Which rose? Scepter'd Isle, Mayflower, or James Galway?
Comments (14)
boncrow66
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Newbie - Which Austin roses are good to start with?
Comments (18)Amanda, I think I know your climate pretty well and most Austins should grow just fine for you but some will establish faster. For a crimson, you can't go wrong with William Shakespeare 2000. David Austin still considers it his best crimson and there is good reason why so many forumers have already recommended it! It does grow wider than tall, mine is 5 x 3.5 feet in his second season in the ground and very tolerant of pruning. The look and fragrance are superb. For a (light) pink with the old-fashioned look, I would second Eglantyne. A vigorous, pretty bush bearing abundant, luscious, very large blooms. Although the scent is described as "delicate", it's much more fragrant than I expected and a winner in every respect (this is based on only her first season in my garden!). I also have Gentle Hermione, the scent has a touch of the famous myrrh, I love it but it's not everybody's cup of tea! It's very disease resistant, does not spoil in the rain and a gorgeous powder pink with slightly paler outer petals. The Alnwick Rose is also gorgeous, slightly deeper pink veering towards apricot, great fruity fragrance, growth a bit less vigorous (will take longer to achieve size). James Galway is another splendid, fragrant pink rose but the flower shape and petal consistency is quite different from the classic English rose. It's a very strong grower if you wanted to try a climber type. The Mayflower is dainty and reliable, but maybe not the flower shape you're after. I got Evelyn last winter so cannot comment on her, but she's supposed to be difficult to grow well. If you want a deeper pink, you must try Gertrude Jekyll. She does not always suit conditions in the States, but she's very happy here for us and I think would be equally great for you. One of the most outstanding in the fragrance department and a show-stopper when in full bloom (which is constantly here). If you can grow her against a wall and train the canes horizontally, you will be amazed! On second thoughts, you must try Gertrude!!! None of my whites are Austins, so I cannot make any suggestions but I'm sure there are many great ones. And finally, don't worry about growing roses well. They are among the easiest of plants to grow. Just give your new plants the best soil you can, a good sunny spot and time to establish. The rest will follow. Have fun choosing! MayBee...See Morepale pink/white Austin? Eglantyne/Scepter'd Isle/Sharifa?
Comments (14)Thanks for the suggestions--Sounds like either Sharifa or Scepter would work well in his area and the look and scent of Sharifa sound wonderful. I was a little worried about the disease resistance or heat tolerance of Sharifa Asma in his central valley/Orinda location, but if it does well for you in Texas and So Cal it should be okay. The book says Sharifa's growth is upright and comparatively short, so it should go well in his beds that have other perennials if that is true in warm climates. I'm eyeing a couple of under-performers in my own garden at the moment for an SP (Mayflower-boring and Grace-sulking/wilts in heat) and considering adding these here in St. Louis, although I already grow about 3 dozen Austin varieties...so many pretty kinds to choose from... It has to be an Austin for sentimental reasons and I've had good success using DA in Tx to send gifts--comes like a beautiful flowering plant in a pot like you got it from a florist to enjoy immediately but can still be put in the garden later, so he'll have time if he's too busy to deal with it immediately. So I'm leaning toward Sharifa, unless anyone thinks it won't perform there......See MoreBest rose for the vase & bouquets of no-spray roses
Comments (282)ann beck 8a ruralish WA How does your soil look like, being high in iron? The top layer of my soil is black and rock hard clay, but the lowest layer is lighter color clay (orangish), and red roses do well here. Red roses like Double Delight & Munstead Wood both have a higher need for iron. I check the web, and it stated: "The most distinctive characteristic of an iron-rich soil is a ruddy orange or red color, though not all red soils are rich in iron. When the iron deposits in the soil oxidize, they turn a distinctive rust color that tints the soil red. " In early summer when the stems of cut-blooms are softer, they wilt easily if I use acidic rain. My cut-blooms always last longer in my alkaline tap water at pH 9, rather than acidic rain water. My tap water leaves whitish calcium and hard magnesium deposits on pots. We have hard well water, and our soil is high in dolomitic rocks (calcium plus magnesium). In the fall when the stems are harder, cut blooms can tolerate acidic rain water better with less wilting. Below are some recent cut blooms this Sept. 2022. Dark red are Munstead Wood, it's a constant bloomer as 8th-year own root, light pink is Princess Charlene d. Monaco (4th-year own-root), and whites are 12th-year own-root Mary Magdalene, lowest ruffled pink are Augusta Luis: The Dark Lady (red), Tchaikosky (light yellow), and Sweet Mademoiselle (salmon) are heavy bloomers this Sept. Tchaikosky is 4.5" across and Sweet M is 4". They are fertilized with biochar at pH 8.6 which supplies calcium and potassium for large blooms....See MoreHow many roses are you ordering for spring? (which ones)
Comments (225)@vaporvac - not sure if they are completely dead yet. But they look mighty sad. I did plant them deep, so there is the hope of growth from below. It's not just the kordes though, it's everything else too - carruths, meillands, etc. I just had heard so many things about Kordes hardiness that I was shocked to see them dead to the ground. Poisedon, Cherry Lady (aka. fiji) & Summer Sun look terrible. However, Rosanna has buds starting on her lower canes already. But I will get out this week and start pruning away & see what happens. The austins have at least a few inches to a foot above the ground & the canadian roses have plenty of green. I do want to make a proper list of the roses that have some good starting cane left though for records. I was surprised to see a lot of green on Bolero & Wild Blue Yonder....See Morelizzie2539
8 years ago
nikthegreek
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
Maria (S. FL. zone 10a)
8 years ago
Anne Zone 7a Northern CA
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoScepter'd Isle is probably my favorite of the David Austins I have. It is simpler than most but it blooms away and the fragrance is so fabulous. I have it in part shade and it is healthy and happy. I didn't expect to like it as much as I do. I don't have the other two you mentioned. It usually blooms in twin pairs on mine as in the picture.
pat_bamaz7
8 years agoNik is right, as the blooms age on mine, they open to reveal their stamens & hot weather blooms have fewer petals (my pics above were from spring, so more petals & heavier than average flush). And Nik is right about the thorns, too...I looked at mine this morning, and it isn't excessively thorny. Also should mention, the blooms blow pretty quickly in high heat, but mine blooms a lot, so usually more are opening as the older ones blow. Here is a bloom shot from hot July where mine look much like Anne's above:
dublinbay z6 (KS)
8 years agoI agree with most of things written about Scepter'd Isle (above), so I'll just show you a picture of her when she is "looser."
Scepter'd Isle
I grew Mayflower for a number of years. It was a dependable bloomer (always the first of the season) and rebloomer, and it has one decided advantage over Scepter'd Isle--Mayflower has excellent bs resistance, whereas Scepter'd Isle is periodically susceptible to BS (but not a disease magnet). My problem with Mayflower is that while the bloom is pretty, it awakens no song in my heart--whereas the blooms of Scepter'd Isle do.
Mayflower
I don't remember problems with thorns on either of them.
I've never grown the third rose you mention.
Kate
lizzie2539
8 years ago
arlene_82 (zone 6 OH)
8 years agofrom south
7 years ago
Is this the Mayflower? The bloom is 1 day old. I know this is DA rose just trying to determine which one. The center is yellow. Later in the summer, the blooms tend to get more pale pink.
erasmus_gw
7 years agoI love Scepter'd Isle. It is not terribly bs prone and I don't think it's that thorny. James Galway is one I've wanted for a long time.
Scepter'd Isle growing in some shade:
arlene_82 (zone 6 OH)
7 years agodublinbay z6 (KS)
7 years ago
pat_bamaz7