Hi, I haven't grown this, but it is perfectly hardy in UK, will grow in most soils, and the variety 'Avondale is a compact 1, only growing to about 10 ft, instead of the normal 20ft, a lovely plant, Derek.

Yes I grow it. It likes full sun and damp but well draining soil. I have not been terribly impressed with flowers, only getting a few per tree, but they do get more as they grow.

Thank you Derek and Botanic. The ones I have seen for sale are quite small and I am on thick wealden clay here, but maybe I could grow one on in a pot of suitable soil to start with. I have never seen one in bloom, only pictures in a catalogue but I do like the idea of blossom on bare stems.

Hi, I wouldn't grow it in a pot for very long, as they resent root disturbance, and need to be planted in their final position while still quite young, also very young plants could be a bit tender, so use fleece until it gets a bit older, any unripened wood can also be damaged by frost, but this is only likely to be the tips of the shoots, Derek.

I have clay soil. I do amend it and decompact it. The Chinese Roseud does fine in it. Derek is right, they hate root disturbance. I bought another one as bareroot online and it promptly died.

Oh dear! I was going to buy bare root! Will avoid that then, and look for a potted one big enough to plant immediately.
Thank you all very much.