Mike, you are absolutely right with all in your post. I am still looking for the best lavender coloured rose. Up to now, with every one I have grown, Blue Moon is the one. It is the general concensus that most lavenders have severe problems, but we love the blooms if we can forgo their discrepencies.

My Blue Moon was a replacement from an older poor grower, but I still could not resist getting another one. I was going to come to the board and ask what would be the MOST recommended "lavender" rose.....and I still ask that question????? But if no one comes up with anything better, then I think I will order another couple of Blue Moons. They look fabulous in arrangements. The fragrance is not quite as strong as I would have expected, but I just love the colour.

Pauline - Vancouver Island

P.S............and BTW I do have Neptune also, new this year, but no verdict out yet. The first bloom out of three in the whole season was fab. But the plant is very puny it had some teething problems for sure. Hopefully next year, it will be stronger and more floriforous!

Pauline

The best of the lavender/purple hybrid teas for me have been Lady X, Paradise, Plum Crazy, Shi-Un, and Silverado. My Neptune was not anything that I would brag about. I have had Blue Moon in the past, and although it had a nice color, it didn't have as good hybrid tea form as some other varieties. Unfortunately, as a result of last year's hard Easter freeze, I wound up losing Lady X, Plum Crazy, and Neptune. I would replace Lady X and Plum Crazy if I can, but Neptune just doesn't care that much for my area. I think it might be a cooler coastal rose.

I'm glad to read about Blue Moon, because I bought it on a as a bare root, not knowing much about it. I bought it on a whim from eburgess.com because it was $3.99, and I wouldn't lose much if it died.

After losing several bare roots that I planted in the ground to invasive tree roots, I decided to start Blue Moon in a large planter on the patio. I used organic potting soil (no added moisture control or fertilizers). I have not seen a rose plant grow so quickly and so robustly as this one! Very impressive. It has several young buds on it now, and I'm trying to figure out where I will plant it in the ground and how to best protect it. I can't wait to see the blooms!

I have a 6year old Blue Moon and 3year old Neptune. They are both grafted. They are of the same height, about 5 feet, however Blue Moon is a little wider. Catalog describes NeptuneÂs bloom as having " elegant classic form". I still have to see one; the bloom crisps easily in the heat. Gets mildew, too. I like Blue Moon. Although its blooms are more ruffled than high centered, it has all the best attributes of a good garden rose in our climate.

I also have Melody Perfume, Royal Amethyst, Fragrant Plum, Purple Passion, Sterling Silver and Angel Face. If I am to rate, Angel Face would be first, Melody Perfume,second.

Thanks for the input so far. I suspect local or regional climate may play a part. Jmac, I'm particularly intrigued with your response, as you're close to my area and growing Blue Moon in a pot as I would have to grow it.

I already have Fragrant Plum, which I like. Used to grow Paradise, which is more susceptible to chemical burn than most roses and has to be carefully hydrated before spraying. But otherwise, it's a very nice rose, too. Quite a raspberry-colored edge to it though. I already have the darker-edged Fr. Plum, so a plan lavender would be best.

I'm still eager to hear what others have to say, especially from warm areas. I think I'll have to check into Lady X and Melody Parfume, though my immediate hope is to decide on my order specifically from Amity. I'm not sure they have those ones. Thanks everyone.

Mike

I have Blue Moon and it's looked decrepit for the past 2-3 years. Isn't a bad rose, just never filled out like others I've seen in this area. It's holding down a back of the bed spot so I'll change out the emitters and give it another year.

Melody Parfumee and Love Potion have been outstanding performers in my desert heat. Purple Passion was a great rose but succumbed to the summer of the 31 days of 110F, same as CL Angel Face. Babs was a nice rose but oh-so-heat sensitive. I replaced AF with Night Owl, which seems to be have more red than purple to it.

Neptune has an awesome scent and appears on local show tables. It's one of those gray roses, though, like Lagerfeld, and I just don't like that particular shade.

I also have Midnight Blue, a great rose for containers, and Indigo, a portland. I'm hoping this is the year Indigo decides to put out growth and blooms. I try to be patient with my OGR's...sigh.

I have Neptune and I really like it. It has the most beautiful lavender blooms that have the most incredible fragrance, it is about 4 years old and about 7 ft. tall.
I posted this pic before, its very hard to keep it at 7 ft. It wants to grow taller.
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I took the plunge (a small one) and ordered Blue Moon from Heirloom--kept waiting on Amity but would not be able to order until spring. I'm so inpatient. Anyway, I hope it's good. I grew Sterling Silver many years ago as a teenager, and it was gorgeous and bloomed a lot that first summer, then suddenly died without warning. I've never quite wanted to risk it again since hearing so many similar stories about SS's notorious poor vigor, but that shade of lavender is really enchanting. Some post I wrote described Blue Moon's shade as quite similar. I hope so. I'm thinking Blue "Girl" is great but for much cooler climates than mine, and that Blue "Moon" may do the best in my neck of the woods. We'll see.
Curious too about Enchanted Evening, Shocking Blue, and Silver Star (2001). Any of those would just have to wait until I get more garden space (someday), though. I may put this between the red-on-red striped and red on pink striped roses I having coming this week. : )

Mike

I don't grow Blue Moon, but I am on my second Neptune.
My first Neptune was a dud and never really grew or bloomed well for me at all. I SP'd it in it's third spring. I bought another this past spring and it has been a much better first year bush than the first one, but the jury is still out on it until I see how it grows for at least three springs. This one is grafted I believe on multiflora. My first one was grafted on Dr. Huey I think.
Other good solid mauves I grow are Lagerfield, Melody Parfumee, and the scented cultivar of Blue Girl which I believe is the Tantau one.
I also grow and have grown and love two Fragrant Plums, Paradise, Heirloom, Barbara Streisand (gotta spray for BS).
I grew and didn't like Stainless Steel, World War II Memorial Rose as they were all non-vigorous and disease prone.
Good Luck,
John

Thanks, John. Several have mentioned the rose Paradise. I used to grow it, and it did well for me even with its quirks. I had it first on Dr. Huey and then own-root, and both were equally vigorous, bushy, and prolific bloomers. But I gave mine away to make room for Fragrant Plum, which has a little bit larger blooms, a little more fragrance, and a more pleasing color to me. But you know, I have to say FP has never bloomed as reliably as Paradise. It's also a little bigger bush, which in my potted garden of tiny space, is NOT an asset. I might be tempted to return to Paradise, but I'm always so eager to try unfamiliar varieties, that I often skip the old tried-and-true. I'm still eager to check out Melodie Parfumee, Silver Star (2001), and Enchanted Evening. Ah, I wish I had a lot more yard space. grrr...

For now, I'm gonna look forward to growing Blue Moon and see what it can do. My only current mauves are Fragrant Plum, Lagerfeld, mini-flora Sweet Arlene (which is more cool blush white than mauve), and the minis Vista and Always A Lady (which is actually a delightful lavender non-stop bloomer.)

Mike

I have had good luck with 4 roses that did surprisingly well for me as first year plants. One was Sterling Silver, the florist strain from Vintage Gardens; Enchanted Evening, the new J&P floribunda; The Prince; and Simply Marvelous, another floribunda. With my spray program, all of them did well. The Prince has a variable color, but it semms to take our climate okay. I was surprised by Enchanted Evening. Its color is lighter lavender than the others. I am holding my breath and withholding final judgment on it, but it sure was trying to put out the flowers. The star performer for me is Simply Marvelous. It is one of a handful of roses I would say is almost miraculous for me here because of its flower output, good growth, and doesn't get sick much with my spray program.

Here is an example of what my Sterling Silver looked like, prior to my getting the bed weeded:

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This is a picture of Simply Marvelous earlier in the season while it was still on the small side:

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This is an example of Enchanted Evening later in the year just before I put the straw down on the bed for winter:

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I hope you find these interesting. Notice that there is no or very little blackspotting.

Mike,

I have a Neptune that is going into its 4th or 5th year, and it has done better for me than any other of the lavender roses I've tried here in N.O. Gets to be about 6 or 7 feet, and blooms even in the heat. Mine gets shaded from the worst of the afternoon sun,though. Here are a few pics.

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