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| 'Dolly's Forever Rose' |
I know that some of my readers follow
Garden Musings because you enjoy following my foibles with Mrs. ProfessorRoush, others because you like the dry humor or the rambling rants, some that want to commiserate with my tribulations in my Kansas garden, and still more of you just because you never know what I'm going to touch on next. But then too, some few are the rabid rosarians, the true believers, waiting to see what I'm growing out here in the Kansas hell-land.
It is to the latter group that I'm dedicating this posting. Several new little pretties have responded to the cooler September temperatures and I thought I would throw out a few little teasers in advance of future rose posts. I'll let all these little guys get bigger, probably into late next season, before I show you their full glory, but I'm so excited that I just can't keep them secret.
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| 'Dolly's Forever' |
One dynamite little beauty with an eye-popping color combination is the Paul Barden-bred 'Dolly's Forever Rose' (upper right). I've been growing her since early this past Spring and she has randomly bloomed throughout the worst of Summer, now finally a foot tall and blooming her skirts off. I've become attached to checking on this little stunner and I'm a little worried about her hardiness, so I'm going to cover her up good when the cold weather comes. This little offspring of 'Scarlet Moss' and a complex seedling including 'Angel Face' is definitely going to bring some fire into her bed if she makes it to next summer..
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| 'Vanguard' |
'Vanguard' is another rose that has bloomed several times this season and is now stretching for the sky. At 4 months old, this little Rugosa cross has already topped 2 feet and she has a strong fragrance to draw you down to the ground with her. The pinkish-orangish-bluish blossoms should add a few more petals as she grows, and her flowers are more delicate than most Rugosa's, but she's certainly proved herself tough enough for a spot in my garden. One oddity; she's supposed to be a once-bloomer according to helpmefind.com but Rogue Valley Roses lists her as a reblooming rose and certainly, my 'Vanguard' has been freely spreading her beauty over the entire season.
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| 'Dragon's Blood' |
Another Barden rose that I'm tickled to grow is 'Dragon's Blood'. This russet floribunda has small individual blooms, but the orange-red-rust color is eye-catching. Freely-blooming and covered in healthy foliage, I placed 'Dragon's Blood' in a prime place for visitors. At a prominent corner, they can watch the dusty hues (see the photo below) of each petal as they age and darken.
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| 'Dragon's Blood' |
Well, there you have them; a few glimpses of next year's tantalizing offerings. Are you teased enough yet to stay tuned?
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Well I've always known you love roses. *smile*
ReplyDeleteI love those colours. My background was always native southwestern plants and habitat restoration. But when I took over as a Landscape Supervisor for a property management company in San Diego, I knew very little about rose care. But I love the fact that there are people who have a special fondness for specific plants, whether they are roses, orchids, apple trees or whatever. So much can be learned from folks who do excel at a certain interest.
Those colours are beautiful. I miss back home in California. One of the disappointing things here is that terrible growing season. 5 months at best IF you are lucky. Lots of wild roses around here though and plenty of giant rose hips of different varieties. They actually taste very good as well. Birds here love them.
I'm curious, have you ever grown the variety called "Fame" ? This rose for me in San Diego had a flower that would last a moth and gradually over time change to interesting colour patterns as it aged. It also NEVER had pests or any mildews or other blights that effected others. It did however have one flaw. It never had a fragrance. The flower petals would get almost paper-like in texture which I imagine helped in it's longevity.
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