Randy, regardless of the camera, your pictures sing. My little Gruss has just had her first bloom--always reminds me of you. Lobe that last shot.
la

Luanne, I borrowed my daughter's little point-and-shoot Sony micro-camera for these pics.
Not a bad little camera for what she needs ... it's usually rolling around at the bottom of her Juicy Couture bag, thrown in with makeup, cell phone, and whatever other necessities teenage girls carry around.

Since you think of me when seeing your Gruss rose, I sure hope it's behavin'.
The same thing here in reverse with Nur Mahal, and she's always on the best of behavior :-)

Randy

Well she came with one long cane which promptly shriveled up and died but then sprouted new short canes complete with foliage and has been a little trooper ever since. Nur was ever a civilized and elegant rose for me, gracefully spreading her skirts over the edge of the bed, a recumbent version and always in bloom. Charming rose(if I do say so myself.) Thanks.
la

Love the Pink Gruss. Randy, what color does your Mrs. Dudley C show predominantly? I ask, because I just acquired her from Vintage. Does she show much yellow?

Beautiful -- and made even better by your description of your camera!

My Nur Mahal was a wee stick a month or so ago when I acquired her, she is covered in growth. I like seeing yours in bloom, so I can anticipate.

I have always loved Gruss. I have two new ones from Vintage potted up for the winter and one of the little sticks opened a bloom today. One of my all time favorites, for some reason (?) I think of a garden wedding when I see those delicate blooms.

Indeed rain would be most welcome, SDLM be damned -- we've had 15" here in Austin for the year (down 50%)....things are dying if they haven't been watered.

Thanks for sharing.

Randy those are yummy as always..but..where is your RdV??? I always love your pics of her :)

Mari

Elegant & civilized is right, La. I think Rev Pemberton had a keen eye for that sort of thing. A brilliant hybridizer. I'm so happy to have this one growing in my garden.

jb, to my eyes, it's a very, very pale yellow at times. At other times, it's more of a creamy white. At this moment, my specimen has multi-colored blooms on it. The newly opened ones almost solid creamy white, while the mature blooms are creamy white with beautiful crimson touches on the outer petals. My wife rarely comments about the plants in the garden, but just this morning she was uncharacteristically all over Mrs Dudley Cross. She singled it out over all the others.

blackcatgirl, when your Nur Mahal gets a little older, and those baby smooth canes begin to gracefully arch over, with those bold blooms, you are really going to like her. I guarantee it.
I am glad to hear you appreciate Gruss like I do. There are so many characteristics I admire about that rose.
Only 15" of rain so far this year in Austin? Wow ... I guess I shouldn't complain. There are many sculptural looking native Live Oaks in your area. I hope they are doing okay during such a drought.

Hi, Mari. My Reine des Violettes has been napping recently. But she does have one plump bud that is getting close to opening. I'm wondering if that will be the last one from her this year.

Randy

Randy -- not to highjack this thread, but yes its true. 4 hurricanes hit Texas this past summer and nary one drop here in Austin town. Two hurled over to the southwest (Laredo, Mexico), and the two to the east were both sheared off to the east before they could get any moisture to central Texas. From Waco to San Marcos, Bastrop to Fredericksburg, its desperately horribly dry. The live oaks are fine, but I have seen more recently planted deciduous trees give up the ghost this fall, and it isn't autumn leaf drop.

And to make this stick to the gallery, I give you:

Hermosa
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La Marne, behind SDLM
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Well, we are going to have to do a collective rain dance for you. I hope you get some very soon.

That Hermosa bloom is perfect. Apparently that is a rose that does well from Texas to New York and beyond. I think I remember Joe raving about his Hermosa. Is your Hermosa's plant size fairly compact & short? Most of my roses seem to want to get huge and take up all my space.

Your LaMarne blooms seem to be dancing around SdlM. That's a very cheerful looking rose.

Randy

My Hermosa (I hate to admit) was on the "give it away or throw it away" pile most of the summer. It was in about a thimble full of soil, and looking quite pathetic. Something made me feel very sorry for her, I believe she was budding out or something to make me feel guilty. I rescued the old girl, threw her into a makeshift pot, added nice soil, some humus and a bit of Milogormite...and placed her under my unidentified centifolia/gallica bush -- she is now about 4 ft. tall, has a fat basal cane coming up and has been blooming since I moved her. So -- she is great for the container, but is upright growing, which is good because she's reaching through the thorny branches of the UC/G...she's earned a new pot in the spring.

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Very nice blooms and pics, a lovely autumn show.

Sooooooooooo lovely, Randy. Finally got my Nur Mahal planted last weekend. It will get morning & early afternoon sun (but not till Spring) so hopefully it likes it!

Sherry

Nice shots, Randy. I really like your Nur Mahal. They are predicting temps in the 20's here this week. Guess there won't be any roses on my Thanksgiving table :-)

Carol

Thanks, Krista.

Sherry, glad to hear you got your new 'Nur Mahal' planted. I heard one of the canes on mine rubbing against a window of our home, with the wind blowing. Before I had a chance to do anything, the next day, it was also windy, but I noticed it was no longer "knocking" on the window. Seems one of the girls in my family pruned her back a tad. I went out there expecting a hack job, but was pleasantly surprised to find the mystery pruner had done a nice job on the offending cane.

Carol, hopefully it won't get as cold as they are saying there, so that you can enjoy your roses a little longer. I'm hoping my roses can keep producing at least until Thanksgiving. I have a small vase on the kitchen bar right now mixed with blooms from both Gruss and Pink Gruss ... they look so good with the cool weather we are having.
BTW, all of my LA iris have great looking foliage right now, but one of them is ESPECIALLY fine looking ... flawless, very upright leaves, that are not flopping over at all. Can't wait until spring to see what that one's blooms look like.

Randy

I'm glad they are doing well for you, Randy. Some of the divisions were much larger than others so I imagine it's one of the big boys that is so upright. The babies will grow stronger in time. My "Hellcat" is doing well too!

It dropped below freezing last night. My clematis on the mailbox that was covered with blooms looks like seaweed. We must be going to have a real winter this year. I've had roses blooming at Christmas before, but I think we are done for this year. You are usually a little milder than we are, I hope you have blooms for Thanksgiving.

Carol

Randy;

I'm in Gainesville, TX and looking for Rose to start - I was wondering if you might do any cuttings? I'm looking for a peachish/coral colored rose.