...but I'm just not that good with roses

Ditto that. My daughter gave me a potted rose once for Mother's Day. I told her she didn't just buy it--she condemned it to death. It lasted about a week.

I seem to have a knack for growing Russian sage altho' it hasn't reached mammoth proportions yet. I suppose I should just keep an eye on it and give it time. By lucky accident I planted Gaura lindheimeri 'The Bride' beside the Russian sage. Wow! What a great combination that is.

Thanks to this forum I caught on to a lamb's ear that doesn't bloom--Helen von Stein--and have planted multiples of it in various spots around the garden to see where it likes the best. I am liking it a lot so far--great foliage right through December.

I'm working my way up to trying roses again at some point...maybe, down the road...if I find one that's (yeah, right) low-maintenance.

There is just something about DA roses... the have the old world charm like the roses you see in Pierre Joseph Redoute prints, but the usual re-bloom of modern roses. I've got several DA roses and would likely have more if I had better luck with roses in general...and had the space ;-)

-schoolhouse, if you want a shorter kind of Russian Sage you should look into a cultivar called 'Lacey Blue'. Said to grow to about 2ft tall and wide.
CMK

Love those DA roses... Now that they are selling a few own-root, I might actually get some from them instead of waiting until someone else has them own-root.

I have much better luck with roses than tomatoes, lol.

I. Absolutely love my DA roses! Even if you think you aren't good at growing roses, I have learned that it's all about selecting the right variety for your area. Those of us in zone6 and above, struggle with hybrid teas because they simply aren't very hardy for us. I adore hybrid musk roses, they do very well for me. I learned that nurseries (at least around me) sell hybrid teas that lure people in and then they think they stink at growing them, when really it isn't their fault.
David Austin roses do very well for us here. Planted in good soil, I add manure in the spring, then a couple weeks later I use rose tone, and the occasional shot of miracle grow all over the flower beds. That's it! If Blackspot is bothersome, it never destroys my roses like the hybrid teas get destroyed. I found a product from bayer that you mix with water and water around the offending plant. That helps me. Full sun and good circulation are a must. Please don't give up if you want roses in the garden!!!
I really wish I had some full bush shots to show you how lovely they are. But I took some nice flower shots . Next year I will do better with pictures.

This is queen of Sweden
{{gwi:635316}}

Abraham Darby
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I grow a lot but these are the two pics I have.

Lois, if you don't mind me asking, do you live by the Pittsburgh area? If so, do you have any favorite nurseries? I love to shop around the area.

Hi lilyfinch,

I live in the Lancaster area, and although there are some nice plant nurseries here, I have never found ones with a good DA selection.

I prefer own-root roses, and get most of my roses mail order from Roses Unlimited in south Carolina. I really like Antique Rose Emporium in TX, too.