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Question about The Dark Lady's shrub style

14 years ago

I planted The Dark Lady last summer so she's still young. I'm wondering if she naturally has a nice shrub form or do I need to prune? Right now she's looking a bit gawky, but that could be just immaturity. I understand a lot of the Austins are kind of gawky here in the States.

I must say...those blooms....WOW! I can't decide if it's the scent or their looks but I'm enthralled.

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Comments (10)

aliska12000
14 years ago
I took this for you, 3rd year, grafted. Kind of pathetic after seeing it through my camera lens. I HAVE to prune out many winter kill canes, not much left after that, and I like to leave that pass thru for the mailman. For sure, I thought she was a goner this spring, but there are buds now. If I had a better spot for her, I'd move it because she is such a beauty, think she gets a little BS but one of the few that requires no spray or fussing.

IOW, she sprawls and does not have a nice form.

I'd prefer to let them do what they want within limits, don't prune according to the rules but as necessity demands; obviously mine wants to grow toward the pot for the sun which is sporadic for most of the day. Pls pardon the mess, I'm working on it, have been working harder in the back. I gave some enormous clover by the pot a big dose of boiling water, and have that huge clump of volunteer alyssum that I want to transplant as much out of there as I can (I like them). One plant last year spread like crazy and was nice all summer. I meant to save the seed but was bummed out last fall. They self seeded like crazy after all; it should be mulched better there but the kind I like is too expensive to buy as much as I need for the front.

I'm sure other growers here have better specimens, wish I knew how big mine would get if I could site her better and took more care with her. In spite of it all, she blooms generously and straight thru the season with a pause only to form more buds after deadheading.

The only solution is to move her, then I don't know what I'd replace with apart from perennials, but I want a rose there.

{{gwi:264235}}
jerijen
14 years ago
The virused/galled plants we were sold years ago never got over about 18 inches.
But Cliff Orent says the plant is about 4 ft. for him, in the CA high desert.
His photo shows a lovely rounded shrub -- but I've never seen ANY roses photographed in Cliff's garden that didn't look like something we all might dream of growing.

Jeri
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aliska12000
14 years ago
It doesn't appear after looking since I posted my boiling water got all the clover in the pass thru, doggone that stuff; it is so tough, spreads by laying down more roots or runners. I've never had that kind before and think it came in with a bag of something I used for the soil.

I'll be fighting it for a long time. In the lawn it is one thing, but what has encroached into the flower beds is another.

Back on topic, DL is one of my favorite red roses, truly unique. Only found one Jap beetle on it last year and they were bad. Maybe there would be more if it got more hot sun.
melissa_thefarm
14 years ago
I had a grafted plant several years ago and it made a nice rounded shrub, about 4'x4', in good growing conditions. Currently I have two ownroot plants in much more spartan conditons and they're considerably smaller: about 2'x2'. But they do hang in there.

Melissa
teeandcee
Original Author
14 years ago
Mine is in an ideal spot, so I'll just let her do her thing and keep an eye on her shape. Aliska, thanks for the pic. Mine is definitely more upright than your's. In fact, she's got a gawky looking branch shooting straight up about two feet taller than the rest of the plant.

Did I mention the blooms to y'all? Sigh.......
aliska12000
14 years ago
teeandcee, I think we know why mine isn't better. Yours should do great, in a better zone and probably sited it better. You are probably right to let it do its thing. Those canes that stick up, others may follow or it may end up being unsightly. I'd leave it be for now.

My CPM's are doing that, too. And my Geoff Hamilton, well if he does it again this year, he's going. Shoots up two enormously tall canes, very sturdy with one bloom at the top. I'd think maybe some rootstock got out of control, but it's definitely Geoff sitting up there, trying to tell me he's not happy.

I've got a couple beautiful photos of DL blooms but don't feel like fishing them out right now, am working on a quickie project and way behind.
mmmgonzo
14 years ago
I have The Dark Lady and it is huge.. at least 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Gorgeous blooms. I love her.

She is grafted, not own root.

Marleah
cincy_city_garden
14 years ago
Teeandcee, here is my own root The Dark Lady. She's about 3 years old. I limit my pruning to taking out dead and diseased wood. She naturally has a nice shrub shape that only gets bowed down the HUGE blooms. I'm enthralled too :)

Eric

{{gwi:261969}}

She's to the left of the steps.
{{gwi:210231}}

Eric
aliska12000
14 years ago
Mine's grafted, too, if I got another one it would be own root.

mmmgonzo and cincy_city_garden, that is how I imagine it would do in a warmer zone, better sited, and better care. Gorgeous!
teeandcee
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone. Eric, I hope mine has that nice shape. She's grafted so we'll see.

Off topic a bit, the background of mine is a large variegated mystery shrub, and the blooms look so gorgeous against all the green and creamy white.

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