Austin's Janet revisited

16 years ago

In my hurry to get my new garden stuffed with roses as soon as possible I bought two Janets at a local nursery and then was dismayed when I happened upon a thread that almost universally panned that rose. Hybrid tea form, pale blossoms, stingy blooms, octopus arms, disease, general ugliness, everything bad you could think of was mentioned, and the thought was that it was a horrible mistake on David Austin's part to put this rose in commerce.

Well, imagine my surprise when my Janet turned out to be beautiful (to my eyes), had many blooms, absolutely no disease and a fairly well-shaped bush (I keep it tip-pruned). I wonder if this is one of those roses that likes dry heat and sulks in cold and/or humid climates. I'm enclosing a picture so you can form your own opinion.

A very strange thing is that the second Janet that I put against the house wall in hopes that it would climb has not had one iota of growth. Zero, nothing at all, even though it's heavily mulched and watered. The "good" Janet is less than five feet away from the "bad" one in a very hot spot. I'm enclosing a picture so you can judge for yourself. Both cameras died before I could obtain more photos.

Ingrid

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

lynnette
16 years ago
I have Janet in the PNW and she sat and sulked for a couple of years and was nearly kicked out. But finally she agreed to grow and has acted the same as your description. My only complaint with Janet is that the colouring and shape is not different from a many other David Austin roses. I will keep her but she is not my favouite.
veilchen
16 years ago
Maybe Janet is a case of a catalogue photo that is way too gorgeous. I remember drooling over this rose on DA's UK site and hoped to get one. Now I don't think I will.
Related Discussions
After 2010 you won't be able to buy Austin from anyone but Austin
Q
Comments (127)
Jjpeace: that is your opinion, but it would be a sad day indeed if the only roses available to the rest of North America are determined by what is popular in Toronto! Kim: There will be demand for these obscure varieties again, everything is cyclical. The key is to have them propagated, distributed, and safely tucked away in many gardens instead of letting them disappear forever during the dark ages -- just like the ancient libraries of Alexandria or Timbuktu. A long time ago I was assistant to the curator at UC Berkeley Botanical Garden while doing my undergrad. The person in charge of the California section was kind enough to give me a rooted sucker of minutifolia because I was doing a research project. Afterwards, I kept the plant alive for ten years in a #1 pot in San Francisco, but lost it during an extended trip because my plant sitter didn't water it. Minutifolia was dormant at the time. I'm glad it's being more widely distributed, because through the years, the friends of the garden that run the plant sales rarely propagated it. I have plenty of experience keeping this ENDANGERED species alive, it prefers dappled shade in hot situations and produces bigger leaves & flowers with regular water. If the placement is correct, the plant explodes with growth. The growing media in the pot is fast draining, but it has no qualms sending roots through the holes into clay soil. Except for water, I basically just ignore it, no pruning, fertilizer, or spray. I'm glad you generously donated Pure Bea to the heritage group, I will treasure it. I had already contacted Tessie last year about PB. I asked her about hips but she didn't get any viable seedlings.... My 10+ year old Suncrest on its fourth flush this season:
...See More
Anyone grow 'Janet' or 'Windermere'?
Q
Comments (11)
Karen, I grow Windermere. After it's first year in the ground here I was so enamored I bought another one to pair it with! It is the only rose I have duplicates of, that's how much I like it. The fragrance is as Hoovb describes; heavenly but not as strong or "thick" as Jude the Obscure, and very citrus-y. It is extremely vigorous, very very healthy and clean, and quite winter-hardy. I had some cane dieback, but lots of canes that were hardy to the tips. This year, their second and third years, they were absolutely loaded with buds. I JUST now deadheaded the last of the blooms from it's first flush, which began popping before June even began; and they are already already throwing out new growth. I still had to stake some canes because of the abundance of heavy blooms, but the shrubs are already full enough to cut off the spindly growth. In case you can't tell, I love this rose! lol
...See More
Well glad I waited to buy.. Janet (sort of)
Q
Comments (7)
I also was set on Janet. Then I saw her at a nursery. Just like you said. I passed. Blooms looked similar to Jubilee Celebration which I have...pink blends with yellow reverse. IMO JC has a stronger scent and is not a sprawler. Janet also reminded me of Christopher Marlowe; sprawling with skinny canes, flowers drooping. This is my 3rd year with CM; so I'm going to prune down 1/3 after the first flush is done. I'm also going to lop off some of the really skinny, long branches. Because of the Easter freeze CM lost all of his canes that had survived the winter. Actually he did great over the winter and was leafing out like crazy. The freeze really hit him hard; cut back to the ground! The blooms are beautiful, changing colors as they open and smell fantastic.
...See More
Austin's Janet - And Others
Q
Comments (3)
Pam, mine was threatening to turn into an octopus but I was firm with it and this year it's showing a lot less of that propensity. I cut it back and gave it alfalfa meal and it seemed to fill in, rather than snaking out again. I hope yours does well. At its best I think it's quite pretty. Randy, are you joking about Pretty Jessica not being heard about often? I could swear that rose has its own fan club on this forum! Ingrid
...See More
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author
16 years ago
It's strange but I actually find myself liking this rose more and more. It has a pearly sheen to the flowers that makes them noticeable from quite some distance and I find its shape a nice change from the cupped shapes of most of the Austins. The flowers are also quite large and even in 90 and above heat the rose does not fade as it gets older on the bush. All in all, in my humble opinion not such a bad plant after all, at least in my garden zone.
triple_b
16 years ago
I guess roses are like people in that way. Some prefer dry heat, some prefer more temperate climes. MOST people I found don't particularly care for heat AND humidity. From my understanding it takes a rare rose to actually THRIVE in those conditions too. Some tolerate it better than others but who really likes hot days with killer humidity? NOT I.
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author
16 years ago
Even though the temperature here is high in the summer the humidity is usually between 10-20%. I don't know how Janet would perform in high humidity but I know that I would wilt. High humidity actually makes me ill and, since I live in a Mediterranean climate about 25 miles from the ocean, spring, fall and winter are quite nice, with high humidity being a rarity. I lived in BC for five years, part of that time on Vancouver Island, but also in Prince George and Vancouver, and I think BC is really beautiful, with so much wilderness still left there, and such beautiful scenery.
jackie_o
16 years ago
Well I don't know, but I'm in zone 5 borderline 6 with high heat and humidity and my Janet is doing very well. I love it.
mauirose
16 years ago
Wow! If my Janet looked like your Janet I'd love her too! Does she smell as good as she looks?
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author
16 years ago
Jackie, I'm so glad you love Janet too. I hope that with time more people will come to appreciate the qualities of this rose.

Mauirose, so far Janet has only had a light scent for me. I've had this rose for only a few months so time will tell if this will change.

Austin's Janet revisited

Comments (8)

lynnette

veilchen

Related Discussions

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author

triple_b

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author

jackie_o

mauirose

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Austin's Janet revisited

Comments (8)

lynnette

veilchen

Related Discussions

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9Original Author

triple_b

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9Original Author

jackie_o

mauirose

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
Original Author