Ralph's Striped Rugosa

Third time is, indeed, a charm!  Or the fourth, or the fifth attempt, perhaps, I've lost track.  I've tried and tried to establish a 'Moore's Striped Rugosa' in my garden, but I failed a couple of times to even get it to the end of summer and only once was able to overwinter it.  Until now.

I have coveted this rose for more than a decade, and ordered it a number of times, planting it out at various sites in my garden and hoping to see it bloom.  I would like to blame all my failures on the seemingly-weak constitution of this rose, but truthfully, it is not likely to be the fault of  the rose, but that of its gardener. At least once, I recall that a rodent pruned the rooted band to a leafless twig before I could even plant it and another time deer consumed it down to ground level.  And more than once, I recognize that I should have watered it more during the hot Kansas summer, which is my failure, not the rose.  As I stated, I lost one specimen that made it through a Kansas winter, only to die in its second winter.

But, last year I ordered it again (from Rogue Valley Roses, I believe) and planted it close to the house where I could watch it, and in a spot of full sunshine with a little evening shade, and I surrounded it with a sturdy chicken-wire cage to provide some deer protection, and I gave it plenty of extra water.  It gave me a few stingy blooms and it sulked, but it stayed alive into fall.  And then I waited anxiously through the first winter.

Now it is blooming for the 2nd time this year, and it looks healthy, so I'll tell you about it.  'Moore's Striped Rugosa' was a 1987 breeding by the esteemed rosarian Ralph Moore, known to many as the "Father of Miniature Roses" because of his many miniature rose introductions and his Sequoia Nursery breeding program.  It wasn't introduced to commerce until 2005 as 'MORbeauty' and it is too new to be mentioned in Suzy Verrier's Rosa Rugosa or other rose anthologies.  Once I learned of it though, I had to try it.  You know my love of striped roses!

The fully double, 25-35 petal blooms are striped magenta and cream, with a magenta-red reverse side to the petals, and, according to helpmefind/rose, it is hardy to Zone 5B, so it could be, and likely is, of marginal survivability in my garden in a bad winter.  Blooms come in clusters, and, at least for my young bush, repeat blooms are slow to develop.  The bush grows to 4 feet wide and tall, but mine is only at 1.5 feet midway into its second season.  In its favor, the mildly rugose foliage of 'MORbeauty' is blackspot free, dark green, and healthy.  The only downside I can see to its Hybrid Rugosa heritage is that it inherited the delicate, crepe-y texture of a Rugosa's petals, making them easily susceptible to sun and rain damage.  You can see the slight damage I'm talking about on the photos displayed here if you look closely.

As the very first striped Hybrid Rugosa, 'Moore's Striped Rugosa' certainly is a novelty, but I sincerely hope it grows better and blooms more floriferously for you than it has for me.  As for me, I will just wait again, anxious through a 2nd winter, and then the next, and the next, and so on.

Lily Extravanganza 2

Orienpet 'Anasthasia'

Wherein, we continue last week's display of various Oriental & Orienpet lilies and some new (to me) daylilies.  Again, I'll let the photos mostly speak for themselves.  We begin with gigantic Orienpet 'Anasthasia' at right.  So fragrant! Wowsa!

'Baferari'

Baferari  is a white/yellow Oriental blooming for me for the first time.  A website describes it thusly: "Highly fragrant Oriental lily known for its large, 8-inch, star-shaped blossoms. It features pristine white petals accented by a striking pale lemon-yellow starburst, chartreuse veins, and cinnamon-colored anthers."

'Trahlyta'

I'm personally rather partial to the lavender tones of 'Trahlyta'.

'Indian Giver'

Both the name and the white-rimmed appearance of 'Indian Giver' tickle my fancy. 

'Double Pardon Me'

Pardon me, if I superficially introduce you to daylily 'Double Pardon Me'.  The red glows more when the ambient temperature isn't quite as hot.

'Rising Moon'

'Rising Moon' is an apricot and profusely-blooming Orienpet lily in my front beds that I added last Fall.

'Wisteria'

Going to finish with a trio of delicately-colored daylilies:  'Wisteria' (recurved and sometimes-lavender), 'Julianna Lynn' (the most delicate and pale pink blush possible), and 'White Formal' (not-so-white), all from my front bed.  Enjoy!

'White Formal'

'Julianna Lynn'

 


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Beetle Update

Some of you may be wondering if you have missed my annual tirade against Japanese Beetles, but never fear, they have arrived.  I saw my first beetle of the year at the KSU garden during the Garden Tour on 6/20/2026, and my first beetle in my own garden, on 'Blanc Double De Coubert', on 6/25/2026. 

I was able to spray Sevin® on all the roses on 6/28/2026, and the picture above are a few already-pesticide-anointed beetles who were happily munching on a former bloom of 'Therese Bugnet'.  I am risking my good Karma saying this, but I hope they all die writhing in agony and are transported immediately to the gates of Hell, where they belong.

Lily Extravaganza 1

'Casablanca', 'Yellow Dream', &Orienpet 'Purple Prince'

 ProfessorRoush wanted to title this "Lily Porn 1", but the term "porn" is so over-used these days as a description for any collection of photographs that one can gaze at until they lose their soul. "Extravaganza", meaning a "lavish or spectacular show or event" is so more apropos, don't you agree?

The "event" here is that my mixed daylily and Orienpet lily border is blooming "spectacularly", beyond my wildest dreams, and I just have to show you!  So the next two blog entries, will be primarily visual and drool-worthy, at least if you can overlook the volunteer weeds and morning glory about to choke everything out.  I need to blog less and weed more!

These are all in what I term my "front left" bed, a cover for the brick wall of the side-facing garage.  There is no carefully-thought-out plan here, I simply keep planting lily bulbs here, for summer fragrance and color.  And, woo boy, did they deliver!

Some of my favorite daylilies are here; 'Beautiful Edgings' (above), which I believe is the most beautiful daylily of all, appearing to be surface-dusted with diamonds at times, and bright orange 'Alabama Jubilee' (left) to pop out from the crowd, and delicate 'Julianna Lynn' (next week!). 

Orienpet 'Robina'

The daylilies alternate and contrast with some of the most beautiful, statuesque lilies imaginable.  Oriental lily 'Yellow Dream' is one of my favorites and dependably returns and proliferates every year. I've added the white Oriental 'Casablanca' (last photo below) to this area, and a number of Orienpet lilies to this area, with the vivid pink 'Robina'  my new favorite.  

Here is 'Robina' centered in blooms of  'Alabama Jubilee'.  Are these colors clashing?  Inquiring minds want to know. I think they invigorate each other! 

Oriental Lily 'Casablanca'

I'll show you more of the individual plants and the overall in "Lily Extravaganza 2" coming next week!  In the meantime, take another look here at these photos and click on them to see the full photos; drooling is permitted.