wrote:
I envy you folks in warm climates and long growing seasons. Here on the
NH border I am limited in what will truly flourish and bloom
abundantly. So I need your help.
I am looking for some new roses.
...
Tradescant
...

Katherine, since I am a Zone 9 gardener, I cannot speak to the
cold-hardiness of any of these roses from personal experience. However,
here is a link to the Rosarian Cheryl Netter's garden and as she grows
these roses in Colorado, it ought to give you a hint of the
cold-hardiness of these roses in her cold climate:
http://members.fortunecity.com/cnett...our/index.html

There is quite a list of Austins and other roses that she seems to grow
enumerated on that page. Though Gertrude Jekyll's colour and perfume are
excellent, you need to keep away from pink roses which is a pity!
Anyway, I too grow several of the roses Ms. Netter grows in her garden,
but like I said, I can only speak for my own climate and refer you to
someone like Ms. Netter who is the real cold weather gardener.

Tradescant is the one rose I grow here from among your list. I have
heard that it grows to some 12 feet long canes in Zone 10 Southern
California, and here in its fourth year, it is about six feet tall for
me. This compendium of rose information says that Tradescant grows from
Zone 5 through Zone 10:
http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/pl.php?n=2505
However, they give the size as 3 feet, which must be the size to which
it grows in Zone 5 may be. FWIW, it is a most excellent rose, absolutely
gorgeous and fragrant. Here in our Zone 9, the dark silky petals will
burn in the heat of the afternoon sun, so I have it planted under the
afternoon shade of a poor (misplanted in scorching sun) gigantic and
prolific Camellia bush. I have Tradescant in a triangular grouping with
Fair Bianca and Pink Cardinal Hume (a Kim Rupert rose) and we love the
romantic combination of dark red, pink and white blossoms that are all
very old-fashioned in shape.

Good luck!

--
Radika
California
USDA 9 / Sunset 15