The next one is the OGR gallica Cardinal de Richelieu which I think really defines purple as much as any of them.

Next is the HT Chantilly Lace, an attractive and fragrant bicolor.

Next is the HT Charles de Gaulle which has a nice color and fragrance, but for me is slow to repeat.

The next one is the hybrid musk Lavender Lassie a day or so before we had two hailstorms on the same day. It is a monster and is iffy as to whether it reblooms or not. It depends on the weather. Just to the right of it is the skyscraping red HT Grand Amore.

Next is one of the nicest blooms on the HT Paradise that I have seen.

Lastly, a couple of blooms on the HT Twice in a Blue Moon. I have two of these plants, and they appear to do well as long as the deer don't eat them, a real problem.

I hope you like these. Let me know what you think.

My husband said he had never seen a lavender/purple rose so I showed him your pics.
Love when I'm right........*giggle*

Julie

Because the ownroots (bands or even 1 gallons) are miniscule when you buy them from the specialty nurseries and the grafted are available in 2.5 gallon or 5 gallon sizes here in Chicago. The extra girth and canes help them sail through my winters. All I do is make sure I plant the bud union really deep and hope they'll eventually go own-root. I've grown ownroot HTs/floribundas in the past and every single one died- the grafted are amazing. Mind you, I am only discussing HTs. My OGRs, Austins, Bucks and Rugosas are all own-root and perfectly fine.