Randy, I love when Reine des Violettes is wearing purple! Gorgeous shots as usual. Thanks for sharing!

An LSU rose vignette? Go Tigers! Gorgeous- my RdV has a few buds. It is a baby and I move it last fall. It is growing and healthy. Buff

OGD, glad you liked her purple attire.

Buff, um yeh, I planned that :-)
And there's a UofA vignette around the corner ... 'Valentine' & 'Marie Pavie'.
Go Tigers AND Razorbacks!

Randy

Wow, I love the Reine des Violettes pics and the Gruss.

I've really enjoyed having Gruss in the garden over the years. I never worry about it, it's a great little rose.

How tall does your Gruss grow?

Thanks for those thrilling pictures of Reine des Violettes. This is a rose I've been considering for a while -just need to figure out where. I don't suppose it would do well with less than 5 hours of sun, would it?

Krista, my Gruss an Aachen is about 4 1/2 ft tall and is just over 7 ft wide. I think it's been at least 6 years ago that I planted it. I never prune it except to remove dead twigs that might appear. I could easily keep it smaller, if I wanted to, but it has such a graceful form that I leave it alone.

huttnem, I don't think I'd try RdV with less than 6 hours of sun.

Randy

Great pictures of RdV. She certainly is living up to her name "Queen of Violettes." I also love the Gruss, getting enabled into this one I think.

Eric

Randy - your yard must be stunning. My RDV is blooming pinkish...but I'll let her slide this time. The scent is to die for...but I can't describe it. Sweetish? Photos to follow shortly.

Thank you, as always, for sharing. My GAuchen is a baby, but had about 10 buds on him...I love that rose.

Patty

A fine rose indeed your RdV. I like your color coordination with Rise-N-Shine. Now you need a clematis to grow amongst RdV.
Thomas sure is a healthy looking specimen!

Your RdV is breathtakingly beautiful. I hope mine will live up to expectations this year. It's too early to even see buds here.

Eric, you probably need a Gruss an Aachen AND a Pink Gruss an Aachen. PGaA remains my favorite rose of all. If I could only grow one rose, PGaA would be the one.

Patty, some of the time my RdV blooms in pinkish blends too. I never know when to expect these incredible purple blooms to show up, but when I least expect it, there they are. I love this rose when its blooms are pinkish or purple, but the purple are a special treat. I agree with you that the scent is awesome. I just refer to it as "old rose fragrance", because I'm not good at describing them either.

Hamp, I hear you about the clematis ... I'm sold on them now. Everyday, I watch the buds on HF Young get bigger and bigger and bigger. The buds on that thing are huge!
Yes, 'Thomas Affleck' is a very fine shrub rose. His bloom color can be a little startling during the cool months, but he's a keeper, and softens in color very nicely in hotter weather.

Lindy, RdV is a rock star in the garden when she's in bloom.

Randy

Lovely pictures Randy------I really need RdesV but we won't be digging this year so I'll have to wait and just enjoy your gorgeous pictures.

Florence

I don't know why I thought that Thomas Affleck was a "small" rose, obviously it is not. I always envy your foliage as much as your blooms. Oh, to live in a place with lower blackspot pressure. You know I love RdV and your photo's are wonderful.

Carol

BTW, my iris are starting to bloom :-)

Florence, I hope you do get RdV some day!

Carol, 'Thomas Affleck' is definitely not a "small" rose, unless, of course, you compare him to a tea rose :-)
He's also not "thornless", even though ARE sometimes refers to him as such; but I will say he has zero prickles underneath his leaf mid-ribs, and they are really widely spaced on his canes (but they are there).
Yep, we are kind of lucky here on the BS issue when you compare to other areas of the country. When planting in well-prepared soil, a person definitely has the option to "go sprayless" here. Maybe not as BS-free as California, but then I never get PM here (with that one rose exception whose name begins with "Clot").
That's great that your iris are kicking in now! My intermediate bearded have been putting on a major show for a few weeks now, but the LA iris are just now putting up bloom "stalks" ... it won't be long.

Randy

Hope Randy is reading this, since he has all three of the roses I'm mentioning... I'm planting two Reine des Violettes on our ranch rail fence, and plan to plant another thornless (or almost) rose between them, with room for all three. Would Thomas Affleck (ordered for Spring from ARE) or Gruss (just purchased) be appropriate there...or...suggestions are welcome.
Cheers! Barb