They're not perfect, some are more thrip damaged than others, but I mean really... they're still just fantastic.

Luckily there isn't a pest that damages fragrance. ;-)

What a stunning bouquet with so little effort. Was this bouquet on the end of a candelabra? I'm going to be doing the same thing to my Golden Celebration which has multiple huge candelabra, but I've been holding off because I'm overloaded with peony bouquets! I had to relieve Sarah Bernhardt of her blooms which were all over the ground, despite an ineffective hoop. I will say peonies last a long time in a vase, and there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. I hope you have more of these one or two cut bouquets. Diane

Diane you're always so encouraging. I enjoy you on these forums so much! Yes they were candelabras I guess... honestly didn't realize that's what they're called, but it is appropriate. Too much of a good thing? I'm not familiar with that concept, but that must be why my husband keeps telling me I have to give more bouquets away. ;-)

There are still quite a few candelabras budding on my Pretty Lady Roses so there are sure to be more.

I don't know what I did to get all this wonderful growth, or if Pretty Lady Rose is just a very generous bloomer and grower, but if all I have to do is 'nothing' to create this... I'm pretty sure I can continue to manage that. ;-)

Wow, that is a great looking bouquet! Just two stems, you say? That's great! If Alnwick Castle was good for cutting, I might be able to pull off something similar. Sadly, I've learned to just leave them on the bush, as they don't last at all. You have a(nother) great looking rose there, Cori Ann. Lisa

Thanks Lisa. I'm not quite sure if I can take the credit for this one since I have done nothing for it... perhaps I can take credit for simply choosing the right spot for it so it can do its own thing. ;-)

Very pretty! Thanks for the pictures. This is one of the first roses I'm putting in my new rose garden. I bought three at High Country Roses to use as a border to the garden.

Phenomenal, Cori Ann! Can you please describe the fragrance of Pretty Lady? How long before petal drop in the garden?

BTW, when will you take us on a walking, photo tour of your new garden? I know I speak on behalf of your fellow Roses Forum family in my request. I also know at this time the summer doldrums are upon California gardens, so please keep my request in mind so that when you deem it is the right time to oblige me (us), it will be quite a feast for the eyes for us.

Moses

Moses you are so full of compliments! I would say that spring 3 years away is probably the best time, but I'm sure I will provide a photo walking tour before then. :-)

Pretty Lady Rose is very, very fragrant and because there are so many blooms, it wafts and the fragrance drifts all over the front yard. HMF says mildly fragrant, but I completely disagree with that. Some other descriptions say strong peony fragrance... I don't know about that because I have never lived in an area where peonies really grow. I would say it has a very rich, sweet, rosy fragrance. Not too citrus-y. Maybe also a little spicy with the sweetness. It's really a lovely, rich fragrance.

The flowers last a LONG time in the garden, over a week even in my heat (they do have shade though). They last longer when it isn't as hot....but I can't seem to get them to last as long in the vase. When the blooms are done the petals fall clean. It's a great front yard rose because it just blooms and blooms and grows and grows, even though I don't really pamper my front yard. They have to look good on their own and fend for themselves pretty much.

The blooms are very frilly with lots of and lots of petals. Also...The foliage is almost too perfect! So very healthy. I got very lucky with this impulse purchase! I initially bought them because of their perfect foliage. Its just a joy to have such an easy, generous rose.

Great looking bouquet and rose photos Cori Ann!

Good work Cori Ann! If you like these large heads of HT roses you should also try Barbra Streisand. She does this consistently for me.

Thanks Fragrancenutter. I have Barbra Streisand. Love her. :-)

Pretty Lady Rose has been growing faster so far, but I'm sure Barbra will catch up at some point.

Here are a few bush shots from May 10. Looking back, I realized these bushes doubled in size from a month ago. Blooms were great then too, and have only become even more generous over the past month.

What a beautiful bush, Cori-Ann. How big do those blooms get? I don't grow Pretty Lady, but it reminds me of its parent, Grande Dame...extremely vigorous, fragrant, spotless, and a blooming fool!

I bought Grande Dame a couple months after Pretty Lady and for some reason it hasn't taken off as well. It's still wonderful... but growth seems average and has required some care, while Pretty Lady has grown so much and been so healthy with pretty much neglect on my part. It may just be the place I planted them though.

Let me see if I can get you a scale...blooms are about a two inches smaller now than earlier in the spring (before 100+ heat hit). The close up of the bloom above was about 6 inches across. Maybe a little more. Currently they are about 4.

Pretty Lady Rose

And here's Grande Dame. Bloom size is about the same, maybe a little bigger but looser with less petals and not as frilly. Foliage is similar, but a little more matte on Grande Dame. Fragrance is similar in scent, but Pretty Lady Rose is much stronger in my yard. Both are wonderful and worth having. :-)

Grande Dame

Thanks so much Cori-Ann, what a great detailed comparison, I really did ask the right person. Interesting that all the literature on Pretty Lady led me to believe it was a moderate sized bloom with a just ok fragrance, (more like a deep-pink Knock Out), that's why I did not have much interest in it. More fragrant and productive than Grande Dame?! That is some rare territory. Yours makes me want to find a spot for it right now!

Happy to help. :-)

Cori Ann, those are such gorgeous bouquets and blooms of Pretty Lady. I too love this rose, foliage, bloom, color, and fragrance - I guess basically everything about it. I am just wondering are yours grafted or own root? And if grafted, what rootstock is it? Thanks in advance!

Karen I bought them in person at Armstrong Nursery, which is a small chain here on the west coast. They're grafted... but the nursery didn't know what they were grafted on.

wow , what a timely post I was just sitting here trying to decide between Sophie's Rose and the pretty lady Rose. So what you posted has made my decision for me and I also just posted a question about High Country roses and you've answered that as well so I think I'll go ahead and order it thank you again for your beautiful photos that's really pushed me over the edge to ordering it and I certainly hope mine look as fabulous as yours do

Kristine,

Here is a picture of an assortment I bought from High Country Roses. Pretty Lady Rose is on the left.

Thank you very much . That is good confirmation on what I was hoping to hear so I'm going to go in and order it right now. and I guess I'm not taking the advice very well from our good friend Beth who said quit ordering Roses. Lol

Wow your Pretty Lady Rose is amazing! What a gorgeous bouquet as well! Enjoy!

Cori Ann, your leaves look so healthy and huge. Here's a video of Pretty Lady Rose at the San Jose Rose garden. I love the color and it reminds me of a floribunda with the sprays of blooms, but it is registered as a hybrid tea. Cori Ann, would you say there is usually just one bloom per stem?

Thanks Jasmine. Well... each of those candelabra stems/canes have about one dozen blooms and one dozen buds... so 2 dozen on each. You could cut the stems/canes shorter and each would have about 2-3 blooms per stem... and then maybe a few would have only 1 as well. I don't know if that's typical for this rose or if I somehow have ended up with amazing mutant versions. :-)

Here's a visual from today Jasmine. Diane informed me they are called candelabras, very fitting. This one is smaller than the others I cut before.

You can see how you could cut two stems and have a single rose on each... but the other has 1 bloom and about 8 buds. I could cut them even shorter I guess and have more singles for a little posey. So many blooms. Definitely not usually just one per stem on my Pretty Lady's Roses. :-)

Fantastic. It looks like it will need support with all those buds.

Maybe, but not so far on the others, which had more blooms & buds. They stay pretty upright. The canes are super thick and strong.

That's a good report for a young rose. Thanks.

Wow!!! What a fabulous endorsement!!! I was thinking that since I have Grande Dame (another blooming fool!!) that I didn't need to get Pretty Lady....but maybe I should!!! Wow!

Carol