Hi Maurizio,

I love Clarks' Polyantha named "Borderer", a charming rose in all its' parts.
Its' rich pink blooms do not fade as other light pink roses often do in the hot sunlight of California.
I am also a big fan of "Susan Louise" because it bears voluptuous pink and cream Tea blossoms which bloom on a plant with much of the vigor of its' R. gigantea parent.
I would like to see more of Clarks' cultivars brought to California.

Luxrosa

Marizio -- Can you import from Australia?

Jeri

I tried to get Lorraine Lee from RU but they were out when I went. They raved about--said it was always covered in blooms. I also read somewhere it was Clark's best creation, which made me want it.

Maurizio,
I got Lorraine Lee from Walter Branchi last year (received February 2007), grafted. It survived the hot summer and is now small but looks healthy and sturdy, and the handful of flowers last year were pretty. This year is dry so far as well, so I don't know when LL will get the water she needs to grow.
Melissa

Thank you all!

Jeri, "in theory" I would be able to import from Australia, at least budwood. But I didn't know how to do it. Have you any idea? ;o) Mr Ruston maybe can be helpful. I would also love to import budwood from USA, maybe via UK or France: all those striking found roses and Bermuda's....!

Actually we have (in the rose nursery I'm working for as a advisor) a pretty good list of Clark's creatures, and we are triyin' to enlarge the collection.
Now, we have available for trade the following:
'Flyng Colours' - 'Jessie Clark' - 'Nancy Hayward' - 'Pennant'- 'Squatter's Dream' .... and few others not yet introduced for the commerce, like 'Tonner's Fancy'. I'm happy to add to the list my 'Alister Clark' and Lorraine Lee.

Luxrosa, I was really attracted by 'Borderer', and foud 'Alister Clark', who seem to be quite similar to 'Borderer' both in growth habit and flower shape. I'm goin' to plant my 'Susan Louise' tomorrow(she's already showing a juicy bud, happy little band...), and I'm really excited to see how she will perform this year. :o)

Thank you Ann and thank you Odissey for informations :o)!

Melissa, let me know more in the future about your Lorraine; La Campanella also have her, mine come from them. I've read so many entusiastic comments about this Rose, especially about her reflowering, vigor and beauty of the bush, that, even if pictures of it are sometimes disappointing, showing a "dull" flower shape and colour, I'm really curious and hopeful! The young foliage developing is very good at this moment... we'll see.

Obviousely, if anyone have a good picture to share... ;o)

Ciao!
Maurizio

LL grows very large given time, can easily make 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide. This rose is found in many older gardens, it remains popular today.

Lady Huntingfield is my favorite AC rose.
Repeat is excellent, fragrant, very healthy, shrub is wider than tall.

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Alistair Clark, (not the best pic).
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Borderer already mentioned is a great rose for me. Clean foliage, fast repeat with minimal supplemental water. Useful in that it stays low here in zone 8 GA, under 3 ft.

Mary Guthrie and Marjorie Palmer also have good repeat and fragrance, some blackspot but don't defoliate.

Lisa

We are not allowed to import from Australia here.

I just planted Sunny South this year and am waiting to see how it performs. It came very highly recommended from Sherry Berglund and is one of two of my Clark roses. Pamela, I see you have it in the garden. What are your impressions?

The second Clark is Countess of Stradbroke ("darkest, richest, most beautifully formed of all red roses," according to G.A. Stevens) which I think was recommended by Luanne.

Sue

I have Lorraine Lee. In the heat of summer, it is a shocking, modern-looking coppery pink, beautiful long, pointed Gigantea buds, decent tea scent carried on an enormous semi-climbing bush. I can't even imagine how large the climbing form must be because the bush will go up to the eves. The color puts me off a little, looking just a bit modern for my Tea gardens, and I've concluded it needs to have the support of a wall or fence to handle those long, trailing canes. It handles the heat beautifully.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:241055}}

Lorraine Lee distinguishes herself here by blooming right through winter, but she's not my favourite Clark rose.
If Cicely Lascelles is available, get one.She blooms wonderfully in spring and fairly reliably through to winter. A very big plant, pretty much no maintenance.
Jessie Clark and Milkmaid are wonderful springflowering climbers.
Squatters Dream (I know you find the name amusing. A squatter is what you probably call a rancher)is beautiful too. A bit like Mrs Oakley Fisher, single yellow, but creamier.
Alister Clark isn't actually an Alister Clark, it's a sport.
As these roses become more popular here in Australia, mainly because they're fairly drought tolerant, they will hopefully become more widely available around the world.

Sue

Last year I purchased Countess of Stradbroke. The plant was vigorous, the blooms were exactly what I hoped for (rich red, heavily fragrant). BUT it mildewed hopelessly in our climate. I even broke my usual principles and became a consistent sprayer - yet still every leaf was ruined. The lovely Countess has moved inland to a relative whose climate may be better suited.