I don't grow them, but I've given several over the years to my SIL in Clearwater. They just didn't seem to thrive own-root--not many blooms and very small blooms when they did, so I'm very curious about this, too.

I have an Heritage rose grafted on Fortuniana from Cool Roses. I have it in a morning part shade location. It has good blackspot tolerance and fair to good rebloom. The flowers smell so heavenly to my nose even by Austin standards. The only negative is the blooms shatter quickly.

I have Alnwick rose on its own roots planted in a pot in part afternoon sun location. It's done very well and the flowers are very attractive. I'd say it has good rebloom.

I have Munstead Wood, Young Lycidas, Port Sunlight, Windermere, Sister Elizabeth, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Queen of Sweden and Jude the Obscure on Dr. Huey planted in large pots. I like all of them:)

I went a little crazy with the Austins lately and these are all recent additions so time will tell how they do over the long run. Best bloomers are Windermere and Sister Elizabeth.

How are the Heritage blooms for size for you? I've seen them as huge lovely things in other places, but the ones my SIL got looked more like the size of blooms on a Louis Phillipe that had been growing feral in sand for ages.

I second Windermere. Blooms all of the time, great fragrance and no black pot. Pat Austin is my favorite. Pretty much always seems to have some blooms and they are very showy. Very minimal black spot.

Heritage gets medium size blooms in this summer heat. They're bigger than Louis Phillipe, but not as big and full as they are in the cooler weather. They only last one day or less though before the petals drop.

I got Abraham Darby on fort. from CoolRoses. I saw CR would be at a Sarasota rose show and called to ask that they bring one. It's gorgeous and blooms constantly, very large blooms with heavenly fragrance.

The leaves are more scarce than on OGR rose bushes so it's not perfect. Mrs. BR Cant is near it and her blooms are just a tad smaller but doesn't keep in bloom as continually as Abe Darby.

At that same rose show I toured the cut roses being judged and LOVE Lady of Megginch for bloom, color and fragrance. It is tempting to begin replacing some underperforming OGR's with Austin's because OGR's take so much time to develop into decent bushes.

I think the secret is the fort. roots for Florida. I even made a grafting attempt of my own, putting Deuil de Dr. Reynaud on fort. It's doing better than the original Deuil which is own-root.

I'm so glad Cool Roses is in Florida offering these great roses. If I lived closer I'd be broke buying a lot more Austins on fort.

Denise

Thanks folks, I appreciate the input, I was really surprised when I saw this new listing at Cool Roses... they do have a nice selection and I'm thinking these are good for Fla., I'm lusting for Crocus Rose, Happy Child, Carding Mill, Abe Darby (again, my other Abe was on Fort. from Nelson's, and never grew or bloomed and gradually died, I suspect it was virused)...they also have South Moon, Marinette, Evelyn... plus more but they are dark red and I'm looking for yellows and apricots... I do have several DA own-root, from Chamblee's, in pots, and they bloom once in a while...so I'm hoping the fact that these are on Fort. will make a difference... the OGRs I got last year, on Fort. from FSC sale, are so vigorous, they are huge and very fast-growing, the best bloomer is Maggie , and Prosperity, Mrs. Cant does well, but there are a couple I'm thinking I'll relocate to the back-yard! thanx again, sally

It's nice to see there's another place using Fortuniana rootstock.. I thought Nelson roses around Orlando were the only ones using it. Now if I could just locate a plant show in central florida that had either!

Nelsons is in central florida and is open to the public on Saturdays. Price is the same but the selection will blow your mind!

Jennifer, Cool Roses is usually a vendor at the Leu Gardens sales, when the have them.