I got one this year from Long Ago Roses. I ordered 'Gruss an Teplitz' but what came had a couple pink blooms on it. I also noticed fringed stipules. I sent pics to Linda, and she said to watch and see if it had "normal" red blooms. It didn't bloom again in its pot -- but grew and grew. I sent pics again a couple months later, and we figured out what it was -- 'Lavender Lassie'. It turns out that Linda had LL growing where GaT was planted, but had previously dug it out. Apparently, a bit of root survived, and was growing through GaT -- and that was what she propagated. I have no room for it here, so I donated it to the church where I'm going to plant more roses next year. It's not exactly date-appropriate, but it has "that look". LL was planted at the base of a very old and dying-back Hibiscus syriacus that looks more like a tree than a shrub as its dead parts have been cut back, and LL will eventually climb into it.

:-)

~Christopher

I bought a mislabelled potted rose last year, when I was replacing my much-loved French Lace. It has turned out to be a very beautiful floribunda with a lot of, I think, Kordes characteristics. No idea of the name but it is a keeper. I did order French Lace this year and did get the correct rose, this time

My first mystery rose from Rogue Valley has been ID'd as About Face. I just received another, I won't know until next year. Also, a group of us went to a friends yard and dug up roses. Most of them were not labelled, so we had fun IDing them when they bloomed. I had Topaz Jewel and Giggles and Christopher Columbus.

I was sent a plant that was supposed to be the bush form of 'Old Blush' by The Uncommon Rose. It turned out to be a climbing China (12'+) with small pink double flowers that blooms, literally, all year round. It is tough and it is charming and I have never been able to put a name to it, even poring over The Uncommon Rose's old catalogs/archives. Flowers about 1.5" diameter, slight sweet-pea scent.

That sounds like fun Buford, glad the roses went to good homes. I hate to think how many plants get wasted, while someone else searches for it or saves up the $ for it .

Ozmelody, I love your mystery rose. I've had French Lace on my list many times but so far it wasn't in stock or removed from the list in favor of something else. Another I keep wanting is Louisa Stone(Gunivere). It's been so hard to find. I love creamy blooms, they just look so classy. So far French Lace hasn't been purchased, but maybe someday. I do have Cream Veranda(2) and Cream Abundance and hope they will make for some of those classy flowers.

So far my mystery rose looks most like my Salet but not quite so many tiny prickels. It has large pale leaves and a strange "antler-like" form to it. Somewhere I read Paul Barden describe the bands of some class of rose as "antler-like", and that is just how this mystery rose looks. I love the surprise, the anticipation, the possibilities. I really love the idea of watching it and researching the possibilities.

Years ago I ordered Altissimo from Heritage Roses in Oregon. Don't know what I was thinking of - that red red color was actually not good for the spot I had in mind. Anyway, it came and I planted it and it grew. Same exact growth pattern as Altissimo - LFC which I trained sideways on a fence. Ha! when it bloomed it was a lovely peach color which faded to pink, which was PERFECT for that spot. Never a red bloom at all. I finally figured out that they had sent me Summer Wine by mistake, which was so lucky for me! Here is a pic of the Summer Wine:

Jackie

I have 2 mystery roses, the first one I ordered from Heirloom as William Baffin, I thought those hot pink flowers would look good on my purple garage, ha! It turned out to be a white, once blooming climber, very pretty but not what I ordered. We have named it Mrs William Baffin. The second one (from one of Vintage's last sales)was labeled Marguerite Hilling, a pink sport of Nevada, well I think it may be Nevada, it has huge white blooms, I may need to move it (again) if it gets as large as reputed. Not bad for mistakes.

Jane

I've had only one mislabeled rose in 20 years but it's not worth mentioning because I don't think it is very promising. I got it from Loubert instead of Adèle Heu and I think it may be a bourbon. But a friend of mine who is a dedicated rustler has given me several roses that have proven to be very good. Nobody knows what they really are. One goes by the name "Hilda's White" locally and was classed as a gallica and it has been suggested that it's really La Neige. The other is another gallica named for the road where it was found in a ditch. They are two very vigourous roses and I'm glad to have them.

If anyone should recognize them I would be very grateful.

I forgot that I got a mislabeled rose instead of Paul Barden's Marianne from Rogue Valley Roses and wonder if anybody recognizes it? It hasn't grown much since 2011 so I think it may be too tender for my climate.

About 25 years ago, we got a rose from Bob Edberg, when he was operating Limberlost Roses, in the San Fernando Valley. He said it was 'Mrs. R.G. Sharman-Crawford'.

It was a WOW in our conditions. In our ignorance, we planted it under a massive seedling avocado. In defiance of every bit of rose advice, it flourished. It grew huge, and bloomed heavily. We entered it in rose shows, and won trophies.

Then, someone told us that modern research revealed that it was 'Cornet' -- a mid 1800's Hybrid Perpetual. So, we changed the name, and won trophies with it as 'Cornet.'

Then, it turned out that no one really thought it was either one of those roses, but should be study named "Barbara Worl." So we changed the name, and won trophies with it as "Grandmother's Hat". (Or, maybe "Barbara Worl".)

We still don't know what it is, but it's the best rose we've ever grown. We've propagated it, and we grow it in many places in the garden, but it's STILL our top rose, and I don't care what it is -- "really".

Wow Jeri, it is beautiful. What a lovely mistake.

Gorgeous, Jeri.

LOVE your roses, Marianne.

I received Mutabilis instead of the hybrid musk Felicia. I am very pleased with the Mutabilis but hope it survives in my Zone 7a.

I got Cornelia two years in a row, from two different sellers. Both times it was supposed to be Felicia. I kept the first one and it is a very nice rose. The pollinators really seem to like it and while the fragrance isn't as nice as Felicia's, it's certainly there. Its growth habit is a little awkward for me because I don't have much space. I'm currently trying to train it up an Obelisk. I managed to get a refund for the second one and gave it to a friend.

I finally went and bought a potted Felicia in the summer so I could be 100% certain that it was the right one.

I may have to do that! Seems like Felicia is hard to come by!