That can happen. It should grow this year and do not prune it. It should bloom next year. I've had that happen.

In my (very limited, and own-root) experience, own root OGRs usually don't bloom their first year. Paul Barden's 'Etienne' tried, but those few buds got fried in last years awful weather. My "not-Madame Legras" didn't even try to bloom her first year.

Yes, some roses are just more stubborn than others. I've grown several OGRs that refused to bloom for more than a year. Anticipation.... Eventually, blooms arrived...on their own schedules. Since your rose is from Palatine, it should be a solid garden plant once it's established. I've had great luck with that nursery. If your Variegata di B is residing in a shadier location than YdA, it will probably be slower to bloom. Also, my experience with Variagata di B is that it takes awhile to fully prepare for its grand performance, whereas YdA jumps into gear like the enthusiastic Hybrid Perpetual/Damask Perpetual that she is. Variegata di B is a rose with a healthy ego, and it can be a real Prima Donna in many climates. (Feed me, spray me, worship me!) Similar roses, like Honorine de Brabant, often bloom right out of the starting gate. I have disbudded HdB because she was too young to bloom and needed a more mature root system under her canes and generous blossoms. Variagata di B seems to cover itself in lush growth and flower only when it feels the roots and canes are ready to serve as a supporting cast during its decadent, candy-striped aria. Note: the first flushes can, nonetheless, be what I'd call "somewhat wimpy," but be patient. It crescendos over the years until it becomes a glorious WOW! In my experience, the remontancy isn't great either. A few blooms. But oh that spring flush!! How do you say "magnificent" in Italian? I hope this helps allay your worries. Carol

I planted a bunch of OGRs last fall and the once bloomers do all have buds this spring so I'm not sure if that's considered their first year or second year since I planted last fall. Mine were all own root.

I planted 'Variegata di Bologna' here. It grew for three years, turned into a gigantic monster, and finally put out one bloom. ONE.

Some once-blooming ogrs only bloom on wood that is at least a year/season old. They won't bloom on the current year's growth. I have two like this. I used to have a gardener (he's retired now) and on a couple of occasions a new person on the crew didn't know that my roses weren't to be pruned at all. One of them in January or February one year cut the alba Felicite Parmentier way back, like a hybrid tea. I got zero flowers that year. Next year it was back to normal. Another new crew member, a different year, he razed the gallica Jenny Duval to the ground. Needless to say, I got not a single flower that year. Next year, on the previous years' growth, it was back to normal blooming.

Gosh, I sound so liberal arts, theatrical and unsciency (Is that a word?) compared to Roseseek and Tessiess! :-) I'm going to count myself blessed after reading Jeri's reply. At least my big green monster gifted me with more than a single bloom before I passed it along due to blackspot issues! Carol

I have plants of de la Griffearie, and also Belle Portugaise, which just grew and grew, and DID NOT BLOOM for over 4 years (each). Then they started blooming madly each Spring, and have not stopped since. dlG was rootstock which came up, and BP was from a cutting I rooted myself from an old plant in our neighborhood. I know that BP only blooms on old wood, because my next door neighbor's gardener cut hers way down, and she was unhappy with 0 blooms the following Spring. This explains the first year, but not the next 3! My just-a-guess is that the bushes insisted on attaining a very large size (BP got 12 feet high before it bloomed, and dlG got very large - at least 8 feet in all directions) before they would condescend to bloom - no idea why.

Jackie

In my experience this is typical with OGR. I planted VDB last May and did’t see blooms until this year. It grew like gang busters and has bloomed well this year. Mine was own root.

Thank you so much everyone! I’ve enjoyed reading about your different experiences and also being reminded that some roses don’t bloom on new wood, and some roses do take more patience. It’s okay with me if it doesn’t bloom this year, I just wasn’t sure what to expect.