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Reply to: For the past 12 years of having Evelyn as own root in my NO SPRAY garden, I was puzzled why it never have rust, blackspots, and mildew. Rabbits and deer never eat Evelyn nor Kordes Savannah, but own-root Abraham Darby is a blackspot fest and rabbits devour Abe. Rabbits also eat thorny Munstead Wood. Today July 17, 2024, I taste roses' leaves in my garden, after hours of heavy rain. Abraham Darby's leaves have this sweet & succulent & MOIST taste like chewing on spinach leaves. I could had easily swallow that if I want to. Munstead Wood's leaves are drier & less succulent, but it's edible. Evelyn's leaves ARE DRY & BITTER, very much like Knock-out's leaves. I spit out Evelyn's and Savannah's leaves immediately due to their bitterness. After rinsing my mouth repeatedly, I still have a bitter taste lingering on my tongue from tasting their leaves. Below is Abraham Darby taken this July: Note the blackspots on Abe's DARKER GREEN leaves, holes from sawfly, and LESS petals. Austin website states that Abraham Darby has 70 petals, versus 100 petals in Evelyn. I spent 2 hours digging Abe. Darby's hole for fast drainage & doesn't help when Abe's leaves retain water inside. Sharp citrus scent & doesn't last long in the vase. Below is Evelyn, also taken in July at over 80% humidity and week-long rain. Note: MORE PETALS at 100. SMALLER LEAVES and ZERO blackspots nor sawfly damage. Evelyn's blooms have very sweet scent of candy, peaches, and old rose. Evelyn lasts long in the vase & take full sun at near 100 F:

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Reply to: My soil is hard, dense, rocky, pale gray alkaline clay that is sticky, gooey when wet and like talc when dry. My climate is dry and triple digit in summer and rarely below minus 10 in the winter. We normally get a lot of snow. I have a few Austins grafted to Huey and also own root. I can tell no difference. They do fine but require a lot of water. French roses should like my soil, but I amend heavily with compost in the planting hole. My soil looks so dead I can't help adding something richer. Out of 5, my one Eden that is exploding with growth and bloomed all season gets drowned in rain water from the rain gutter drain pipe, which is acidic. Generally, my French roses are healthier and bloom more than the others. Quietness - so good, easily taken for granted. The perfect rose. Kordes roses can be very good or very bad here. Summer Romance and First Crush, three of each, grafted on Huey and own root. Big disappointments. All 6 gone. Pink Enchantment stayed band size for years. Gone. Earth Angel, beautiful bush and foliage, no blooms. Quicksilver, Cream Veranda and some of the Arboroses are good. Poseidon has been fabulous in every way. There is no pattern. My roses are an exercise in contradictions.

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Reply to: Munstead Wood: for its fragrance, rich deep color, and gnarly abundant thorns (which I find interesting and like) Shepherdess: for her vigor, reliability, and fragrance Violet's Pride: for her color and fragrance. If I were a zone warmer I think she'd be spectacular but I have had a lot of winter dieback. Benjamin Britten: for covering the fence in a matter of a couple seasons, and his fragrance. Mayflower: for disease resistance and fragrance. If it had a prettier form (in both bloom and bush) it would be top of the list.

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