Hi Ingrid: Horse manure high in potassium did darken William Shakespare 2000, whose color I hated. Someone mentioned Sulphate of potash (high in potassium) to deepen the color.

Ingrid, color is very subjective and may change with every whim of the weather and conditions the rose is growing in. It may be perfectly purple for you next time it blooms.

It's never been purple-ish here -- and we've grown multiple plants.

But we've never grown a vigorous plant.

Jeri

I stop and admire the Dark Lady every time I am at Otto's. I am not big on red red roses either (mom loves them though) But fire engine red does not seem like anything I remember of Otto's, but I could be wrong (I usually have sunglasses on)

Maybe in the spring she will be the red you wanted.

No. You're right, Kippy.

Maybe what Ingrid has ain't The Dark Lady. I mean, Cliff Orent grew it, in the desert, and the color wasn't abnormal for him.

And, Ingrid -- After we got rid of our horribly-viruse, badly-root-galled Heirloom Dark Ladies, we tried buying a Star Roses copy -- and THAT one was something shrieking orange!

So -- Just sayin' -- Fire Engine Red ... Are you sure you aren't growing L.D. Braithwaite?

Because THAT rose is very very vigorous, and blooms in greater volume than The Dark Lady.

Jeri

The color is the only thing right about my Dark Lady. She is not a healthy specimen. I moved her this year and am hoping ext year she will be happier and healthier. But she is a dark reddish purple.

I have one Austin from Otto's that is not what it should be, makes me wonder if maybe some one gets confused on them.

Mom likes it, but I have to email them about the Princess Alexandra of Kent that I got. I thought I was lucky when they found the only one left, but I am now thinking some one pulled it aside for a reason...it is wrong. Pepto Pink and no where near a full bud. Looks like mine PAK is missing all the center petals. Mom likes it so it is staying. But I want a real one.

I'm tryin' to remember what Austin it was, years ago, that was switched in commerce. Hortico got it wrong, and J&P got it wrong from them -- so there were thousands of mislabeled plants. I think they sent Otto a thousand or more of em. Then, there was the Happy Child we bought, that was White Bath or something.
Anyhow, Ingrid, can you get a photo of your rose?

Jeri

The photo label and yellow tag look fairly new on mine. It happy and bloomed well for being new. Just not want I wanted.

Kippy,
My PA of K sounds exactly like yours right down to the Pepto with some orange thrown in color and lack of petals. I keep telling myself to give this rose time since it's not even a year old, but it better make some big changes next year. Diane

I saw a Dark Lady bloom at the rose show a few weeks ago, and it was bright red. I was surprised because all the pictures I've seen of it on the Austin website shows a bit more purple. But it could also be soil conditions.

My first few PA of Ks were horrible, but have become gorgeous. Give them some time. A toddler can't run a marathon, but wait 18 years and she can. Roses too must be strong to do their best.

yup, mine is pretty darned red. had to get deep in my overgrown DA garden to find it, but I'd have to agree, even here in Texas...and just an added rant about all DA. and I do love them, but oh my, did he not even THINK about breeding for lower thorn rate?? I am SO torn up, cleaning that bed today...and moving a few UGLY octopus armed, THORNY nasty looking roses...yes, nice flowers, but killer thorns...Tess, Transcedent, Evelyn, a few more....just painful.

Jeri, I studied L.D. Braithaite on HMR and at first thought that might be a possibility, but that rose is more cupped and also more upright in flower and bush. My bush is wider and spreading and the flower is different, and also fuller, and I really am convinced it's The (Not So) Dark Lady). It's dark now but I'll take a picture tomorrow.

Ingrid

but oh my, did he not even THINK about breeding for lower thorn rate??

LOL. Many times I've thought the same thing when looking for DA's to try. I'll see a picture of a gorgeous bloom, and go over to HMF for more pictures, and almost inevitably someone will have posted a picture showing the thorns and I say, "Never mind."

I looked at the rose in question and overnight it had turned a darker color. It seems I have to endure three days of glaring red before it suddenly attains a more acceptable color. I'm thinking it may be my alkaline soil since Jeri also had a more red color, and I don't know that I want to fuss with horse manure or chemicals to make it turn more purplish. I'll see what it does next year. Also, the flowers are so large and full-petaled that they hang their heads which is also not my favorite thing. It may develop thicker canes once it matures (I hope).

Thanks for everyone's comments and suggestions, so much appreciated.

Ingrid

Just to be perfectly clear -- 'The Dark Lady' has never bloomed red here.

(It's also never been purple, but that ain't the issue.)

It has always been a very deep rose-pink. (See att.)

It is also not a very vigorous plant, not on its own roots. No TDL we've ever grown has topped 2 ft. or so. The growth is arching, and there is a very, very slight hint of "quilting" to the foliage. Bloom production is only so-so.

Jeri

When I saw it, it was a very large dark red, like a peony. Somewhat droopy, perhaps, but not enough to really detract. I thought it was pretty, not like an old rose, not like a hybrid tea, but perhaps like a modern shrub.

Jeri, the color of yours would have been perfectly acceptable to me. Mine does seem to have many more petals than yours. My young plant is already at least two feet tall and wider and seems to be an eager bloomer. Naturally it's located right outside the back door so I can't ignore it. I'm going to let it settle in until spring and see what happens in regard to color. It's such a healthy and satisfactory plant in every other respect.

Ingrid

Ingrid -- Does your rose have that peony-like form???

Of course our climate is [usually, but not lately] a whole lot cooler than yours, but I just keep thinking you may have a mis-named plant.

As to growth-rate -- well, the FOUR Dark Ladies we have grown, over time, were all own-root, so there's no comparison to be made there. But here, the bloom form has been consistent, as has the color.

Jeri

Jeri, I will take pictures in a few days, as now it's dark when I get home from work. My rose does look exactly like many of the pictures on HMF, especially the ones that have a more bright reddish color, but it will be interesting to have your reaction and others here who know this rose.

Ingrid

Hi Ingrid: Susan, or poorbutrichrose, was the one who solved my "beige", rather than supposedly "pink" daffodils problem. I was looking at Susan's pics and noticed how deep and gorgeous her colors are, such as Rhapsody in Blue and Inkspots roses. She informed me that she put bonemeal and compost in her MiracleGro Moisture Control potting soil.

Bonemeal is high in phosphorus, which makes pink color deeper. Phosphorus is more available in my last house, with acidic soil, that's why my pink daffodils were deep pink. But in my present house with alkaline soil, phosphorus is not released, thus my daffodils are "blah beige".

If you want the "blue" pigment to deepen your "The Dark Lady", aluminum sulfate is suggested to turn hydrangea blue as well. Check out this quote taken from the link below:

"TED STEPHENS, horticulturist and owner of Nurseries Caroliniana, in South Carolina, wrote in his most recent catalog: Generally, an acidic or low pH will induce 'blueness'; whereas, a higher or alkaline pH will induce 'pinkness or redness'. Work in England seems to indicate that higher aluminum content influences blueness more than pH levels.

We gave Dr. Jim Midcap of the U. of GA a number of plants on which to run "color changing" experiments. By applying aluminum sulphate at the rate of 2 ounces in a 3 gallon container, he was able to change 'Masja', which is normally a red, to a brilliant blue. This application was made as soon as flower buds were evident in the new shoots in the spring, about 6 weeks before flower maturity."

The link stated to turn hydrangea "blue": Reduce the strength of the Aluminum sulfate to 1/4 oz per gallon of water. Since I'm working on the opposite, getting my daffodils reddish pink, I'll shop for bonemeal (phosphorus) and sulfur this fall. If not, I'll apply horse manure (has both phosphorus & iron & plus potassium) .... to see if it makes my pink daffodils deeper pink in springtime.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to impart more red versus more blue

My sympathies, Ingrid. I truly HATE red, too.

Strawberry Hill, THANK YOU for your post. I will definitely try this, not only on TDL but also Sophy's Rose, of which I have two, which suffers from the same problem. I normally don't fuss with anything and only use alfalfa meal, but this is worth it to me.

plan9, thank you for sharing. So many people truly love red roses and it's difficult for them to understand or, better yet, join in my feelings.