I've got to say, I am amazed at all the positive comments this rose gets here. I have had Rouge Royale in my yard (PNW) for almost five years, and it is one of the most disappointing. It has vigorous growth, and is disease resistant, yes, but I have literally never had a decent bloom off of it. All the blooms either ball up, or "proliferate" (in the sense of having the blooms pierced by leaves). As an example - it has been an (unseasonably) hot 90+ F here for several days, and yet the one bud I had on RR has balled up and started to rot as if it were 50 F and raining. Maybe I have a bad example of the breed, but I've got to tell you that this one is a *prime* candidate for shovel pruning in the fall. I'm so sad, because I know it can be amazing and supposedly smells wonderful, but the one I've got is a loser.