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'Distant Drums' -- The Photo I SHOULD Have Had

11 years ago

When we were working on the Open Garden catalog, I dragged my feet on completion, looking for a good photo of 'Distant Drums.' I never found what I wanted.

Then, this morning, here pops up just what I wanted, as a FB post from my friend, Steven Sunshine. So, borrowing from Steve, I want to share . . .

ÃÂ Ã¢ÂÂDistant DrumsÃ¢ÂÂÃÂ ÃÂ

(Shrub Rose, Dr. Griffith J. Buck (UnitedÃÂ States, 1984; Mauve or Purple Blend; September Song ÃÂ The Yeoman; 17-25 petals; cluster-flowering.)

Ã¢ÂÂDistant Drums,Ã¢ÂÂ aside from a distinct and lovely myrrh (licorice/anise) fragrance, juxtaposes two colors never seen outside of natureÃ¯Â¿Â½"a combination of tan and mauve. (You might even say, Ã¢ÂÂpowdered cinnamon with faint lavender tones.Ã¢ÂÂ) Given that start, the combination of colors changes daily on its way to a fine, faint lilac finish.ÃÂ

But thereÃ¢ÂÂs more to a rose than the bloom. Ã¢ÂÂDistant Drums,Ã¢ÂÂ also offers dense, healthy, attractive foliage. Buds cut early, and allowed to open indoors in a vase, retain more of the unique fragrance, and more of the color tones, while hot sun and heat can wash out the colors before time.

Kim Rupert, himself a noted hybridizer of roses, notes that this Buck rose is the Ã¢ÂÂspiritual descendantÃ¢ÂÂ of Ã¢ÂÂLavender Pinnochio,Ã¢ÂÂ offering the best of what that earlier rose SHOULD have been.

Jeri

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Comments (10)

praties
11 years ago
Wow! That looks like something someone dreamed up and then executed in fine porcelain. Absolutely gorgeous.
User
11 years ago
Grief, another gorgeous rose not available in Europe.....we are not used to this! Supremely annoying. Nearest thing is the wan Julia's Rose.....of which I am not enamored despite it being a true East Anglian rose.
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Carrie, 1st off, it does look to be virused in the 3rd picture, which could cause DD to be weak enough to only produce one flush. I am in zone 5b, and mine do quite well, receiving no winter protection at all. I have never seen a rose yet, unless it was an OGR, that Mad Gallica approved of, but maybe she just lives in a real nasty area. Anyway, a bloom off one of my plants (I have a few) looks something like this; This particular plant is about 4 years of age (own root propagated), and I get about 3 flushes. I do spray, so as to BS, I could not say. None of my DD have ever showed any signs of a virus, but that does not mean they are not, just that I see no symptoms. I myself really like this rose for both the color, quickness of rebloom and fragrance.
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Comments (33)
Kate, Weeks sells Distant Drums budded in California every year, or they have for the past several years. I'm not sure you gain a thing by ordering this plant own root, especially by paying transcontinental shipping. And I'm a big fan of RU, that's not the issue. I've picked them up at a variety of good garden centers for three years running. The benefit of buying them either potted or bagged in person is that you get to see how the particular plant is budded. Distant Drums is viciously thorny and rather stiffly upright anyway, so it's not so you'd notice... but I like having a choice. Here is a link that might be useful:
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Iris Gal, Happy Chappy is not weepy for me yet, I'm hoping by next year it will be, the blooms last a really long time, JC is such a great rose too, my plant is covered in blooms right now. Thank you Kathy, it's such a lovely compliment coming from you, because you always take such gorgeous pictures. I'm really happy I got Happy Chappy and JC - both great roses - I got HC for my mom too - she loves it as well - will definetely post more pictures of both :o) msjam, thanks - got more roses blooming now so I'll head out and take pictures soon - got two huge buds on Bewitched, I don't get blooms often on this plant but when it does oh boy - wow! I love this rose, hope it does better next year. aprille
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I now think I'm going to mix koko loko with poseidon, but may use love song instead since its available as a standard and a pair of 36" lavender standards on either side of the entrance to my yard would look amazing. Ight even us all 3... Plan is to have the roses in groups of 3 on the corners of the deck and encircling it will be a 3 foot wide bed lined with lavender, with tulips, peonies, and various alliums inside the parallel lavender hedges. Still undergoing changes in my head daily though!
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zeffyrose
11 years ago
My son had this rose at his Garden center so I've been lucky enough to see it in person and it is a beauty
Florence
jerijen
Original Author
11 years ago
Someone brought a big bouquet of this to the Rose Society meeting last Thursday -- and it REALLY IS THIS BEAUTIFUL.

Jeri
prairielaura
11 years ago
Continuing the search...no one in driving distance has one. Roses Unlimited had six...all sold. Pouting fiercely here.
jerijen
Original Author
11 years ago
Well, this is why I'm glad that the Cemetery committee gathers together such things, and sells them.

This is, relatively-speaking, a modern rose. One of many which, once out of commerce, could so easily be lost. And what a shame that would be.

Jeri
zjw727
11 years ago
This is really a delightful rose. A friend of mine grows it here, in cool foggy weather, and it does just fine, and HERS seems to bloom quite a lot. Heirloom sells bands of it- I've seen it growing in their garden. Also, the "myrrh" fragrance in this rose, in my opinion, is really nice, as opposed of some of the David Austin "myrrh" roses which smell awful (to me).
seil zone 6b MI
11 years ago
It is also very winter hardy. My friend up North has it in her zone 4 garden and it's been a trouper for 5 years. She said she hardly has to prune it.

I keep telling myself I need to get it. Why haven't I?!
sherryocala
11 years ago
When Carolyn Parker was here last November, she used Distant Drums in one of her arrangements. We all fell in love.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...
roseseek
11 years ago
Week's offers Distant Drums, so if you're no where near the cemetery sale, check with your local garden centers to see if they're selling Week's bare roots. This one is DEFINITELY better budded. It will grow own root, but not as well as it will on Dr. Huey. Believe me. My first one followed me home in 1985. I've had it both ways and budded is the better version. Kim

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