Why did nobody tell me about Jude The Obscure?!

6 years ago

I had a £27 voucher for the garden centre so we went today and picked up a Graham Thomas. I'm excited about him - he's got tons of buds and I've been wanting a big yellow rose. However, I almost bought a Jude the Obscure. The fragrance was extraordinary. Standing a few feet away, it emitted a wonderful sweetness. Up close, it was simply the most lovely rose scent I've ever experienced. The only reason I didn't buy it was that there was only one bloom on it and no other buds. The only other Jude had a broken cane. So I'll buy the Jude next week for sure -- I'm shocked I haven't heard more about this incredible beauty.

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nanadollZ7 SWIdaho

6 years ago

Yes, Jude takes a long time to really reached its potential. I've grow Jude for 13 years almost, and he can grow very large here (8-9f feet tall). Strangely, I'm not wild about the scent, but the blooms are quite unique and beautiful, as is their color. The rebloom could be better as well as the vase life (for me). I don't know if you have thrips, but Jude is never bothered by them. Diane

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Comments (26)

fduk_gw UK zone 3 (US zone 8)
6 years ago
Jude is justly famous for fragrance. Also for me at least, more disease resistant than GT, but it took a loooong time to really get going.
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Embothrium
6 years ago
If anybody had told you about her she would no longer be Obscure.
fig_insanity Z7b E TN
6 years ago
lol...ohhhh, Embothrium. You made me smile. Twice ;)
rosecanadian
6 years ago
Diane - that's incredible!!! Oh my goodness!!!!

And yes, Embothrium - good one!!

Carol
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
6 years ago
Gorgeous Diane!

I love the half open flowers..they are so frilly & fufu :)
KarenPA_6b
6 years ago
Diane, every pic of your Jude is always spectacular! I have always wonder is that one Jude or a group of Jude planted in that space? Is your Jude ownroot or grafted?
rosecanadian
6 years ago
Sultry - oh my!!! Truly spectacular!

Carol
nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
6 years ago
Karen, Jude is one rose and is grafted on Dr Huey. He came from David Austin 12-13 years ago. Thanks for your nice comment. He suffered some really bad damage this past awful winter we had, and is making his way back up size wise.

Thanks, sultry, and your Jude is gorgeous, too. Jude is just a handsome guy, right?

Diane

My Old but Favorite Pic of Jude
Jude and Frederic Mistral, together at last
rosecanadian
6 years ago
Diane - sigh, happy sigh :)

Carol
mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Hopefully Jude will do better for you than for me. Hated that rose with a passion. Grew him for over 10 years and hoped he would get better each year and finally live up to the hype around him. Never happened for me. Pretty much a once bloomer here. Color washed out in our sun immediately. Found scent much better on other roses. (if you want scent go with Brother Cadfael) Perhaps it is the heat where I live. So glad he is gone. Sorry, for me I found him not to live up to his press at all. Hope he works better for you.
barbarag_happy
6 years ago
My Jude still occupies a prime spot but I've tried everything to get him to build size and BLOOM. He's very stingy for me. I thought I could make up for our relentless humid heat by giving him plenty of water. Then tried harder pruning, then no pruning.

I love the luscious blooms and the unique fragrance so he stays. Wish there were more blooms and that he'd last in a vase better. Sigh.
totoro z7b Md
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Jude is one of my favorite roses. Love Lady of Shalott too. I have read that Jude likes loamy acidic soil.

My own root seems very vigorous in 3rd year

New shoots as blooms were ending
jjpeace (zone 5b Canada)
6 years ago
My Jude is the slowest of all the Austins I have. It is not very large or very shrubby. MIne will be in its fourth year and I will see what it does this year. I love the bloom shape but the colour fades very fast in my garden. It hasn't wowed me yet.
nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
6 years ago
Well, I have thin, alkaline soil (desert). So much for the loamy acids. But you have a lovely Jude, totoro. Just use lots of soil amendments and expect to wait a while for the payoff. Sometimes it isn't worth it, as in mustb's case. And I agree that Brother Cadfael smells better, mustb. Just my opinion, though. But that which is rare is often most desirable (I made that up). Oh, thanks Carol. You are so nice and supportive. Diane

One last pic...
rosecanadian
6 years ago
Oh come on, Diane!!! How in the world can you get it to be that fabulous!! I mean, really - there are no words!!

Carol
totoro z7b Md
6 years ago
Diane, I never tire of your photos of Jude which were the ones that inspired me to get mine.

In terms of repeat, I still have one more bloom from the first flush on the bush and the new growth already has many buds.
lavenderlacezone8
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I love Jude here and can't seem to stop buying him! I have dozens now and he deals well with heat as well as practically full shade.

Mine aren't as spectacular as Nanadoll's but my sandy soil ones greatly outperform my clay. I'm not even sure that I would like Jude if I only had my clay to judge, as the blooms are lighter and not as numerous. For those that don't like his performance, what kind of soil you have?

In my no-spray, his leaves are rarely perfect but he keeps pumping out the blooms so all is forgiven. I tell DH that I must have dozens because they only last a few days in the vase so I cut every day.

BTW, I love him so much that I've dug up and given away lots of well-behaved roses with perfect foliage to replace with Jude, who does drink a ton of water, gets bs sometimes, and shatters faster. But he has that X factor for me!
Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
6 years ago
Wow lavenderlace that is quite the good write up for Jude! And so interesting about the sandy soil. wonder if you can amend clay with sand or if that would make worse conditions for it ?

Lots of gorgeous photos here !!
lavenderlacezone8
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Lilyfinch, I can't believe that you saw this thread because I was thinking of you and your "dirty diapers Jude" as I wrote this! And wondering if it's the soil or the noses that are so different, LOL!

In any case, I've heard from some rose experts that Jude's roots are wimpy so maybe that's why he struggles in clay. Mine is definitely behind and kind of sad looking compared to the others that are so vigorous. The only good thing is that the height is half that as they are getting way too tall.

Of course, mine are own-root and that theory could go out the window with grafted I guess....hmmmm....
Sonic (6b)
6 years ago
I've just ordered Jude and will see how (s)he does in amended red clay.

Lilyfinch if one adds sand to clay typically it further reduces drainage and turns it even more concrete-ish when it dries out. If one adds sand along with other amendments then coarse contractor sand does help, but organic matter like compost or peat is much much better. I don't till as a general rule, for a variety of reasons, and trying to till clay can be an exercise in frustration anyway if it's too wet or dry (nearly always) but there is still much benefit to just adding the layers of amendments on top.

Over time as they break down it will help improve the soil. Another good thing for clay, if you know of a farm near by, is goat or alpaca pellets (poo.) It's low in nitrogen, doesn't tend to harm sensitive roots (generally speaking) it doesn't need long aging like horse, rabbit, or chicken manure, and is easy to work with.
totoro z7b Md
6 years ago
I have clay, but I heavily amended Jude's planting hole with Perlite and compost. Mine is own root. I put some clay on top for minerals and to buffer the acid rain. I also put banana peels just under the surface for potassium.
Zack Lau Z6 Connecticut
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I have a big clay pot for a backyard. Watering every day isn't going to help the roses get big. I tried that one summer. The soil needs to dry out so the roots get oxygen. It helps to add lots of organic matter. For me, the cheapest option is leaf compost. In the fall I grind up leaves and put them in a huge compost pile. In the summer I add grass clippings. In a year or two I get really good compost, which I use to amend new plantings or top dress on old beds.
Sonic (6b)
6 years ago
That's exactly how I make my compost too. Shredded leaves, grass clippings, shredded paper (junk mail) and whatever else I can find to toss in the pile.

Nothing beats good compost. :)
nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
6 years ago
Just going to add that Jude the Obscure is a guy. He is the main character in a Thomas Hardy novel written many years ago. And dear Young Lycidas is a guy, too, and the subject of a poem by John Milton. I'll bet you all wanted to know those factoids (if you majored in English Lit , I'm sure you knew them already). Diane
Sonic (6b)
6 years ago
Thanks Diane, I did want to know those details!

-sonic did not major in English Lit... :)