Markay,

Your Cathedral Bells is one mighty rose bush! Looks like it has strong necks. How old is your bush?

I'm thinking of replacing two Moonlight Romanticas, which: 1.) die to the ground after a severe winter, 2.) repeat slowly, 3.) the average to mediocre blooms are not attractive to my eye, just so-so, 4.) blooms are on the smallish size for such a large bush (6'), and 5.) blind growth and octopus arm canes to 7+' persist, even with the older (6 yrs.), of the two. On Moonlight Romantica's positives, the fragrance is very good, and black spot resistance is excellent.

Cathedral Bells looks good for their replacements, but it has to have excellent black spot resistance, or Madame Annette may be a better choice, although my personal experience with MA is one tiny, struggling plant....through no fault of its own......Heirloom Nursery dropped the ball, if you recall reading my account of it in an earlier post.

Thanks for posting your impressive Cathedral Bells, much appreciated.

Moses.

There was a Cathedral Bells available from Home Depot Online, 2 gal. $29.98 that's sold out now. Maybe next year if such good reports as yours continue, will be the year I put in a Cathedral Bells.

Moses.

Cathedral Bells or 'Sœur Emmanuelle. ' as it’s also known (I like that name better) is one of my favorite roses. I am zone 6B in humid MA.

I also love Madame Anisette. Grows tall and healthy in my garden. No spray.

Cathedral Bells is just do much easier to spell. lol!

Geoffrey,

What does Cathedral Bell's foliage look like in September? Am I correct in inferring that you do not spray your roses for black spot? Thank you.

Moses.

I wish I could find a grafted Cathedral Bell rose. I adore its fragrance!!!

Markay - your Cathedral Bells bush is phenomenal!! Good golly, Miss Molly!!

Moses, I'm in PA too and Cathedral Bells is very healthy with a good repeat, strong fragrance. Madame Anisette is also healthy but balls terribly for me, so I gave her the boot. Hope that helps

Thank you, Elestrial. I've had a good number or roses which rarely ball up, do so this season. The heavy rains have been the reason. I just go with the flow.

Moses.

Thanks @rosecanadian, I always think it is grafted because it is so vigorous, but no… it’s own root. I can’t imagine what kind of growth it eould push out grafted on multiflora!

Markay - lol