Ben, hope you find it—it looks like a beauty. Hopefully it’s in a corner building roots. And Cosmic Clouds does look great. I wonder if it’ll hold its fragrance in the heat. I don’t mind magenta but purples that go magenta and scentless are no bueno.

Lilyfinch the fragrance on Quest for Zest was more tempered today. When it first opened it had a sharp lemon with almost some myrrh or other non-sweet scent mixed in. I’m bad at describing fragrances. But today whatever it was is gone. We’ll see how it ages with the bloom and the rose.

I’m curious about Loves me Not. Normally pink roses aren’t my thing (tho I have some) but I always liked pink carnations, a favorite of my grandmother, and the photos of Love me Not remind me of a carnation. Plus an intriguing descriptiok for fragrance—lilac and gardenia, two fragrances my spouse loves. I ak doing my bedt not to kill the gardenias in our garden. A rose that smelled like it would be far easier.

Ryan,

I had to look up Loves Me, Loves Me Not , I recognized its alternate name Audrey Fleurot, a Meilland rose, I agree its very beautiful. The Chinese HMF describles fragrance as mango and lemon, but only moderate, and has many more details on it.

I don’t think the scent of Cosmic Clouds will dissapate with heat, it is quite consistent strong lemon rose.

Jenna,

In our forgetfullness competition, there are no winners, and who remembers anyway! I am still hoping one of my young rooted plants is mislabeled and blooms as Candlelight.

Ben, thanks for the link to the Chinese hmf...I'm going to browse there. :)

Ben, if you had to choose between Cosmic Clouds and Thierry Marx, which would you choose? I’d like to add a purple to my ever growing potted polled collection.

Lilyfinch, you’ll have to share how Oxford Girl and Big Ben do for you. I’ve been tempted to try Oxford Girl this year.

Dave

I’d probably go with Cosmic Clouds over Thierry Marx, more purple and more fragrant. Thierry’s blooms were a bit larger. I’ve only had them since last spring, so don’t know everything about them.

Carol

I use the aforementioned Chinese website frequently to find out about European and Asian varieites. The Russian website Rosebook.ru that was recommended by Elena also has great info.

I've been to the Russian website before...but forgot about it. Thanks for the link. :) :)

I forgot to add that I have the new edible rose , Flavorette Honey Apricot from Proven Winners. It bloomed last fall, and I did a taste test of Honey Apricot vs Rouge Royale vs Julia Child. What’s different about Honey Apricot is that the petals are softer and they are not bitter, so it handily beat the other two. But ti’s still not tasty, rather more like cardboard slivers, or nasturtium, which are also famously edible. The stems are soft and wonky too, and those soft blooms don’t last very long.

Flavoriette Honey Apricot when first received.

Ben - that's interesting about the lack of bitterness. :)

Yes, interesting, but I'm not biting. Thanks for the information, though, Ben. Here's a question for you, Ben, and any others who grow these roses. Which do you like better, Ball Gown or Ashley? I'm on the brink of committing to one of these. What about Loves Me Loves Me Not? I'm now leaning toward Ball Gown, but have wanted Ashley for ages. I'm still getting a second Angel Face. It's that good if you're in the right climate. Diane

Diane, I am voting for Ashley, but I do not have Ball Gown. Ashley is one of my favorite rose. Here is a good video about this rose: https://youtu.be/mnQmj4AT8h8?si=TxWqqz7VC-iHnu7D I bet you can grow it even better. I have ordered Loves me.. for this Spring, sounds very promising.

One more, just magical https://youtu.be/pTVH0mEmIck?si=Ii8OGeKnI_KXYtEK

They just keep getting better

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHXlWx0jq0o

That was a helpful video, Berrypie. I'm getting some Heirloom roses this year and I would have left them out all day in the sun...hardening off. Must do that. :)

Diane - how important is fragrance to you. Probably not that much...but Ashley won't have much fragrance. I do wish you'd get it though...it's gorgeous!!

Elena, you are an enabler, for sure, with the link to the Ashley video. What a stunning rose. Do you have any photos of your rose? Thank you for helping me make up my mind.

Berry, thanks for the link to the Rose Geek video. I don't think we can receive into Idaho any plants in soil or that have their leaves and that come from out of state. The Heirloom rose reminded me of that. More on that later.

Carol, correct, fragrance is not that important to me. I'm so sleepy, I can hardly type. I just woke up from an accidental nap in time to go to bed. I need to order Ashley, I guess. Diane

Oh, I just saw the time lapse video of Ashley. Luscious. Augusta will be so jealous. Thanks, Elena. Diane

@elenazone6, thanks for the youtube videos. Beautiful beautiful roses a lot of them not available here. I’m wondering what areas of Russia these are. I imagine some of them can not grow well in very cold climates. I’m also impressed how healthy they all are. Leaves are so clean, even though a lot of them are planted very close. I really like the look of these rose gardens.

Took a screen shot above. I am really looking forward to getting AL from garden rose llc next month

My heart literally swooned over Ashley. I cant wait to see what it does in your yard. Is Grace the only one that carries it ?

Oh, Diane!!! I'm SO excited that you're getting Ashley!!! She's going to be DIVINE for you!!

ahhh, Ashley is like a big pink billowy pillow...

Bring Me Sunshine is taking a back seat ? Northland Garden Center ( that no longer ships ) sent an email with this delectable photo

$49 for a potted Bring Me Sunshine. I'm up a creek without a paddle, unable to get that far away. Time to start calling closer nurseries to see if they have one to spare.

Bonjour from Amara ! two pillow cases and her baby blanket are finished. With those off the table I can finally start my apron today.

Berry, I'm surprised you have a nursery selling Bring Me Sunshine. I wonder why Edwards didn't get it. Good luck with your search. The photo is beautiful--both of them. Amara and I are alike. I have three throws, plus my bed quit over me in my rocker. A girl can't be too warm.

Carol, I didn't get Ashley ordered last night, but the sale is still on, so I'd better do it. Diane

Diane, hope my pictures of Ashley would not discourage you to get this rose! :)

First year, June, planted in April.

Second year

Flowers are too heavy after the rain

Good luck!!

Ashly first year was clear one rose per steam, the second year it was a lot flowers and buds getting too heavy for her.

PS. Went to GRF page and bought Alabaster and Baronesse.

Elena, I have finally ordered Ashley. Your exquisite photos of this rose just make me even more happy to have finally made up my dithering mind. Your rose couldn't be any more beautiful. My two favorite rose hybridizers are the late Hans Evers/Tantau, and Tom Carruth. Evers produced some of the most exquisite roses in the world--Augusta Luise, Ascot, Ashley, Mariatherisia, Baronesse (I'm pretty sure), Bernstein-Rose, Lavender Ice, Chippendale, and more. So you're getting another Evers rose.

Carol, how could I let you down?. Elena's rose will be the standard to grow Ashley by. Diane

Diane, YESS!!

Berrypie - Oh, that adorable picture of Amara should be framed!!! :) :) :) Bring Me Sunshine is a beauty.

Elena - oh, my goodness!!! The divine Ashley!!! :) :) SWOON!!

Diane - YESSSSS!!! :) :) I need a fan like Scarlet O'Hara in Gone with the Wind...Oh, my dear Ashley. :) :)

I just came across Quest for Zest  in the nursery and I love the fragrance! Sorely tempted although I'm not a big fan of yellow!

Carla in Sac

Ben, did you find your Candlelight yet? What a gorgeous yellow rose. Arrrgh. You got it on Etsy, right? I'm not going to patronize those sellers unless I'm sure the Tantau roses they are selling haven't been pirated. Diane

Diane,

I found my Candlelight a shriveled up little thing sitting with the weeds. I still cannot believe I did that, am I that absent minded?! I should probably just tell you I saved small child or prevented a forest fire, had some other super important emergency that I had to negliect my very expensive little plant.

Thanks, Ben. While you were posting, I got on the notify me list at J&P for Golden Zest. There may be a GZ in my future yet. How the heck did you toss that rose the weeds? I suppose it's beyond saving. I'm so sorry. I checked it out, too, on HMF, and it's another yellow beauty. I do like golden and yellow roses. Will you order another Candlelight? Diane

Diane

I hope you’ll get a J&P Golden Zest, they would be fools not to bring back a rose that sold out so fast. I am trying to console myself that Golden Zest, Chantilly Cream and Larger than Life have all been wonderful. Trying not to dwell on the dud (Bring Me Sunshine) and the dead (Candlelight).

The dud and the dead! Sounds like how I feel after working in the flower beds today. Diane

PS--There's still hope for Bring Me Sunshine. I think it will come through for you, but will take a little time. Meanwhile, you have other beauties to take your mind off the duds. Diane

Carla, Quest for Zest definitely has good fragrance. Color is basically a less-fading Julia Child, with growth habit similar to Secret. So far I like it, good not great. I really wanted a yellow to complement some roses in the area and I already have a lot of the highly rated fragrant yellows with moderate growth habits (there’s not a lot!). We’ll see if QfZ fits that bill.

The Dud and the Dead...cue the spaghetti western movie music. :) :)

Lily, how is your Loves me Loves me not doing?

I also ordered a Loves Me, Loves Me Not from Heirloom and received a very robust plant (bigger and thicker canes than usual from Heirloom). It put out its maiden bloom a couple weeks ago. It was a beautiful, saturated magenta, and the bloom shape was lovely, though it lacked the petal-packed form seen in the promotional photos. (I don't expect first blooms on young plants to show their full potential, though.) The bloom was large and lasted a long time, maybe a week.

I only experienced the bloom in the mornings and evenings when I was home from work, and it didn't have much scent at those times. However, my husband who was home in the daytime said it smelled amazing. So, I suspect it might be one of those roses that really emits its scent in the warmth of the midday sun.

The foliage is quite beautiful -- a rather blueish green.

Here's the first bloom. More buds are forming now, so I look forward to seeing what the new blooms look and smell like. Hoping for a more petal-packed center!

Ben, the wind just deflated out of my sails reading your comment on Bring Me Sunshine being a dud. Why don't you like her? I bought two and put them in a brand new bed with high hopes. I thought for sure she was amazing

Brittany

I may be too quicke to judge Bring Me Sunshine, but so far stems have been long and sprawly with no buds in sight. Hoang Ton reported similar, his has buds at the end, but some canes drape to the ground (he is ahead of me by a few weeks). DA also put out a note saying the variety didn’t meet their standards in the US, it was rather cryptic whether the variety was substandard, or their crop of it, seemed to be both. Maybe it will mature into a beauty, some Austins take their time, I sure hope so. If not, we might all be on a Quest for Zest.

Thank you Ben, I hadn't heard about it not being up to standards here. I did know about it being a bit sprawly and was planning on training them up two obelisks. Fingers crossed they'll be at least okay... maybe if I really set them at an angle they can break out some buds along the cane. I truly hope they don't mean "not up to standards" like how Summer Song did over here

Windowsill, wow, so lovely! great to hear about its size and how long it lasted. I have only had a few petal packed from the get go as young plants, and when they have had a lot of petals for me for first bloom- the bloom size has been small initially. I’ll be watching this plant! looks great.

Ben and Elestrial, sorry to hear this about BMS. Will be interesting to hear how the season goes on with it.

Windowsill - that's a very beautiful rose!! Good job in getting it!

Echo - mine is planted in a big pot but no blooms yet! I kinda have it in a part sun situation that others roses enjoy but after looking I realize maybe it wants more sun . Unfortunately my husband is out of town til Friday so I can’t move this pot myself . It is robust but no blooms!

Windowsill , I’m so impressed!!! What a gorgeous bloom . I’m so happy I jumped on it when heirloom had it in stock . It sold out so fast from menagerie I was really kicking myself!

Lilyfinch / Rosecanadian / Echo -- I really appreciate the kind comments. I've been hesitant to post much on these forums until recently because I grow my roses in an unconventional setting: in large pots, indoors, on a sunny urban windowsill. I know it's most definitely not the right way to grow roses, and the results don't come anywhere close to roses grown outdoors, but the blooms I manage to get still bring me joy. I've mostly focused on floribundas but couldn't resist Loves Me, Loves Me Not. Can't wait to hear more about how yours does, Lilyfinch!

Windowsill, where there is a will there is a way and it looks like a beautiful rose! lovely!

LOL, echo! I love that sentiment! :)

Windowsill - when we love roses, we grow roses. You found a way. :) :) I adjust my expectations growing roses in zone 3b/4a...I don't expect to have huge glorious roses. That's okay. They make me happy. Let's do an up high on that!! :) :)

@rosecanadian, that's a philosophy I can live by. When the obsession is real, you find a way to grow roses! <3

I just planted a bare root Ball gown so I will post pictures once it is blooming.

I promise I won't post a picture every time it blooms, but I'm officially obsessed with Loves Me, Loves Me Not. This time, I'm home in the daytime to smell it and the scent is very strong and gorgeous; to me, it definitely earns the rating of "exceptionally fragrant." It's a complex fruity scent. Star Roses mentions gardenia in describing its scent, and I just did a comparison with my gardenia, and I can see what they mean. I'm not sure I pick up on the pineapple they mention, but the fruitiness is definitely there.

The center appears to have more petals this time, but I still don't think it's going to have the petal-packed look of the promo pictures when it fully opens. (I need to have patience, I know.) But I hardly care, as I love this rose as it is.

Windowsill - oh, it's soooooo pretty!!!! That's a rose to make you delirious with rose lust. :) :) You did a great job describing the fragrance...wish I could smell it. :)

@rosecanadian, it‘s so true, ha! It opened today with the characteristic petal-packed center, so needless to say, I’m happy as a clam. (The bruised outer petals are due to me sticking my nose in to sniff it too many times yesterday — oops!)

Oh, that's a delight!!! Lucky you to be able to grow that in your house!!

@Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca - How has Oxford Girl done for you?