Kate, while I have both, I can't comment on Charles de Gaulle's overall performance yet, since it is the first season, the blooms were just the lavender color I was expecting though. I "LOVE" Love Song, the blooms rarely look anything but lavender to me and it is one of those roses that looks pretty in full bloom, even though the lavender is a lighter shade they really stand out, the blooms are always full size and it has been one of my best roses for repeat bloom. I haven't noticed much blackspot at all, but I don't think I've had as serious a problem with blackspot as some do. If it has any fault, it would be that it does seem to be somewhat tender. I have had my two since 2013. One of mine died back to the ground, but came back just fine, the other did have to be pruned quite a bit, but they are both healthy.

Thank you, Sara, for that information. Very helpful.

If anyone else wants to contribute to the discussion, please feel free. I'm really starting to get excited about these two roses.

Kate

I love "Love Song", and I concur with everything Sara says about LS except for black spot issues. Since we don't have blackspot here, I have no knowledge of how LS responds to fungal problems. I got my first LS last year and liked it so well I bought another one which has been in the ground three months and has been blooming away off and on, while vigorously growing. Love Song has large, lush blooms which are hold up well in our dry heat, especially for a lavender rose, and LS is always a very consistent lavender which doesn't fade and shows up beautifully on the plant. I would cold protect LS its first year because I agree with Sara that it's on the tender side.

I don't have Charles de Gaulle so can't comment on this rose.

Here's a photo of Love Song's blooms when a mere baby. It's now three months old.

Diane

Love Song last year

Diane

Not to hijack your thread but what about Poseidon? I've heard that it has great resistance to BS & seems to be a pretty lavender, it's on my lust list.

Jane

Gorgeous pictures of Love Song, Diane! I'm looking forward to trying that one again own root (from Chamblees) since my grafted ones have bitten the dust in regular spots in the yard. I agree that it's a bit on the tender side, and I'll put it in my zone 6 pocket of the yard.

Charles de Gaulle has overwintered at least one year in my zone 6 pocket, so he's definitely worth a try for you. I find that he's a pretty consistent lavender with blue overtones, though my photos mostly show him looking pinker than he is in real life. I'd put the real color pretty close to what Diane's pictures show, with fewer petals and perhaps a shade lighter. Here's a sense of his color, though the picture looks a bit grainy.

Cynthia

Appreciate your additional comments, Diane and Cynthia. I do hope it is not too tender for my zone.

Jane, I'll check out Poseidon also. That is a completely new one to me.

Kate

Diane, your Love Song pictures are gorgeous, especially the first one!

Thanks so much, Sara. I'll tell my teen granddaughter--she's been my rose photographer since 2012. And, Cynthia, thanks to you, too for your nice comment. Chas is pretty good looking himself. I love lavender roses. Kate, hope you find the right ones for your garden. Diane

I was hoping to read more on Charles De Gaulle. It's a lavender I would love to see in person. Currently my 2 lavenders are Lagerfield and Angel Face.

I was lucky to see Love Song en masse during spring flush. A healthy floriferous Carruth rose. It was "pinker" than I'd expected.

Love Song - Carruth'11, florib.

Love Song has stayed lavender for me no matter the weather. You know Kansas ;-( I agree with everything Sara-Ann said...especially the part about winter protecting. My Love Song is in the middle of a huge flush right now and I do think the blooms last twice as long now that the nights are cool-ish. I have Poseidon and also Neptune and would recommend both of them also. All three are pretty clean even with all the rain this summer. I bought Poseidon and Neptune from Palatine so they are on Multiflora rootstock. The Love Song I bought from Chamblee that was own root was such a slow grower that I bought another that was grafted to Huey. I would kind of like to order one on Multiflora just to see if that improves winter hardiness.

I ordered Charles this year so it's good to hear so many great things about it!

I have both Love Song and Poseidon, I love them both very much. I am in zone 10a So CA. Both are pure lavendar. They bloom well and hold up in the dry heat. The reason I love having both is that I cut most flowers for inside. The two flowers are so similar that one arrangement made with both flowers looks great. I can hardly tell the difference between the two in the vase. They match perfectly and are great roses. I took a pic of a bouquet with both together on my phone but can't get it up here. Sorry

So the stems on Love Song are strong enough to be cuttings in a vase? Mine is only a year old but so far the stems are way to weak to be used for cuttings. I will be so pleased if over time the stems become stronger since the blooms are so pretty. About how long did it take before it had cutting stems?

Mine is about 2 years old, if that. They cut beautifully, the stems are strong and the picture I tried to post of the arrangment, the flowers were 5 days old. They don't look as perfect as when I picked them, but still beautiful. They will be great for picking. One of my best.

Did that work? Oh wow. I hope I can remember how I did that. Now remember Beth, these are about 5 days old if not more. But it shod give you some idea. This is a mix of Posidon and Love Song. I have most of the Love Songs facing the camera

Thanks so much, now I am excited! The blooms are so pretty and I now have hope that next spring I will be able to cut some for beautiful bouquets.

Oh you will. I bought mine local in 5 gal container. I was able to cut and display the blooms it arrived with! You will have lots for great cut flowers

Lisa, is your Poseidon own root or grafted. Mine is a grafted rose, which was planted in winter( July ) last year. It shot out 5' canes, but was very stingy with flowers. I don't think it lacked food or water as all the others in that bed were fine. Hoping it does better this year.

Kate, Charles de Gaul has been and continues to be a great rose, although I do realise that our climates are dissimilar. My old fellow has been a survivor of a couple of droughts, when he was very sadly neglected, but still managed to flower, although not profusely. Now that conditions are better for the present, the flowering has returned to normal. The flowers are always lavender for me, never pinkish. By the way, mine is a grafted rose ( Dr Huey)

Melodye

I don't know what they are on, but both my love song and Posidon are grafted. I bought them at a local nursery sale when every rose was $7. As you can imagine I went nuts. The roses all had "Weeks" tags on them, so I imagine they are on whatever Weeks uses for warm climates.

Lisa, I love the cheerful daises you paired with the roses.