared after the spring flush, but it wasn't a problem, because the weather always dries up that time of year, so it didn't have a chance to spread. It produced two reliable flushes a year, and there was something so magical about the late summer bloom - the big, cupped blooms with their deep scent was like a postcard from May or June when the whole garden was fresh.

In my current garden (in Vancouver, WA), the only Bourbon I grow is 'Souvenir de St Anne's'. It's trouble-free, uncomplaining and a hard worker. Like SDLM it can decide to grow awkwardly, but that's my only complaint and easily solved with careful pruning.

I've only had good experiences growing Bourbon roses here in the Portland area. I'd like to try growing more in the future, too, so I am curious to hear what folks recommend!

I have Mme Dubost & MIP, but in NY, Love them! Seattle is pretty wet!

'Mme. Isaac Pereire', 'Zephirine Drouhin', 'Reine Victoria', 'Honorine de Brabant', 'Variegata di Bologna', 'Mme. Piere Oger', 'Louise Odier' 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' - I've grown a bunch here in the Pacific Northwest (Willamette Valley, USDA 8a/b). All but 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' were crippled by Blackspot and most eventually died from chronic disease once I stopped using fungicides in 2010. ('Variegata di Bologna' is still there, but a shadow of its former glory) I can't think of a single Bourbon I would recommend for our area - unless you're going to spray, spray, spray.

I would also recommend Deuil du Dr Reynaud. I haven’t lived in the PNW but grew it in my last garden in the humid Midwest and it had above average disease resistance there at least. It also had good repeat, blooming in flushes throughout the season. It’s fragrance is one of the best out there. It‘s not as easy to find compared to some other Bourbons, though, but well worth it if you are able to.

My Madame Isaac Pereire grew like a charm here in Portland and I never sprayed it. It was in a tall pot off the ground which may have helped with circulation. It blooms a lot in the spring flush and very little after. Vigorous too. The scent is unsurpassed. If you get an early summer heatwave, it might fry the blooms.

MIP is a wonderful rose, but the thorns, no thanks! I had it at one time in another state where it grew too well and I absolutely dreaded pruning it.

I'm looking for something to climb on a fence, I think I may go with Lavender Lassie instead of a Bourbon. But they are really lovely roses, so I was tempted to try.