Just planted one this past weekend so I await your posts! I understand fairly thorny and partial shade tolerant. I think it gets pretty big.

I've had Darlow's Enigma rose for quite a few years. After buying it on a whim I realized that it could get quite large so I looked for an out of the way place to plant it which turned out to be along the side fence near the back. Trees have since grown up to shade it except for a little afternoon sun.

It grows as a large arching shrub, but is not a house eater by any means. Mine, which gets very little extra irrigation or fertilizer, is about 6 or 7 ft tall and wide. Yes, very thorny, but even in shade it's never EVER has a diseased leaf of any kind. Plus in my climate it's evergreen

With so little care and hardly any sun mine blooms only in the spring with a sprinkling of flowers in the fall, or after a rain, but planted in the sun I understand it will bloom all season. It's fragrant too.

For me it's like an old friend; always there ... no matter what else comes and goes. It's more like a very dependable no care shrub than what most people think of as a rose. I love it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Darlow's Enigna Rose on HelpMeFind ...

roselee, is there any pictures of yours posted anywhere?
I read that it was very fragrant, bloomed all season and was shade tolerant. Sounded like I couldn't go wrong with it, but the size has me concerned about where to plant it.
I know you only kept a few of your roses, so I'm guessing you did keep this one.
Do you have "St. Helena Cemetery Very Double HT" rose
also?

This post was edited by ruthz on Wed, Mar 20, 13 at 0:02

I grew Darlow's Enigma from a band. It is now a large shrub. It probably should be in more sun - it gets morning sun and some afternoon sun. I think it would bloom better with more sun. I dont have problems with disease, this shrub takes care of itself. I have not had it cover itself with blooms like the photos in Helpmefind.com but it always seems to have little white blooms on it pretty much all the time. Its not a flashy shrub in my yard, but a dependeble rose - I like it alot.
Judith

Ruthz, yes, I kept Darlow's Enigma. I've never taken pictures of the whole shrub just the flowers ....

Wow, you remember "St. Helena Cemetery Very Double HT"! Yes, I kept one of the several I grew.
I hope it won't be lost. I've passed along cuttings to several people so perhaps it will indure. One thing
I like about it is how the intense fragrance wafts. If you are anywhere near it you are enveloped in fragrance.

Okay roselee, I'll have to fess up that I don't remember.
I'm trading for these two roses and he mentioned that he got cuttings of St. Helena Cemetery Very Double HT from someone in San Antonio. I immediately thought of you and guessed that maybe he got the cuttings from you.
I'm excited to grow it and would love to know more history on it.

Ruthz, I'm delighted to hear that you're getting cuttings of St. Helena Cemetery Very Double HT and that the person I sent cuttings to is passing it on! Keep it going..

Yes, I'd like to know the history on it as well. I got it from Ralph Moore's Sequoia Roses years ago when you could get bands for $6.00 plus $1.00 shipping. That's where I got Darlow's Enigma too.

Vintage Gardens lists SHCVDHT, but doesn't say who found it. I think St. Helena Cemetery is in California. Unfortunately, VG is closing and I don't know of any other nursery who is propagating it.