Question

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Just wondering about sources to find some of the roses you listed.  We are pretty limited around this neck of the woods.  I did purchase 6 or 8 from Heirloom Roses this year.  Any other suggestions.  Thanks again, Heidi
Followup To

Question -
Hello, I am in about a zone 4-5, in southeast Wyoming.  I am starting to think about winter protection for my roses.  I try not to grow many out of my hardiness zone, and have been trying to plant own-root plants.  Anyway, I am getting upwards of 30 plants, and was wondering what you recommend as far as winter protection.  Last year I started out with 7 grafted roses, and used chicken wire surrounds filled with straw and soiled mounded around the plant base.  Now that I have so many plants, not to mention two little boys, there is no way I will be able to get them all covered as I did last year.  Any suggestions?  I apologize for my rambling.  Thanks, Heidi

Answer -
As you have already found out, the secret to getting a rose through a very cold winter, is to select only those that are happy in your zone. And as you have said, making enumerable rose cages can take some of the joy out of growing roses.
If the roses are very hardy, then mounding them up around the base to about 12 inches high ( getting soil fron another area of the garden), should be enough protection. Also, as you have said, own root roses are the least trouble to look after. Just make sure you mound them up after there has been soil harding temperatures as well as freezing temperatures above the soil. Also in your area, never fertilize your roses more than once(no matter what the books say) and never later than July 1st. The reason for this is because you want your roses to grow slowly and make sturdy canes, and not put out new growth before they have had time to harden off their canes. That is the real secret to getting roses through the winter.
Anothr tip is to use organic fertilizer( fish fertilizer, Milorganite etc) as that gives the rose bush something to munch on for a longer time than chemical fertilzers. I am not an organic gardener but allowing a rose to grow slowly is the best way. Chemical fertilizers are like an electric prod and you can actually see the new growth coming, very satisfying but not wise.
Because the roses that you grow are the hardy ones, they do not require a lot of fertilizer like the modern hybrid teas. Most books are written for the hybrid teas and don't have any wisdom for cold zone shrubs. So that is where gardeners get the wrong impression in the colder zones.
In case you don't have one here is a list of the best roses to grow in your area. I like an attractive flower so I will leaves off the very hardy whose blooms that look like they are having a bad hair day!

ALBAS
Konigin von Danemark
Maidens Blush
Mme. Legras de St. germain
Felicite Parmentier
Belle Amour
CENTIFOLIAS
Blanchefleur
Juno
Tour de Malakoff
DAMASK
CelsianaLeda
Madame Hardy
St. Nicholas
GALLICA
Alain Blanchard
Belle des Jardins
Belle Isis
Charles de Mills
Nestor
Rosa Mundi
Rose du Maitre d'Ecole
MOSS
Captain John IngramGeneral Kleber
Gloire des Mousseaux
Henri Martin
Laneii
Louis Gimard
Salet
RUGOSA
Belle Pointevine
Dr. Eckener
Hansa
Hunter
Jens Munk
Will Alderman
HYBRID MUSK
Ballerina
Buff Beauty
Danae
Felicia
Pax
Penelope
Prosperity
SHRUBS
Fruhlingsduft
Golden Wings
Maigold
Morgengruss
Raymond Chenault
Sparrieshoop
Most of these are photos on my website. Hope this helps.
www.theoldrosarian.com


Answer
As I live in a rural area, I have to mail order most of my roses. Pickering in Canada has many of them and ships into the States, some are on own root. Hortico in Canada also has many and and ships into the States. Even if you go to
www.helpmefindroses.com
you can see what nursery carries a certain rose.
www.gardenweb.com
has an exchange forum and you can get own root plants there too.