She looks lovely! Is she very fragrant?

Felicia is my unrequited love. She must just hate our heavy clay and alkaline conditions- or maybe it's a trace element that is missing. Sigh. Maybe when the soil is in better tilth I'll try again.

Cath

'Felicia' is one of the most fragrant roses there is, to my nose at least. The scent is something sweet, Multiflora perhaps, mixed with old rose, and it wafts.

Now I am very tempted! I am also tempted by Cornelia, who seems quite similar. Can anyone give me some pros/cons?

Looking to plant up a trellis about 12 foot wide on a west facing wall.

I just planted Felicia this fall. Only six months to wait to see what she does here.

A Felicia that didn't fade would be a very good thing. Mine fades and looks raggedy a few hours after opening, but the scent is so lovely, and wafts, she's staying.

muscovyduckling, in order for us to give you the best advice, it would be very helpful for you to put your gardening zone after your name.

Felicia and Cornelia are similar in many respects, but Felicia has larger and to my mind prettier flowers, and it was the rose I chose for my garden. Unfortunately Felicia did not care for the dry heat here and never prospered, but it's a rose I would have loved to grow.

Ingrid

In my garden 'Felicia' has an upright, shrubby habit of growth while 'Cornelia' is decidedly lax in habit. Both are very fragrant and waft, though 'Felicia' has that touch of old rose which 'Cornelia' lacks, though 'Cornelia' is fragrant enough for anybody. 'Felicia's blooms are regular pink; 'Cornelia's are strawberry pink with a touch of soft orange to them; and they come in long sprays. As it happens, my neighbors have 'Cornelia' espaliered along a wall, the rose at least twelve feet wide. However we live in a hot climate and the wall faces northwest, which the rose is happy with. A western esposure in full sun in a warm climate would, I suspect, be too hot for 'Cornelia'.
Of the two varieties, if I had to pick one it would be 'Cornelia', which has lovely foliage and habit and fragrance and flowers. But I've never grown 'Felicia' well; a really good plant of it might make it harder to choose between the two.
Melissa

Here is a photo of Cornelia as she gently lays her flowers on the ground. However having said that, she is ideal to soften a corner. I must confess I have never got down on my knees to see if she was fragrant.

What a beautiful rose! I wish I had the space or conditions ?? to grow her.

Lynn

This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 23:31

I agree with Melissa..Felicia is a shrubby plant and Cornelia has flexible canes that do well with support. For me Felicia is the best hybrid musk, the best repeater, and the most fragrant. It is an apricot pink to me. The darker reverses can lean towards coral. Mine is growing right next to Abraham Darby and the colors are often similar. I think afternoon shade helps keep the blooms from fading.
Felicia:

Erasmus--that is a beautiful rose! Thanks for sharing.

Kate

Wow, erasmus, that must be the most spectacular plant of Felicia I've ever seen. It also demonstrates that it does take quite some space, although well worth it.

Ingrid

Thank you! It can get bigger than that but branches will bend over if it rains when it is in full bloom. The plant in the picture is next to the hot street and gets morning sun. I had a second plant of Felicia in a dry spot in my garden and it was much smaller. Location can make such a difference .