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Ode to Grandmother's Hat

7 years ago

Honestly, of any rose in the abbey's collection, Grandmother's Hat has the earliest and most spectacular first flush. These photos cannot do it justice - it is a solid mass of these blooms. Our plant is 12 years old this year. We prune it "medium" each year, like all of our Hybrid Perpetuals. Next to teas, and some Austins, the Hybrid Perpetuals are among the best things we have.

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Dingo2001 - Z5 Chicagoland

7 years ago

I got Grandmother's Hat last year as a band. It was pretty small going into winter, and I honestly did not expect it to survive, but it has! Still pretty small, but hoping it gets going good this year!

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Comments (18)

fig_insanity Z7b E TN
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
My GH now has all of three canes, but I'm hoping it will push more basals in the next few weeks. Mine will probably never look like THAT, though, lol. Just...wow. GH is one of my all-time favorites. Did you see Jeri' photos of hers from a few days ago?

John
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
7 years ago
Wow! I need one.
Related Discussions
Grandmother's Hat again...
Q
Comments (3)
If I had to pick a "favorite" rose -- it would be this . . . We grow 12-14 plants of it, and many of those were suckers from the first one, which easily grew into big new plants. In our very mild climate, there are always a few blooms somewhere to enjoy -- and it's changeable enough in form and shade to provide a wonderful visual diversity. When the weather is particularly warm and damp, it -- yes -- gets some "crud" which is mainly blackspot. But it doesn't spread, and is usually reserved to the lowest canes. For the first several years that we grew it, we pruned "Grandmother's Hat" rather as we might a Grandiflora. But, eventually, we let her have her way, and grow to her preferred size. If you are so minded, you can grow this rose as a lovely informal hedge, or espalier her as a low climber. No -- I have read no new thoughts on what she might have been -- but I do know that she has been found in locations in both Northern and Southern California. We found her growing in an old garden, behind a victorian house on Mare Island, and Fred Boutin found her in Altadena, CA and also in Columbia, CA. She's been sold as "Grandmother's Hat," as 'Mrs. R.G. Sharman-Crawford', and as 'Cornet'. I've come to the conclusion that, personally, I don't care what she was, and "Grandmother's Hat" is a good enough name for me.
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Grandmother's Hat as a climber?
Q
Comments (2)
Thanks! Great idea. I posted over there. For whatever reason I'm getting a 404 when I try to edit this post. :-(
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Grandmother’s hat vs Bishop’s Castle
Q
Comments (6)
What Roseseek said . . . But also . . . Grandmother's Hat doesn't have Octopus arms. It bells out GENTLY, but it is eventually upright. A slightly rounded urn shape. The canes have good substance, and don't flop about. As he noted, there are very few thorns. the canes are largely smooth, and easy to work (or walk) around. As to the suckering ... it happens JUST often enough to provide a recurrent source of new, rooted plants. We've taken advantage of that to share our original rose with many other people over the years, which is an additional joy.
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"Grandmother's Hat" is back!
Q
Comments (10)
Absolutely gorgeous pics Jeri! Thank you for posting them. Sigh, sadly, location-location-location. For those of you who are tempted but happen to live in the Mid-Atlantic states, GRANDMOTHER'S HAT was a black spot disaster for me in Maryland USDA Zone 7a - and yes I sprayed, with two fungicides. In the five years that I grew her, the spindly, nearly thornless, shrub never got above two feet. She had no vigor growing on her own roots compared with the found Bourbon MAGGIE that was also own root and planted the same year in the same bed that had its soil amended to improve drainage and fertility. MAGGIE exploded into a robust four foot shrub within two months with good-to-very-good remontancy. I didn't crowd the roses either because I assumed they would become big shrubs. GH rarely rebloomed and always flopped the blooms into the mulch (weak necks). Such a shame because as you can see the blooms are extraordinarily beautiful. Sinfully fragrant too. I'm not kidding. INTENSE, knock your shocks off, fragrance that rosarians dream about. I got my own root GH from Annies Annuals.
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ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
7 years ago
Gorgeous pictures of a wonderful rose, especially the third one with the nice backdrop.
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
7 years ago
Stunning!!
jacqueline9CA
7 years ago
Yes, and if you just stick a pruning cutting in the ground (at least in our climate) and give it some water, it WILL root (so be careful where you put it!).

jackie
Prettypetals_GA_7-8
7 years ago
I need one too. I need to check bc I ordered two diff ones this year with grandmother in the name. Hope it's one of them.
jerome
Original Author
7 years ago
We have a bunch of rooted cuttings in our "pot ghetto" which are maturing for the new site. It's a spectacular rose.
jerijen
7 years ago
Jerome -- You couldn't have made me happier.
kittymoonbeam
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
These pictures are stunning. Look at the number of buds and flowers! I think this Easter will be beautiful for all our local gardens. Thanks for sharing pictures with us. Happy thoughts for everyone at St. Michael's while we celebrate and give thanks for all the gifts God has given to us.
portlandmysteryrose
7 years ago
Why don't I have GH? Thank you for the wonderful photos and praise of GH! Carol
Nor
7 years ago
Hi,

It doesn't look like Heirloom or Chamblees carry it. Does anyone know who does?

Thanks-Nur
Lisa Adams
7 years ago
I think I need one on my slope! Lisa
Tessiess, SoCal Inland, 9b, 1272' elev
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Annie's Annuals carries Grandmother's Hat. They had it in stock recently, but I haven't checked to see if it is still in stock. I've ordered plants other than roses from Annie's and the plants are wonderful. 11:25am edit, Annie's is sold out right now, but you can add it to a wish list on the site. I added a link to the Grandmother's Hat page at AA.
John (PNW zone 8)
7 years ago
Nur, it looks like Rogue Valley Roses shows it in stock on their website. Maybe also check with Burlington Roses and Long Ago Roses on current availability. Good luck! I wish I had room for it in my garden.
jerome
Original Author
7 years ago
I would be curious to know how it does in other climate zones and for disease resistance elsewhere. Here it's clean. Could it survive in, say, Illinois?
John (PNW zone 8)
7 years ago
Houses are often built on large lots in the Midwest, so that's where large roses like this should be grown! Maybe I'll send one to my sister in Iowa, zone 4. Reine des Violettes does very well for her out there, so I suspect Grandmother's Hat would, too.
jerijen
7 years ago
JohnPNW -- It would be very interesting to find out. And I should note, FWIW, that Annie's Annuals has GramHat and will mail order.

But I should also note that she can blackspot ... and in my more congested areas, did that, in our surprisingly wet spring.

Thatss OK. We're drying out at Flank Speed.

JEROME! Email me! I need to talk to you!

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