Full bloom

I found this picture in Houzz website

it could be Wife of Bath

looks very similar

Yours looks like mine, which also came from Hortico. I thought it is the correct rose as it fit in the small, compact, upright description

If you are describing Pretty Jessica as "small, compact, upright," that is not exactly correct. My PJ (about 6-7 years old) is about 4.5 to 5 ft tall--not as wide as it is tall but maybe 3 ft wide--so kinda upright. Compact it is not.

The blooms of PJ are some of the most fully packed ones I've ever seen--can't even get fully opened sometimes. Here are a couple pics of them when my PJ was younger.

Pretty Jessica 2016

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Pretty Jessica 2014--look how "fully packed" that bloom is. That is about as much as it ever opens. Don't think I've ever seen yellow stamens showing.

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Pretty Jessica--2012--love these big FAT buds

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Pretty Jessica--2012. Typical rounded "open" state.

It's one fault, in my opinion, is that the outer leaves often refuse to open(see brown around the edges), despite the pressure from the "fully packed" interior. I often have to take a few minutes to gently rub my thumbs down the out side of the blooms to get them to open up and "release" the inner petals.

I don't know what your rose is, but I doubt it is Pretty Jessica--unless I've been growing the wrong rose for half a dozen years or more.

Kate

Mustbe, not only do I love your PJ, I love your hanging lanterns

What a cool look

Wow, mustbenuts--is your's a bloomer!

That reminds me--if there is one thing I could change, I'd give my Pretty Jessica a couple more hours of sun. She is getting just barely enough--which perhaps accounts for why she has trouble at times opening up as much as mustbenuts' PJ blooms do. And she might produce even more blooms with more sun.

FADI--looking again at your first pic, I might agree that is Pretty Jessica, but when I look at your other pics showing the yellow stamens, I just don't remember PJ ever doing that. Now Scepter'd Isle--there's a rose that flaunts its yellow stamens--and most beautifully, I might add--but not PJ.

Kate

Fadi - I think you have Pretty Jessica. I have three that I got from Hortico as well. The collage is from its first bloom (spring 2017). Mine are still about 2ft tall starting their second year in part/sun, part shade.

I'm finding that for some Austin roses, it takes one to two years for the rose to develop enough to where the blooms show their fullness. For example, my Strawberry Hill (starting its third year) and Bishop's Castle (starting second year) are now producing as many petals as they are capable of and looking more like the photos from the DA website.

I hope my PJs grow up to be as lovely as mustb's and Kay's which are beautiful!

Ann

Thank you all for your nice comments on my PJ. The pictures I posted, all except one, were from prior years. This year my PJ has been COVERED in blooms. I think it was the cooler than normal spring. She has been magnificent this year. She is on her own root and just keeps getting better and better each year. A magnificent rose!

Fadi please do keep this alive! I have a little rooted cutting that I'm nursing along that started budding. It took everything I had to pinch that bud and let it grow roots, but I'll probably weaken later this summer so it will be good to compare with another young pretty Jessica.

I got mine as a small gallon sized in April and this was the first bloom on it.

I'm loving all of these rose pictures!!! Gardennut - your pic is beautiful!! My PJ has been sucky for 2 years straight. I repotted it into another mixture...and I'm hoping for better.

CArol

Wow, pretty Jessica is a beauty

Mine looks very different from Kate’s. Mine is not tightly packed, and has an airy, glowy, loose appearance to it. Third season plant. Going out to grab a few pictures.

Gorgeous, Farmerduck! Swoon!

Carol

I went out and took a few new pictures of PJ. She is on her second flush. I noticed that as the blooms age, you can see yellow stamens in the center of the flower.

Farmer Duck your PJ is beautiful! Garden Nut, your PJ is gorgeous as well! Love seeing everyone's pictures.

PJ does take some time to come into her own. It took me about three years before she became a standout in my front garden. Everyone loves her flowers and her scent.

Farmerduck-if you look closely, you will see that I described PJ's blooms as "fully packed"--not "tightly" packed. From what I can see in your pics, your PJ has "fully packed" blooms also, as does Mustnuts above.

Maybe I need to find a different phrase to describe more clearly what I'm trying to say about the high petal count in PJ's blooms.

Oh well--she is a pretty one, isn't she. : )

Kate

Mustbnuts - wow!! That's amazing!! My PJ has only had about 2 flowers in over 3 years...and they've been crappy flowers. I repotted it in a different medium, and it's just sitting there (hopefully, at least, growing roots. It's gone after this season unless it perks up at least a little. I would love to have mine be like everyone else's here. :)

Carol

Update on my Pretty Jessica

This is her second flush since it was planted in April. Her growth was modest but satisfactory. No fragrance to my nose so far. I think it looks like a Pretty Jessica but a young plant.

Looks nothing like mine...mine were very cupped and never opened flat. But that doesn't mean it's not PJ. Your flowers look scrumptious!!!

Carol

Where do I get this rose? It’s soo pretty !! Anyone have an idea ?

I agree, rosecanadian--mine were also very cupped and never opened flat.

Doesn't mean it couldn't in a different growing environment, however.

Kate

Lovely blooms Fadi! I love the shape and color of your PJ! I think it will eventually have fragrance.

Lilyfinch - I got my Pretty Jessica from Hortico (Canada). It's sold out for now but if you check the website in September or email them, you can find out when it will be available.

Ann

The color is correct but I also question others are truly PJ because her blooms, for me, remain cupped up until the petals drop.

Kate, is yours grafted or own root? I have 2 own root from Heirloom that have only reached 2 - 2 1/2 feet but this is only their 3rd season. I wouldn’t mind them growing a bit larger.

My Pretty Jessica plants have been some of the weakest plants in my garden. They're own root. I'm envious of these big plants in your pictures. I'd like to try one grafted. It's a beautiful rose and a good bloomer, just puny here.

Wow everyone’s pic of Pretty Jessica are swoon worthy gorgeous! Is it correct that David Austin no longer carries PJ?

My PJ is 3 year old own root from Heirloom as well. It is still 2 ft tall and never has more than a few blooms at once. I agree they stay cupped til the pool petals drop. Maybe this one does better grafted or maybe my clay soil needs to be amended more.

Farmerduck, what is the peach rose behind PJ?

Does anyone know if Hortico still carries Pretty Jessica? Thank you

You can always send them an email. :)

They don’t carry it anymore :(

Is anyone interested in exchanging cuttings? Thanks

anyone in Bay Area so I can get/buy the cut?

I’m getting two this summer from K and M roses, but it’s the last two they have for now. However, they have more rooting for this fall, so I suggest getting in touch with them.