I try very hard to put fragrance as a major priority for rose purchases. Fragrance used to be my #1 priority since I was willing to spray and winter protect for disease prone and Iess than winter hardy roses. However, as disease resistance, especially for black spot, becomes more and more important to me since I am currently transitioning my rose bed to a no sprayIng for fungus bed, disease resistance is gaining equality, if not surpassing fragrance in my current plans.
Winter hardiness to the rose bushs' very tips without any protection in my zone 6b, Pittsburgh, PA, location is also a priority in selecting roses. Actually, winter hardiness is my #1 priority above all others because without winter survivability, a weakened bush resulting in poor, regressive growth, and the probability of the eventual death of the bush is to be expected.
Now a days, since the advent of the Knock Out line of shrub roses, and the many German ADR trial winner roses, Kordes rose introductions abundant among them, who also show phenomenal disease resistance and winter hardiness, it's getting easier to find fragrant roses among them.
Many rose breeders are introducing disease free and winter hardy roses these days which were only a pipe dream in the recent past. Up until the 1990's spraying roses for diseases, insect, and mite damage was not an option. "If you want to grow roses, you must spray." This was what I was told by my mentors back when I was a novice.
Now that I am older novice, I am delighted to know there has been a welcome shift away from spraying. Even Mailland is introducing some very carefree roses regarding winter hardiness and disease resistance which are also fragrant.
Just to share my thoughts, here is my list of priorities in order of importance in choosing roses:
1. WINTER HARDINESS to the canes' tips with no winter protection.
2. DISEASE RESISTANCE/PROOFNESS, especially for black spot.
3. FRAGRANCE, the stronger the better, using Double Delight as a model of highly fragrant.
4. STRONG FLOWER NECKS, no nodding except for climbers viewed overhead.
5. STRONG, STRAIGHT BASAL AND LATERAL GROWTH
6. LONG LASTING BLOOMS, slow to age.
7. NEAT, ORDERLY ARRANGEMENT OF BLOOM PETALS, especially the centers when the bloom is fully open.
8. MINIMAL PETAL QUILLING, especially for lower petal count blooms.
9. NO NEGATIVE BLOOM COLOR CHANGES as a bloom matures.
10. LOWER THORN COUNT preferred.
Moses
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