White Roses - UPDATED

Original post from OCTOBER 2012:  I love to garden but am by no means an expert.  That would be my Dad.  He can grow anything - he DOES grow anything and everything.  And by grow, I mean it actually comes up and produces.  I grow it and it comes up and disappears.  Ha!  I am working on my skills.

So when I find a fruit or vegetable or flower that is fool proof I have to share it.  I love to grow roses.  I have tried about twenty different varieties over the years.  Some just need to be left for the experts like my Dad.  But last year my Dad gave me a rose for my birthday that I want to share with you.  We ordered a Tineke rose from Edmund's Roses - online at edmundsroses.com.  It has handled the heat and drought of this year beautifully.  But the biggest surprise has been the blooms.  I can't tell you how many vases I have filled with long stem, huge, delicate white roses.  It has been with minimal effort.   (Note: it is a true white - the picture on the left is a little yellow due to the flash.)  Tineke has proven to be very disease resistant, which is a must for any rose variety that I grow.  Look for yourself.  And come spring, buy one for yourself!
 
And just for your information, I do grow Knockout roses - they are by far the easiest, hardiest, most disease resistant roses ever.  Lots of blooms for little investment.  If you are just starting out, start there!  I recommend the red double blooms for heat - the pink is beautiful, but the actual flowers do fade in the heat.   Haven't tried the yellow varieties. 

UPDATE  SEPTEMBER 2013:  So, if you decide to order this rose (in the Spring!) I have another year's worth of observations.  This rose loves loves loves the heat.  But this year we got a lot of rain.  That seems to be a problem.  The leaves yellowed and fell off early in the summer.  But now, in September, after weeks of super hot temperatures it has returned better than ever!  It is again covered in those perfectly formed double blossoms that I love.  My vases are filled again.  So, when shopping, keep in mind how much rain your region gets.  Just a warning.  Still very much one of my favorites.