Rose 'Abraham Darby (1985; aka AUScot, Abraham, Country Darby)' (Rosa English Ro

English Rose, Austin Rose
Genus: Rosa
Cultivar: 'Abraham Darby' (1985; aka Country Darby, AUScot)

Link to entry: http://plantsdatabase.com/go/273/index.html

How many roses do you have?

I stopped counting after after 100 - I have many unnamed as well. Roses are my first love in the garden. I just did not know how hard it would be to grow them in zone 5. Manytimes I have almost given up - then comes Spring and it is well worth the trouble.

feather

Lol I know what you mean. I have lost so many roses due to flooding it broke my heart when I lost my Monet and Don Jaun roses.
I only wish I had the land to grow a 100 roses since I have a small garden I only have ten and have ordered six more. I purchased a Angel Face Rose and this year I am putting it in a container so I can bring it inside in the winter. I bought one last year and it said it was hardy to zone 5 and I ended up loosing it.

I was raised in the VA/NC region and we always had roses( HT). Then we settled in MO and without once thinking about zones I planted HTs as we did back home and lost almost every last one of them. I had to completely relearn gardening for this zone. I have the best success now by burying the bud union about three inches below and before Thanksgiving I heap hay on top and cover that with fallen leaves - better yet I try to buy own root roses so that if we do have a really hard winter and they die back comepletely they at least do not come back as Dr. Huey. I have a steep hill in the side yard and everytime a Dr. Huey pops up I move it to the hill - the hill is almost covered with Dr. Huey now but it does give a spectacular show in the Spring at least.

Our yard is not too big, almost an acre but we really do not have much 'yard' left. I have roses almost everywhere but the front yard because it is shaded by a 200+ yo oak tree - I just turned the front into a cottage garden. But one thing I have learned is that most roses, other than the HTs, do well in part sun. My largest rose garden gets shade from 1:00-2:00 on but everything grows strong and flowers like crazy so they will grow most anywhere.

And my personal favorite is The Fairy - it is always in bloom and extremely hardy here. It is said to get 2'-4'x2'-4' but my oldest ones which are 3 years are taller than I am and I am 5'2. They respond well to shaping and are pretty resistant to disease.

I have rambled enough now! Good luck with your roses. It is hard work but well worth it.

feather

I almost bought the Fairy this year and I agree that most roses due well in part shade. Mine on the side of the house doesn't get the morning sun but the afternoon/evening sun. I have one that I just planted in a pot that will get full sun because I have no shade except what I get from my small shed.
I could talk to you all day about your rose experiences but I have to go to the doctor so I guess I better get off this putter.