My Spirit of Freedom Won't Bloom

14 years ago

I received this rose a year and a half ago bare-root, along with three others, which have already bloomed off and on for over a year. I first intended to grow it as a climber but then cut it back into a shrub after it had grown tall and lanky and had produced exactly one bloom. It's put out new leaf growth this spring with no hint of a bud anywhere. It's been watered copiously, given alfalfa meal and a few scoldings and still - nothing. Any advice about this prima donna (the rose, not me) would be appreciated.

Ingrid

Featured Answer

brother_cadfael

14 years ago

Hi Ingrid,
SOF needs a colder winter sleep than z10 can offer. Mine dies to the ground every year and is quickly recovered with buds "on time" with the rest of the Austin's I grow. I have heard more than once that this rose likes a colder winter.
I hope this offers some understanding as to what the problem may be.

I'm sorry that you don't have these in your garden... ;^)
{{gwi:283968}}
{{gwi:283969}}
Sorry, I'm naughty!
Rob
BC:)

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Comments (15)

mendocino_rose
14 years ago
Some roses do just take time and patience. Probably this is one. It probably didn't like being cut back. It's up to you wether you feel like waiting to see how it does. I bought this rose last fall and it hasn't bloomed much but I feel like it will take some time.
jerijen
14 years ago
We have had roses that simply did not bloom much. Ever.

I put it down to those roses being incompatible in one way or another with my conditions, and I'm willing to cut a rose quite a lot of slack.

BUT if it goes through its fourth year (as a few have) having produced only one or two blooms, it's gone.

Life's too short to grow roses that don't bloom.

Jeri
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Comments (4)
Something is def. not right here ... I just went outside and took a look at my 6 feet tall rose bush - that I grow next to my front door - and it has really grown on me during the last 5 years. It really should bloom already the first year if you got it as a bareroot grafted plant? Mine are grafted - and took off well the first year - even though I had to support the huge floppy flowers - rebloom was sparse - but as you can see on the pictures I have posted on HMF (Niels) the first flowers in the first flush are huge! Like small bowls - with up to 200 petals. I secured the long 5-6 feet basal shots to a wall support since I intended to grow it as a low climber. And it has performed better each year since I planted it - producing more and flowers and repeat has become better. The flowers have a sweet good rose fragrance that wafts even though not very strong -but often put a smile on my face when I come home. It has earned the prime spot in my garden - very few Austins perform as well as this rose for me - in my climate - has been so hardy, been so resistant to disease - I grow it no spray - and only seen it get a little mildew - no black spot or rust. Last summer we had 3 times as much rain as a normal summer - the 2. largest summer rainfall recorded in 120 years. And no - since this may be the rose that has the highest petal count of all roses - I do not expect it to like wet weather - but the blooms did not ball or turn into spongy messes like so many other very, very double roses did. They nodded so gracefully and the rain trickled down the outer petals protecting the inner petals and the blooms developed well. Sadly it will be the last year in my garden - along with all the other roses aginst my walls - since we need to have the brick walls repaired next year :-(( I can only imagine what a monster this rose can become in Dallas. Well fed and watered it can probably become a 8-10 feet monster shrub over 3-5 years - and the first flush will be magnificient with many hundreds of roses - and even though the roses in later flushes are smaller - you should get 2 more nice flushes in a season - even though it may go heat dormant in August. It really has been a pleasant surprise for me this rose - but that goes to show how different the same roses perform in different places of the world. But yours should still have bloomed ...something is not right ... How many basal canes has the rose? How big and tall? Are the canes blind shooting - not producing any buds? And it would really help to see a picture of the plant - with the leaves up close for identication. I would never put up with or accept a rose not to bloom in 2 seasons ... granted some Austin Roses repeats better than others ...but no blooms?
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Comments (37)
It's been a few years since this thread started, but it is encouraging, nevertheless. My two Spirit of Freedom bushes are still in the trying to get established stage even after 2 and 3 years. A wonderful tonic recipe I whip up and a thick layer of compost has helped, but they seem to be telling me they're not happy - yet. I will continue trying to figure out what they want/need and hope for the best. I LOVE the form of this rose. A similar rose I am having better luck with is Cinderella Fairy Tale, a Kordes rose. I have 2 of those, as well, one of which over wintered like a champ, the other died to the ground, however, has made a valiant effort at returning to the fold. It wasn't the cold, as we had a mild winter, but the freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw, all winter long did the dirty deed. These two roses are so perfectly formed they take my breath away, and are worth every effort to grow. I doubt my SOF will ever reach the height of Sarah's in my zone 5 garden, but I love this rose at any height. Sarah, are your 3 bushes still climbing higher? I would love to see an updated photo, if possible.
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Comments (19)
In the US Heirloom Roses still has SoF listed own root but its sold out right now. You can sign up to be emailed when in stock. There may be other places that still carry it. I no longer see it on the DA website which is a crying shame since its so pretty and kind of unique. It starts out light pink then ages to a lilac pink. Smell this morning is divine. I cant think of a good reason for it to discontinued. It does get big and the flowers get big and heavy since it has such a high petal count (around 200) that sometimes the blooms can nod a little, which I actually like with tall roses. They look down on you so youcan see them. I dont have a ton of stuff blooming right now, being January etc. but today she has an open flower and a few buds. Side view of blossom and bud. The buds are so tiny that its a miracle that they can unfurl to such a big bloom with so many petals in it lol. Another side view...see how dark the reverse of the bottom petals are ! The bud is much darker than the inside of the flower..kinda pretty!
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Comments (19)
Thanks everyone. I'm glad I'm not the only one with a slow WS2K :) erasmus, I just planted my Rouge Royale from a paper pot to the ground and look forward to its performance. I have learned that it's best to cut the blooms of RR and display them in a vase. The temperature of a room gives the blooms the best environment to open all those petals. Vaporvac, you are very sweet. I know many people don't like DA business practice but put that aside, their roses are so graceful in photos. Imaging without accessing to DA roses, my garden will look really sad. I know there're so many petal-packed old garden roses that look even better than DA roses but many of them are once-blooming and for small gardens that means we just look at their leaves for the rest of the year. As a rose grower, I like to have access to all the roses around the world because beauty should be shared, don't you think? Helen
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ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author
14 years ago
I'm afraid I'm not blessed with the patience you ladies possess but I will let it stay in its prime spot for the remainder of the year and through next spring. After that if it hasn't deigned to perform it's going to rose heaven and I'll find a tea rose to take its place. I'm finding more and more that the Austin roses, beautiful and useful as they may be, just don't give me the same thrill as the old roses do. I do believe I'm done with them now.

Ingrid
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author
14 years ago
Rob, you are a little naughty but at the same time I'm enjoying the pictures and what you have to say is very interesting to me. I'm wondering now if anyone in my type of climate has had success with this rose. I'm going to do a search on the forum and see what I come up with. It's a very gorgeous rose but if it won't prosper here there's not much use going on with it. There are other gorgeous roses that will love me more.

Thanks so much for your comments (and the naughty pictures!).

Ingrid
le_jardin_of_roses
14 years ago
These DA roses are tricky for sure. Some do need a winter chill to do well. I have Constance Spry taking up quite a bit of space. It's been three years and only one bloom. She has 'till the end of next spring to produce or she is going to rose heaven like your SOF. As nice as Austin's roses are, not everyone of his roses is suited to California, at least not the Southern half. We have to experiment with his roses to see what works and that can get expensive and waste time. I'm such a sucker that I still will play with English Roses to find what works because that catalog is so captivating. I fall everytime. :(
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author
14 years ago
Le Jardin, for what it's worth, Abraham Darby, Glamis Castle, Janet, Sister Elizabeth, Carding Mill and Harlow Castle have done well for me, with Harlow Castle and AD my favorite for looks, and Carding Mill for constant bloom and heat resistance. Oh, also Mrs. Doreen Pike, a rugosa with a wonderful fragrance. My Wife of Bath is still too young to comment about. Which Austins do you grow?

Ingrid
andreageorgia
14 years ago
Ingrid, same here in DA country - no flowers or flower buds on that new thing, although it's fully leafed out, unbelievable! It's going to be hit with some fertilizer now!

Andrea
le_jardin_of_roses
14 years ago
Ingrid, the Austin's I grow are:

Abraham Darby
Golden Celebration
Brother Cadfael
Harlow Carr
Pat Austin
Constance Spry
Jude The Obscure
Jubilee Celebration

The one that does the best here in California for me is GC. Jude and Pat do well too. Harlow Carr is starting to bloom well, but having one alone has little impact because the bush is small and the flowers are nice, but not spectacular. Perhaps three of HC together would work better. So sad that Constance Spry is behaving like your SOF. It looked so lovely in all the photo's I've seen, but I guess it prefers to live in another zone.

Thank you for suggesting Carding Mill and your other choices. I'll be looking to get them next season.
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author
14 years ago
Le Jardin, I think Harlow Carr works for me because it's planted among companion plants. You're right, it is more a rose for a mixed-flower cottage garden. I've heard so many good things about Golden Celebration but it's big and I have no room. I'm actually trying to decrease the number of roses I grow because of water usage, and I've been weeding out the least desirable ones, but the number is still 80, and I'd be more comfortable with 50 to 60. It's just sooo hard to be cold and logical about roses...

Ingrid
le_jardin_of_roses
14 years ago
Ingrid, I've seen your garden and it is special and unique to most gardens I've seen. I love your setting and your plant choices. The way you have put things together works well. It has a romance about it. I'll bet you have many beautiful sunsets where you are too.

I understand how hard it can be reducing the number of roses, but sometimes we must. For me it is because of lack of space. I have had to eliminate many roses that did not work for me, many of them Austin's that we're not performing well. Fortunately there are some Austin's that do quite nicely in my garden. DA and old-garden roses are my favorites. It is not easy to minimize the rose garden, but you'll get there and be happy when your garden is at the right comfort level. Good Luck!
Mountie
9 years ago
Ingrid,
Did Spirit of Freedom bloom for you? Or did he get shovel-pruned? From what I've read, it takes some roses about 4 years to get established, after which they start blooming. I'm just curious about how it turned out for you. :)
jacqueline9CA
9 years ago
If it is not the lack of winter chill, my next guess, since it grew tall and lanky and did not bloom, is that in your warm climate it wants to be a climber. Roses that are determined to be climbers resent being cut back, and will not bloom until they get "tall enough", which can take 3 or more years in my experience. If it were mine I would let it make long canes, and then tie them horizontally as I could and then wait.

Jackie
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author
9 years ago
Alas, it is gone and has been for some time. In addition to it possibly needing more winter chill than I could give it, I planted it where it had morning shade and afternoon sun, never a good thing for a rose. I've also found out recently that the good soil in that area had been carved away, which explains why no rose has ever done well in that area. I'm now subtracting roses rather than adding them, so I'm afraid this is not a rose I'll ever grow, and frankly I don't think desert-like conditions are to its liking. It looks magnificent where it's happy.

Ingrid
Marlorena
9 years ago
I got rid of mine after one season and I'm in England. Weak necked, too many petals, balled in wet weather... maybe I should have given it longer, and I'm not happy about it... patience is not one of my virtues...

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