Oregon, zone 6a, rainy winters and dry summers with some humidity. I bought two russelliannas about 8 years ago and they've proven to be big favorites of mine. The roses did most of their growing the first five years. The bigger bush at 7'h x 8'w gets only 4 hrs. of sun and the smaller 4'h x 6'w gets 3 hrs., maybe less. The shade has been the same all these years, and though I suppose it's kept them small, they're healthy, very leafy bushes that are covered with of old fashioned roses every late spring. The roses are about 2" to 2 1/2" wide and have to my nose a moderate old rose scent. They bloom for about 5 weeks and their lovely bright color fades only some in the shade. The bushes are supported by wire fencing which the long canes fountain over. Their yearly maintenance is about two deep waterings during the dry months; one fertilizing of fish emulsion; and a grass clipping and/or pine needles compost. One pruning a year keeps them bushy looking. They're own root roses, but haven't suckered. The Artic freeze this winter, which brought temperatures down to a few degrees below zero (they had some wind shelter) didn't touch them or faze their healthy vigor.

To me, their biggest fault is not dropping the old rose petals. I take a cheap long-handled broom and
brush off most of them - which takes a lot less time than deadheading.

Velvet Fragrance is proving, in it's second summer with me, to be a very good bloomer and disease free bush. I am in zone 7.5, but we've had a much hotter summer than usual, high 80's and low 90's, and little rain, but nothing has bothered this rose, it just keeps blooming, with a strong fragrance and long lasting blooms.

Really good, healthy, fragrant darker red. It does not overtake a garden like many older, fragrant reds, and its easy to grow. Its major con is that it HATES high heat.