I feel your impatience, but keep reminding yourself at least with the clouds, you don't have to turn on the a/c....

It really is a strange spring. Clouds and clouds . . . but of course, no rain.

Just early "May Gray" and "June Gloom". Remember those?

Kim -- It's the unusually low temperatures in our area. Quite out of the ordinary.

Here, too. I've slept under an electric blanket since last fall!

The buds are so gorgeous that I wouldn't mind just gazing at them for a few days. I couldn't find anything about the size of the blooms on HMF, but the rose seems to be almost as tall as it's wide. Jeri, can you give an idea of the width of the flower?

Ingrid, the open bloom is a good 4 ins. across. The mature plant is perhaps 3 ft. tall, maybe 3.5 ft. but a bit wider than it is tall. It grows vigorously on its own roots, and has good (not perfect, but good) disease resistance.

It's another of those roses that I just cannot understand why it isn't easily identified.

I've always wondered if perhaps it was something Fr. Schoener bred, but never released, before he was transferred away.

Thank you for the info, Jeri. If I ever decide to expand my rose garden this rose has always been on my radar, and fortunately several on-line nurseries offer it.