I'm also going to be checking out:

Felix leclerc

Aimee Bibert

Belinda's Blush

Belinda's Dream

Victorian Memory

When the weather gets nice again I'm going to look specifically at the thornless roses in stock at High Country Roses so any feedback on the above, in addition to Popcorn would be welcome. It's been snowing here all day...

I don't think Felix Leclerc is thornless but it's an absolutely gorgeous, hardy and reliable rebloomer once established. I grew it as a very tall sort of free standing bush, and now that I'm replanting it I'm putting it nearer the fence so it can lean with a little support or climb if it wants to. I highly highly recommend it, but I don't think it's technically thornless. It's certainly not a fit for a place that needs a small rose, nor is Victorian Memory that is a climber. I have yet to get Victorian Memory to overwinter for me, even though it's rated to zone 3, but I think it wants to grow more in a pot before I put it in the ground. This year is my year.

Belinda's Dream for me is much more reliable and hardy than Belinda's Blush. Belinda's Dream will take any harsh winter and laugh it off, and can get 4-5' tall. It might be relatively narrow but it's not small. Belinda's Blush hasn't survived even in a protected spot, so I'm trying to do the same of growing it in a pot before planting to see if it will survive.

I can't attest to the thorniness of any of the above as I haven't really noticed. I just presume I'm dealing with live barbed wire unless convinced otherwise.

Cynthia

Thanks nippstress, It is really helpful to hear your input. If I get one or both climbers I will have to put in a support for them. For the smaller ones I will put them in my mulch bed. I'm going to go see the bands in person and get all that look thornless so some may fall of the list when I see them in person.

Planted a band of Isabella Skinner last season and it grew to about 5 feet in that first season and retained every inch of cane over winter. Seems like it will get to be a good size. No thorns.

Magpie, Thank you! That is very encouraging. Do you have any pictures of it in bloom? How was the repeat? Are you growing it on a support or as a bush?

It didn't bloom for me in year one. It's currently unsupported. Hopefully I'll see the first blooms this year and I'll definitely update with photos if that's the case.

Thanks Magpie, I will set my expectations for blooming accordingly. I found this thread with a picture of a really big one in zone 5 so I need to really think about where this could go and fit after it gets size on it. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1712134/victorian-memory-isabella-skinner

Mmmm12COzone5,

I just added Popcorn a few months ago.

I would not say she's thornless:

Seaside, thank you for posting that picture.

I love popcorn. it blooms almost non stop and stays really small. mine isnt thornless, but doesnt have very many. it also has fairly good hardiness here and has quite a bit of surviving cane for me. Heres mine now. Tried to get pic where you can see the thorns.

I bought Popcorn last year and love it! I dont know if its got thorns or not - would have to go look - but the glossy healthy foliage would cover them up. It doesnt sprawl but is a rounded form and blooms all the time - the blooms are a bright shade of white with some pale yellow shading. It is really a standout and I would buy another if I didnt have so many more to plant......I would highly recommend this rose!

Judith

Thanks Sam and Alameda,

I appreciate the info. Looks like it isn't really thornless so I probably won't put it in my mulch bed.

Mmm, have you looked at President Shanley or Hera's song? I don't think either of mine have thorns but I'll double check

Mmm, have you looked at President Shanley or Heras

Magpie, I really wanted to see President Shanley but there are none at the High Country Roses green house that I could find to see. Sam in CO said it does great for her as a cane hardy rose.

I tried to look at Hera's Song at the greenhouse but the plants were small with no flowers.

President Shanley and Hera's Song were both candidates if we put in a new bed out front of the house. We haven't decided on that yet but I wanted to be prepared in case we did.

I was trying to find an old post and saw that last year you bought Sparkle and Shine. How did that do for you over the winter? Matt recommended it to me as one that would be cane hardy here. I really liked its scent so it is a candidate for my rock bed. Any pics of it during the growing season?

The alternative for that spot is likely Enchanted Peace but there is very little info on it.

In its first winter Sparkle and Shine was not cane hardy for me. It had to be printed down to the ground but seems to be bouncing back well from that. Pic from last year:

Here's last year's Hera's Song.

Good to know about Sparkle and Shine. I loved the scent but maybe I will take a chance on Enchanted Peace.

Hera's Song is really pretty.

Magpie, Could you take a picture of your Isabelle Skinner right now, without the leaves? I want to see what the cane structure looks like and if I can spot any thorns. I have a place along my fence line that needs a very large bush and I would love Victorian Memory/Isabelle Skinner in that spot. But I want to see how upright it is vs sprawling and the amount of thorns. Thanks a bunch!

Sure I'll upload one tomorrow, though it has a lot of leaves already.

Therese Bugnet is already forming buds, can you believe it?

Thanks Magpie! Really appreciate it. I'm impressed with Theresa Bugnet! We have nothing here with buds yet. I see it is a Rugosa, what do you think of the thorns? A review on High Country Roses says "The canes are a striking red and thornless from about twelve inches up, and it put on some very pretty hips this fall." Do you see this also? I would be very interested in this one if the thorns are only on the lower part because we could put a cage around it.

I haven't seen any hips to speak of so far but the part about the thorns is true.

Could you take a picture of Theresa Bugnet also? Thanks!!!

Isabella Skinner

Therese Bugnet

Thank you! I'm definitely going to try Isabelle Skinner. Maybe Therese Bugnet also since it is so much less thorny than my Robusta which is also a rugosa but killer thorny. Are they both 1 yr old? Did Therese B bloom its first year?

It's been one year since I planted Isabella but four years since I planted Therese. Neither bloomed in season 1

No wait, maybe 3 years. I can't remember now.

Have you considered Morden Sunrise, which is hardy to -40F at 7500 feet? I love the rose in my zone 7. It's known to be a continuous bloomer and is for me. It was the first hardy yellow rose to be developed in Canada. I realize my experience will be different from yours, but talk about a carefree rose, and I've grown it for at least 15 years. Check info on HMF and google. Diane

Diane, Morden Sunrise is very popular here. We have one across the street from us. Unfortunately it is really popular with the Japanese Beetles so I dare not add it to my bed.

Oh, that's too bad. Luckily the JBs have not made it out here to the desert hills outside of Boise. Diane