2018, most surprising rose. Biggest dissapointment
Comments (67)
cyndita (west coast zone 9)
5 years agoPics re my post above:
Lava Flow (not a great picture - it looked better in real life, & the blooms lasted a really long time on the plant):
Molineux:
Jude the Obscure:
Munstead Wood:
Boscobel, looking yellow with possible thrip damage at the upper left - things only got worse from here:
Kristine LeGault 8a pnw thanked cyndita (west coast zone 9)
Karen R. (9B SF Bay Area)
5 years agoSo many good roses this year - it was a great growing year in N. CA.
The good:
I absolutely had my socks blown off by my new Violets Pride. Hoping her blooms as a baby weren't a fluke, and she is as spectacular in 2019.
Koko Loko - just keeps getting better year after year. To have a "specialty" colored rose perform so well just delights me.
Bellaroma wins the prize for the best fragrance of 2018 in my garden (closely tied with Frederic Mistral).
And Pretty Lady for the best all-year bloomer
Dream Come True is making this list with it's end-of-year spectacle. Every bloom is different, and it clearly likes cooler weather. This fall it was spectacular.
This is what a spent bloom looks like. It had me rather "poo-poo" about the rose, but after this fall, I'm a "dreamer" again.
The ugly
Sugar Moon. This rose was such a disappointment especially since it has SO much potential. The fragrance is awesome. I had a small handful of blooms that were stunning. But the fast majority of blooms needed to bloom on 6'+ high single stalks. I think the name is because it heads to the moon before it spits out any blooms. Then most blooms ended up either vegetative, or chewed up looking, or with brown icky edges.
Proud Land. Ironic name - nothing proud about it. After moving it the third time, I don't know why I haven't pulled it up. It wins the prize for least # of blooms all year (thinking about it, I'm not sure I got any in 2018).
Dick Clark - I am so with you with this one Kristine. It's an enigma - extremely healthy, lots of blooms, blooms are very pretty for a few minutes. Then they just look awful.Kristine LeGault 8a pnw thanked Karen R. (9B SF Bay Area)Related Discussions
Your biggest spring surprise?
Comments (4)Among my new HTs that have bloomed, the most beautiful is 'Sedona'. When it comes to modern roses, I vastly prefer grafted plants. Unfortunately, 'Sedona' (like Pope JP2) seems to be one of those that's available only as an own root, or New Generation, or whatever). My 'Sedona' -- very small to begin with -- quickly became a one-cane wonder and will probably not be around much longer. However, the two blooms that one lone cane has managed to produced have been spectacular. Where's Dr. H when you need him?...See More2011 New Rose Plantings - Surprises and Disappointments
Comments (36)I realized that I didn't really answer the original question of the thread. I'm zone 9-10, SW 18. hot and dry summers, mild winters! Apologies as this is NOT the OGR forum and some of my faves are OGRs or old HTs. :) :) :) Ones I really liked this year: Lavender Lassie - I saw a charming specimin of this at Descanso Gardens that I feel in love with. It was absolutely wonderful. I bought a 2 gallon from ARE and planted at the end of 2010. She's put up at least two 5' or so canes with such beautiful clusters of blooms at the end. She seems really strong and vigorous. I can't wait to see what she does next year. La France Cl. - Just gets more beautiful and beautiful. It has some little bit of something that makes it more romantic than a typical hybrid tea to me. Mme Berard - So beautiful. Growing fast and blooming frequently. Tipsy Imperial Concubine Just a baby but keeps blooming! The blooms are such a lovely mix of colors. Sombrieul now in it's 2nd year it's really starting to throw up huge canes,... like 6 feet. I'm in love with it. It's blooms are so beautiful. They have it growing up a huge arbor at Descanso, it's to die for. So many petals... ! Duftendes Weisskirchen Planted 8/10 as a band... it's just a charming little thing. It's blooms are such a vibrant purplish hot pink. It wants to bloom all the time and just is very happy. Eden Cl. and James Galway cl both put on a LOT of growth and bloom this year (they were planted early '10) The Faun (Bossa Nova) this blooms more than anything in my yard and I love the fully double old-style blooms on it. I love the low shape of the bush. Great for a border plant so far. Archduke Charles I love you, Archduke! The blooms change color and even though it's perported to be a slow grower, I'm still getting some growth on mine. Such a charming thing. Madame Joseph Bonnaire the most beautiful creature. Threw out a couple big canes and a big root down through the pot and into the ground. A vigorous thing! Bounced back after I repotted it and I can't wait to see what it does next year after I get it in the ground. The blooms are GORGEOUS. Madame Alfred Carriere Despite being in partial shade, throwing up huge canes... can't wait to see what it does next year. Delicate beautiful flowers,... such strong growth! Dissappointments: Tiffany - an own-root since late '09... still super tiny and rather upset. Might replace it with a grafted one. William Shakespeare 2000 1 of 2 died and the 2nd one hasn't grown (both put in the ground early '10). I'll see what it does next year. Yves Paiget Had to pot because the bed wasn't ready and it outright died, almost immediately after getting it. :\...See MoreDissapointing /and/or pleasantly surprising fragrants this year?
Comments (20)This May at Rare Finds Nursery, near my home (specialists in the RHODODENDRON genus), I could hardly believe it, but I did indeed detect a light scent in the blossoms of a large pink rhododendron. It was not a scent that bowles one over, but it was present. What was more exhilarating than than the the plant's having fragrance in itself was the possibility for breeding a race of new fragrant Rhododendrons! This is something I very much wish for. I would love to hear of other Rhododendrons members of the forum have found to be scented. On the other hand, that same day, I was struck by a mature specimen of CALYCANTHUS 'Hartlage Wine', some ten feet tall. It was beyond beautiful. Surely it was the star of the day, and of the nursery, hung with burgundy party decoration blooms from top to bottom as it was, and all facing downward the better to be looked into - and smelled. To my dispair however, I could detect no fragrance from this thriving plant. None whatsoever. It may have been that I arrived at the wrong stage of the flowers' opening, at the wrong time of day or in the wrong weather, for I am told 'Hartlage Wine' has a "subtle fragrance" and blooms over a long season. (As with Hydrangea Panniculata, it may be easy to catch the plant in bloom, but past or before its time for releasing fragrance.) The cultivar in question, according to the experts, seems to be hybrid between the Asian Calycanthus (Sinocalycanthus) chinensis and our native C. floridus, something to which I was unaware prior to meeting 'Hartlage Wine' in person. This likely accounts for its lack-luster fragrance. I do not mean to say that the plant itself was a dissapointment - I think no one could, having once seen it - but I cannot love it on priciple. The true dissapointment to me was that 'Hartlage Wine' has been the Calycanthus endimanché of recent years, pushed by Waysides, etc, the sole cultivar available in trade, coveted by the Lady Gardeners Society, etc., ect., and that this variety alone should rise to prominence as a representative of the Sweet Shrub, the Strawberry Bush, a species that is, at its heart and soul an old fashioned, country, fragrant plant. As with any Calycanthus, my advice would be to smell before you purchase and plant, because scent is well known to vary even among specimens of the same variety. Find one that you love. Thankfully, there are still many fragrant Calycanthus to be enjoyed by those who will seek them out today. Best wishes, Matt Di Clemente As with any Calycanthus...See MoreBiggest own root roses??
Comments (25)Mine generally just "sit there" for about two or three weeks before starting any further growth. I think that's how long it takes before roots venture into my potting mix. From then on, as long as they get sun and water, they grow fast. I understand that you're in a warmer climate than I am. What I do is adapted to my conditions. So getting bands here in April or May means that it's not so hot yet that being in full sun is too much for them. By the time we start getting temperatures above 90, they'll have been growing for two months or so. From what I've come to understand, people in your type of climate often get bands in Autumn, and leave them out in full sun until hot temperatures arrive. I've often posted the recipe for my "magic mix". I use a 1-gal bucket for mixing everything into a wheelbarrow. One batch is 3 gallons peat moss, 1 gallon Bovung dehydrated manure, 1 gallon vermiculite, 1 gallon perlite, and 3 cups Espoma Organic Garden Tone. I get all of this at Home Depot. Before adding the mix, I line the bottom with a used coffee filter or two, so that the potting mix doesn't spill out of the drainage holes but still allowing water to seep out. After potting each band up, I let it soak in a bucket of water for about fifteen minutes -- dry peat moss takes a while to get wet the first time. I finish with about a half inch of used coffee grounds on top. For me, that last bit is easy, since I collect used coffee grounds from Starbucks daily. That's also where I get the coffee filters for lining the bottom. :-) ~Christopher...See MoreKristine LeGault 8a pnw
5 years agoKristine LeGault 8a pnw
5 years agoKristine LeGault 8a pnw
5 years ago
bella rosa
5 years agoCrazy Love - a new introduction by Kordes. The flowers were HUGE and lasted a long time. I grew mine in a pot and planted it in the yard in the Fall.
Kristine LeGault 8a pnw thanked bella rosa
Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoKristine LeGault 8a pnw thanked Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValleyKristine LeGault 8a pnw
5 years ago
pippacovalent
5 years agoMy roses are so new I can't judge yet, but I was happily surprised that Charles Darwin bloomed for a second time, in fall, after just being planted in late summer.
Kristine LeGault 8a pnw thanked pippacovalentKristine LeGault 8a pnw
5 years ago
noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoSometimes the biggest surprise is how much of a disappointment a rose turns out to be. My big disappointments this year: Huntington Rose barely grew and had a few tiny little flowers. I didn't even bother to take any photos. Nahema died (huge disappointment). Sonia Rykiel produced a few nondescript flowers that barely had any fragrance and burned quickly in the sun. Savannah barely grew and barely bloomed, which might have been a problem with root competition. Is Abraham Darby a disappointment because it didn't bloom all summer in relentless glorious waves? Well, yes. Is it asking too much to have this (below) all summer? Well...yes. I guess I have to be realistic or suffer from disappointment.
Another big disappointment is realizing that there are no open spots in better locations to move the poor performers into, which means deciding whether or not to remove something that might be growing and blooming but that I don't like terribly much, and moving a poor performer into that spot where there is the chance that it might continue to perform ...poorly. Or it might be glorious. Is this a case of: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush? Gardening can be a bit of a crapshoot, can't it? Should I give a rose more time, or to remove it? Decisions, decisions.Most impressive? My two reliables: Bishop's Castle and The Alnwick Rose. Not really a surprise. I've come to expect it.
Bishop's Castle:
Kristine LeGault 8a pnw thanked noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)Kristine LeGault 8a pnw
5 years agoCyndita, I agree, everything looks fabulous in the catalogue so it really helps helps to hear what works more times than not.
Nose, I so agree, bird in the hand inindeed. I have Heirloom in a less than desirable location
I guess I will see how it does. I did so much rose shuffling this summer that I am out of options for sunnier locations.
Cream Veranda, a total dud in a pot. Will it do better in the ground ? Or will I give it .prime real estate and it is still a loser ?
I think I need Bishops Castle. That is a rose that I have only heard positive comments.
One of my duds that hit the skids was a mini Brookstown Inn. It had a total of 2 blooms.
Too bad. Because it was so pretty
Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoKristine LeGault 8a pnw thanked Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USAKristine LeGault 8a pnw
5 years ago
Tiffandrew-So.CA/9b
5 years agoWhat a great thread Kristine! Great comments on here and I love all of the pictures.
Bella, I have to say crazy love is a stunner!
And Flowers, that rouge royale is my ideal of a red rose!
This was a strange roses year for me because of having my first experience with chili thrips, so it's hard to blame my poor roses. And it makes me a bit nervous for future rose growing because I don't like spraying even if the spray says it's organic.
With that said pretty in pink eden was both fabulous and a disappointment. When it bloomed for it's first flush, it was gorgeous and the bloom lasted a long time, but it did nor repeat at all! This is it's 3rd year too.
My favorites were Desdemona (always putting out a flush, gorgeous scent), Darcey Bussell (color and repeat blooming abilities) and Double delight (amazing fragrance).
Kristine LeGault 8a pnw thanked Tiffandrew-So.CA/9b
Claire Z5 IL
5 years agoKristine LeGault 8a pnw
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5 years ago
oursteelers 8B PNW
5 years agoKristine LeGault 8a pnw
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5 years agoKaren R. (9B SF Bay Area)
5 years ago
Darren Harwood
5 years agoKristine LeGault 8a pnw
5 years agoDarren The Pretty Lady Rose of Downton abbey is dark pink.
There are two with similar names.
Pretty lady rose and The Pretty Lady Rose so confusing.
Rachel Ohio-Zone6A
5 years agoHi dianela! I only have a couple for some reason. The bush shot is from when newly planted. It reached 5.5ft. I would say most blooms are maybe a bit bigger than the one here. I love it because it was almost constantly in bloom, had a very strong scent(myrrh?) and no disease to speak of. A little workhorse.
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dianela7analabama
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summersrhythm_z6a