My main problem with roses was they would freeze over the winter (PA), even with straw and burlap "coats". I have planted some Knockout roses and they are blooming like mad! I've seen a couple of Japanese beetles, but not too bad this year.

DC suburb, the one I loved so last year due to fragrance, and somethings been getting to other neighbor's rose bush in further northern suburb. Just clipped some, and threw about 5 worms off! EARLY in season, both bushes, 60 miles apart, appeared to have aphids. NOT a good year in 'my neighborhoods' this year.

Glad you think roses should do fine here/there at the cottage.

Thanks, femmocrat.

They're blooming like mad as well. The nice part about them is they keep blooming until the first frost and they need so little maintenance.

I had to fence my yard before I could have roses.

cause have seen deer around!

There is a brick patio outside dining room, surrounded on 3 sides with 5 ft wood fence, and was thinking of looking for a patch of dirt there for planting.

Most deer can and will jump a five footer.

its open on 1 side! Actually visible on craigslist pic, wood structure lower right extended by hedge.

and the deer climbed a flight if steps and ate them. And when I say ate them, I mean thorns and all. The bush looked like you went at it with a weed whacker.

I'd feed the deer OTHER food!!!

Actually, cottage is approached by a path along the river, but on OTHER side is a corn field, so I guess I'll see a bunch of critters there! Haven't lived at cottage yet, being painted (and I have lots of stuff to do,) so won't be able to tell 'stories' for a while!

and in fact it is against the law where I live. No wild animals should be fed by man. It threatens the natural balance of their environment.

in container on screened-in porch, so never open to critters?

found this: http://www.rosemagazine.com/pages/containers.asp

Also, the plants will never get as large growing in containers as they will in the ground. I do have one rosebush that lived in a half wine barrel for over 12 years at different addresses. It was healthy, but when I planted it in the ground a few years ago, it doubled in size.

and then decide.
Thanks