I'm impressed, so far. Shiny leaves with no blackspot, in my humid blackspot-prone Baltimore, MD garden. Much cleaner than most of my roses. New shoots look very healthy. Prickles look spiny at this stage of growth. Very happy with the foliage; can't wait to see a bloom. I think I will try to root a cutting of GO at some point - I'm uncomfortable with budded roses, and I don't need a Dr. Huey in my garden.

After several days of steady rain, leaf/stem buds are finally starting to grow on GO. So far, so good. I planted it next to an obelisk that Climbing Cecile Brunner is growing on.

I planted GO in the ground today ... now I remember how much I dislike budded plants. I'm not sure, but it's possible that Spring Hill may have waxed the canes. :( There are a few green nubs poking out of the canes, though, so I think it will be OK.

My "Golden Opportunity" plant arrived today. It's been years since I purchased a bare-root, budded rose, but I remembered to put the roots in a bucket of water, where it will stay overnight. Tomorrow I will plant it ... somewhere. I don't know where to put another climber, but I'll find some place! I wonder if GO has inherited the shade tolerance of its ancestor, Autumn Sunset?