You ask, I answer. I spent 18 years exhibiting in Florida before moving to N.E. GA. back in late 08. Most of the roses I grew and exhibited in FL. I can grow up here also. With a little bit of cold weather I'm able to grow a few OGR's I couldn't grow in Fl. but also there were a few that are very winter tender that I don't grow up here. Here are my bankers in my zone 7a/b garden. HT's; Louise Estes, Gemini, Moonstone, Crystalline, Marlon's Day, Brinessa, Elizabeth Taylor, Let Freedom Ring, Olympiad. Will be adding Randy Scott this coming spring. Will try to exhibit Dark Night and Remember Me this fall. Starting to get some good size on these two. FLORABUNDA'S; Lady of the Dawn, Hannah Gorden. Will be adding Shelia's Perfume and Day Breaker this spring. OGR's; all 9 that I grow (HP, BUR, PORT, China's). Will be adding a few more this spring. SHRUB's; Pink Knock Out, all 6 David Austins I grow. POLY's; Margo Koster, Mothers Day. MINIFLORA's; Whirlaway, Tiffany Lynn, Show Stopper, Leading Lady, Dr. John Dickman, Regina Lee, Shameless, Baldo Viliges (sp?), Lo & Behold, Shawn Sease, Shenandoah. I also like Sweet Arlene, Brand New Girl Friend, I Beleave in You and Good ol Mountain Dew. MINI's; Kristin, Daddy Frank, Renegade, Odessa, Chattogga, Pierrine, Glowing Amber, Fairhope, Joy, Soroptimist International, Incognito and a deep red grocery store mini, Kiss Kordana. I grow a good hand full of other roses but for a rose show I can pretty much count on these to get blue ribbons and I use any of these in the arrangement class's.

Ken gave an excellent list. Here, Randy Scott has been a big winner over the past two years, with Cajun Moon, Marlon's Day, Affirm, Let Freedom Ring, and Hot Princess doing well. In the mini/miniflora world, any of David Clemons' varieties are great: Whirlaway, Joy, and the new Tammy Clemons. Floribunda and Modern Shrub varieties are all over the place, but a good Playboy is always eye catching.

That's a great list, Ken, thanks! I've been looking at Randy Scott too. I don't have any true white roses at the moment. I had Pope John Paul II but it never gave me a bloom for showing. It seemed to like the heat the best and my springs are cooler so it never bloomed until after show time. I lost it last winter and I don't think I'll replace it. It was never that good for me. Randy Scott looks lovely though so that's a possibility. A lot of whites are really tough here because of our high humidities. Most of them ball up and never open.

I lost so many of my minis last winter I did replace a few that I really liked but I need to replace more next spring. I loved Joy and Whirlaway but they both died so I think they'll be on my list. A good friend has Pierrine and she always wins something with it, lol! I did get Kristin this spring but so far she hasn't had anything really show quality. I hope she does better as she matures.

ooh, I have to be writing down this list (I didn't even know what 'Bankers' meant, but I presume it means take it to the bank? or something to that effect).

I have my eye on Randy Scott, I need a good white HT. In addition to showing roses, I've gotten into arranging and the HTs work best.

This year I did get Playboy and it just had the most amazing bloom! What I've been waiting for. I don't know if it will be ready for the show this fall, but definitely next year.

I also added some minis, they are still in pots, but are doing great. Powerpoint is amazing. Merlot is my favorite, it has a silver reverse. And Irresistible.

I lost my Reve d'Or to RRD this spring. Right before I found out, I had entered a spray in the Greater Atlanta show, and it won Best Tea/Noisette. It was a really beautiful spray. I'll have to get another one.

Also, what is your fertilizing schedule leading up to a show? I just put down some milorganite and Purely Organic. I've also been using fish emulsion as a foliar feed. Should I add anything else? I normally don't use chemical fertilizers.

Buford, bankers to me are roses that seem to always turn up on the head tables. There are certain ones around here that always seem to win like, Gemini and Moonstone. I had a lot of HTs before but none of mine were ones that turned up as Queens at my local shows. So when I had to replace so many this spring I decided to try some of the ones that I'd seen over and over again as winning at my shows. Of course that's no guarantee that mine will but... lol!

Have you heard about Horizon Roses? It's a ebook of new roses with comments from Exhibitors. It would be useful if you are thinking of getting new HTs. I would like to get some show worth HTs. I'm not sure which ones yet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Horizon Roses 2014

Also check out Bob Martin's site, Roseshow.com. It lists the winners from all of the shows, including nationals. ARS members can access the quarterly "Rose Exhibitor's Forum" from the site.

I just began exhibiting this past June, with my 2nd show this August. So far here are my bankers of now, and a second list of what I am hoping to get.

In the garden now...
Gemini, Moonstone, Let Freedom Ring, Veterans Honor, Crystalline, Dublin, Signature, Brides Dream, Elina. A few of the better names are not doing as well as others so I may reorder some copies. In my zone 5, Elina has done really well.

Wishlist

Affirm. Cajun Moon, Cajun Sunrise, Dona Martin
Hot Princess, Mavrik, Miss Kitty, MarlonâÂÂs Day and three from John Smith (Randy Scott, Sunny Sunday's, Snuffy).

Can anybody sign my permission slip so that my wife will let me dig up more of the yard? :o)

Sure! I'm torn about getting more HTs to show. The competition here is something fierce. We have woman who dominates almost every category. Still, I guess if I don't try I'll never know.