My 'Annie Laurie McDowell' is beginning its third year in my garden, and she has finally become the 'large-flowered' climber I hoped for. The first two years she produced abundant small blooms (about 2"), and slowly grew to the top of my 5.5' obelisk support. This spring, she's cascading from all levels, and producing scads of lovely 3" blooms. Scent is very much like 'Cecile Brunner' (which, to me, smells sweetly clean with a mild spicy undertone, like very expensive soap). Indoors, three or four blooms in a vase can perfume my entire kitchen/dining area. Even in her first year, rebloom was great, so I expect that trend to continue. So far, no thorns. So far, no diseases and no spraying--a rather amazing fact since I live near Houston where the gulf coast humidity of 90% and higher encourages blockspot every spring, and where any summer day under 97deg is a welcome relief). She received no protection for the past two winters, and made it through a rare (for this area) two-day ice storm with temps in the mid-teens; in the summer, she gets dappled sun in the mornings and fierce west sun in the afternoons. She's been the perfect small climber for placing near a path: drop-dead romantic blossoms and scent, thornless, and tough as nails.