Rugosas don't do heat and humidity well. I'd pick something else. Maybe Mutabilis. It's big, thorny enough, and it's never out of bloom. Any of the chinas will be nice and twiggy for hedging. Mermaid will eat the alley, kids, and encroach on his garden looking for stragglers. But it has the nastiest thorns just about in existance and would deter a knight in full body armor from tresspass.

I have been tempted by Mutabilis, but then backed off. I may have to try one some day. I'll have to check it's zone limits.

Hansa starts so easy for me that I had planned to just send him the cuttings in mid December to be stuck right where he wants them to grow. A few extra to put in the garden for backup and job done.

We have the dripping-off-the-roof-every-morning kind of humidity here, and it is doing fine... it is the extra heat that I was concerned about. Lost a few leaves off the bottom of the plant when I forgot to water it last year, but that was the first year for it. His part of Ok is less humid, but does get higher temps and for longer periods of time than we do. I don't think he will care if it doesn't bloom as often in the heat, as long as it stops the kids who use sticks to bat the blooms off his flowers, and break limbs off shrubs that get in their way.

I, too, could use some suggestions for antique roses to create a wind break at a beach property in zone 10. I'm talking hot, humid Gulf coast here.

My Mutabilis here in town, zone 8 or 9, is huge and gorgeous. But what roses can tolerate sand for soil and strong, salty winds? My research indicates rugosas handle coastal living up along the eastern seaboard.

Any Gulf Coast inhabitants out there with personal experience on growing roses at the beach?