How about Heritage? Mine drops petals cleanly, but quickly. pretty good repeat. early to bloom and late to end. I am training mine as a climber and it is in a shady spot so I don't know how bushy it could get.

By far the most self cleaning rose I have is Darlow's Enigma. It's white but not a blinding white with small flowers that would fit in just about any color scheme. It does indeed get quite tall and bushy but it doesn't need a support like climbers (even in warm zones I think) so it would fit what you describe. Mine blooms more or less ongoing through the summer in a fair bit of shade so I think it would do even better in sun. It's a good thing it doesn't need deadheading since it has viciously creative thorns that I avoid if at all possible. If the spot is by a walkway you'd want to keep that in mind, as I prefer my Darlow's Enigma firmly at the back of a garden space where I don't deal with it at all.

DE is the closest I get to a "plant and forget it" rose, with only a little tip pruning or removal of unproductive canes needed ever. It's fully hardy in zone 5 but seems to be nicely adaptable to warm zones too.

Cynthia

Wow Darlows Enigma looks and sounds great and seeing it I agree it's not likely to be a blinding sort of white. Thanks all!!!!

What about something like 'Mutabilis', "Emmie Gray", or "Smith's Parrish"?

:-)

~Christopher

I agree Jin it's fantastic! I've looked up photos online and it's always great looking.

Christopher good ideas! I had looked into Mutabilis before and forgot about it.

FYI, 'Mutabilis' did not survive for more than about 5 years here in my PNW Zone 8 garden: it died back badly every time we had a freeze that went below 25F and never recovered.

I would be very cautious about adopting any China cultivar for a Zone 7 garden, as they are likely to die to the ground many winters, and you'd be out every spring cleaning up loads of dead wood. YMMV of course, but in Zone 8, this is how all of the Chinas I grew behaved. It depends on how severe your winters are in your particular Zone 7.

Thanks Paul I think that's why the last time I looked into Chinas I held off, because I was worried about our random extra cold spells.

I would also like to recommend Darlow's enigma. It is a superb rose that blooms in my yard with lots of shade under a tree. It has lots of thorns, but that is not a problem where I have it.

Kew Gardens from David Austin is another similar looking rose that might work for you if you like this look. The Austin is an almost thornless variety and the flowers a bit larger, zero die back in my zone 7. Here is a baby Kew G on its first year. The new foliage is very pretty. Sorry I don't have a picture of my Darlows, but after seeing Paul's picture, there is nothing I could add to express how beautiful this rose can be.

I also would like to recommend Dr. Robert Korns. I got 2 from rogue valley as bands and they bloomed first year. They grew 3 feet on their first season in part shade. Valley rogue describes it as a 5x5 plant that blooms constantly even in shade. In my garden they are blush pink that quickly fades to cream white so the general effect is cream.

Not my image. This image is from Rogue Valley

dianela, that is so pretty. I think I recall you mentioning it last year.... or someone anyway. This beauty self-cleans! Wow!

Vapor just read your comment and I am hoping I didn’t lie. I don’t remember deadheading this one all year and don’t remember dirty old blooms staying on, so I thought it was. I will keep a better eye this year and see if they really drop clean and update. I have to admit this is not a trait I pay much attention to in my garden. This rose is very lovely.