Terracotta is a neat rose to have in the garden. I love the bright russett color that it dispays and the good substance and form they have that makes them a good garden rose and good for the home in a vase. The flowers last a long time. The bush itself is great. It is very leggy and grows very straight stems that are bushy and spreading. That makes it a prettier bush all the way around. As a garden rose it has made a definite impact on those who see it in full bloom. I was impressed with the vigor it started out displaying in the spring of it's third year in my garden. I was especially impressed with the way it rebounded from the 2007 Big Easter Freeze that all the gardens suffered from a late freeze into the lower teen temps. This rose rebounded quickly and re-grew the foliage that was killed by the freeze. It was not tender at all this winter. This rose follows the old adage:
First year they sleep,
Second year they creep,
Third year they leap!!
And leap it did. This year with it's perfect Spring weather has my Terracotta a stunning bright spot of color in my garden. The contrasting dark green healthy foliage with the russet large blooms is superb to look upon. The blooms last a good 14 days on the bush because of the great amount of substance the petals of the bloom have. The russet color really fades very little even with it being in direct sunlight. The fragrance is absolutely wonderful--a good old rose aroma that is strong but not sickeningly so as some roses can be. My bush blooms mainly in 4 to 6 flower sprays with just a few single blooms here and there that can definitely be of Queen quality if conditions are just right. All these good attributes that make this a wonderful garden rose make it a good rose to use in arrangements for the house. The color blends well with just about all rose colors. I especially like it paired with dark reds and in bright yellows in the vase. Those two matches really make for a beautiful vase display and the good fragrance really perfumes the air quite nicely.
It blooms in flushes throughout the growing season and is a quick repeater having very little downtime between bloom cycles.
You have to be patient with this rose as it really does sleep and creep the first couple of years. However, the wait is well worth it because when the rose is three or four years old it really takes off and is a standout in the garden.
I highly recommend this rose to any serious rosarian looking for a novel yet beautiful and healthy growing rose for their garden. You will enjoy yours as I do mine.
UPDATE FALL 2010--Well, now my Terracotta rose is now finishing it's 6th year in my garden and it has been a very interesting rose to have. The color is very unique and visitors always are drawn to it because they have never seen a rose of this color. This rose is so different from it's sport parent Leonidas, it makes me wonder if it really is a sport. This rose is much easier to grow because it is more disease resistant, vigorous growing, and heavier blooming. The 5-flower sprays make a good bouquet all by themselves and when mixed with yellows, apricots, or reds, make a good color combo bouquet that lasts for 8 days in the vase. The flower form isn't always the best as the petals can be somewhat muddled, but they are still very pretty flowers of good size, color, and substance. For a nice change of pace you should definitely give this rose a try. I think you will like it alot.

I have been a fan of this rose since August of 1999.  A local florist here in Los Angeles would get them quite frequently.  I am a bit confused about a couple of things:  How is Nola Simpson and Meilland related to this rose? Is there another rose with the name SIMchoca?  When and where will this be available to purchase for California?Thanks,Missy