Mme. Alfred Carriere is first to begin to bloom, often at the end of February, where we live, c. 7 miles east of San Francisco. Then all the China and Tea rosebushes bloom: starting with: Duchess de Brabant and Westside Road Cream Tea Archduke Charles Followed in c. 2 weeks by the rest of the Old Garden Tea rosebushes. Celine Forestier blooms then too, a rose I am madly in love with, so pretty with those large shallow cupped blooms surrounded by fresh pink rosebuds... and the fragrance!!! oooh-la-la! Gloire des Rosomanes begins bloom at the end of March, and I love its light but lovely and spicy scent. It was one of the first red roses I ever loved because I thought red roses appeared somber, but those artless cherry red blooms with their China rose white streaks seduced me. I found one bloom during the first week of April on my 'Belle Sultane' usually the Gallica roses bloom at the end of April or during May here. My Albertine has a few blooms too. Our bloom season for China, Old Garden Tea roses extends from the end of February through mid-December, we often get a warm spell during mid-January and most of the Tea and Tea-Noisettes will put out a medium flush c. 1/2 to 2/3rds of the main spring flush of bloom. Compared to Hybrid Tea rosebushes, I was delighted to see (though I feel I should feel abashed about this feeling, mea culpa) my neighbors front yard with only Hybrid Teas and modern roses has not a single bloom in it while my yard appears garlanded with an abundance of fragrant old garden Tea roses of pink, ivory, lemony yellow, peach and white all in mass profusion. While my friend and neighbor has ...poor thing... only rosebushes with leaves to show. She will have a garden of glory in late April when her Florabundas bloom fully followed in a couple weeks by her H.T.s. My companion flowers that begin to bloom in late March through April , and re-bloom several times each year ( in our warm climate) include Johnny-jump-up violas which surround Lady Hillingdon as do Forget -Me-Nots, I have several 'Electric Blue' Geraniums that Luanne gave me last year that are blooming around Mme. Berkeley. and re-bloom steadily. Parma violets bloom in winter here when the last Tea roses are blooming. Hybrid Tea roses with long stems bloom for an average of 28 to 33 days per flush X 3 flushes per year for a total of nearly 3 months a year. Florabundas bloom for a few days longer per flush: an average of 30 to 35 days per flush x slightly more than a month per flush, with an average bloom span of 3 and 1/2 months per year to nearly 4 months per year. Lady Hillingdon bloomed for more than 180 days during her first flush of the year with never being dead headed, and always with 33% to 100% of bloom output during that time. ( I had a spinal injury and had nothing to do for 2 years but count rose blossoms in a large garden ) Other than the China and Teas no one can match them for days of bloom per year but a handful of Tea-Hybrids, including: Pax' a white Hybrid Musk bred by Pemberton. 50% Old Garden Tea This blooms in winter here with the Tea roses, mentioned in January. Souvenir de la Malmaison' a Bourbon that is also 50% Old Garden Tea it has the shorter pedicles typical to Old Garden Teas which makes for rapid re-bloom. We just ordered a remontant 'Mock Orange ' (philladelphus) which is called 'White Sensation' I'm very excited about it, as it is the only re-blooming mock orange that I am aware of existing. I have a yellow chrysanthemum called "garland Chrysanthemum' that I got from a seed bank locally, and it blooms from April through late Autumn, it re-seeds easily and it provides a saturated yellow missing from the Tea rose class. It grows taller and wider than I'd like, though. Lux.

wow! that's cold ;). and they were producing flowers at these temps since dec? curious even more - how often do you water and with what water temp? were these in old last year pots overwintered in GH? so you did not disturb the roots? or were these repotted in the fall? wondering how are the roots growing at such low temps? i don't see many leaves on the pics. so it's just the blooms? i suppose 80F during the day raises the soil temps too somewhat?

Paul! It is So Good to see you posting. (How do your orchids???) Anyway, I'm pleased if I get 2 weeks. I currently have this thing where the umbels will open half the blooms, then store the rest for later! So, I get a month out of one umbel... But not really what you were looking for. None that I know of, is the answer I give you. Also, Buyer Beware with the people you are dealing with. If you get a healthy plant that you've been searching for, Bonus Points!!! Otherwise, mind your shipping and how the plant will benefit you, and buy accordingly. So Good to see you, Paul!

Hi, Bloom time for Oriental lilies is about two weeks, sometimes a little longer (but not much longer). So you can't count on them being still in bloom at the end of two weeks from now. They MAY be, it depends on how "ripe" the other buds look. Sometimes one bud will pop open early with a small lag before the others get started. But, if this is the start of your bloom then at two weeks they'll be starting to taper off. Blooms that are still around will be "mature" looking, with pollen dropping. Since its a wedding I'd make sure to have a "plan B" whether that be cutting these and refrigerating them or ordering some from a florist . Check with your florist about the amount of notice they would need so you can see how your Casa Blanca's are doing before ordering. If you cut and refrigerate your plants make sure to take them out of refrigeration with enough time for them to open up. Again, ask a florist. I just know that when I buy cut lilies that are mostly unopened buds it takes a few days for them to open up. Good Luck and Congratulations! -Helen