My thoughts on Evelyn

2 years ago

I recently acquired this rose. It has had several different phases of bloom. I wrote a blog about my thoughts. Instead of rewriting the whole thing, I will put the blog link here.
https://allforroses.blogspot.com/2021/09/my-first-ish-thoughts-on-evelyn.html?m=0

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portlandmysteryrose

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

I grew Evelyn back in the day and really enjoyed the experience. Her fragrance is amazing! In my Portland garden before major climate change, her colors ranged from somewhat apricot pink to shell pink to creamy white with a touch of blush to silky white prior to the petals dropping. Depending on weather, time of year, sun exposure and age of bloom, Evelyn hit some or all of these notes. Mine faded gracefully in the sun like a Hybrid Musk so that from bud to petal drop, a range of soft colors presented simultaneously across her blooms. Like a fragrant wedding bouquet. Congrats on your new Evelyn and lovely blog photos, Brandon! Carol

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ann beck 8a ruralish WA
2 years ago
Carol...Why did you get rid of her?
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Sultry, those are beautiful pictures and luscious blooms. That really makes me look forward to when my babies finally have flowers. Jerome, how lovely that you could visit. It would be wonderful to see pictures of your garden as it is now. Mine has gone through rough times, with rabbits eating all my irises and every other companion plant, and all the roses as far up as they can reach, but now, with a rainy winter season and the introduction of some perennials that the rabbits don't like as much, the situation is improving. Global warming has not done my garden any favors, but I'm not alone in that. So many gardens will be permanently altered, but all we can do is try to adapt. We're fortunate that there are some roses that don't mind the heat, and one learns to think about positioning much more, with morning sun and afternoon shade the gold standard of the rose world, at least in hotter climates. hoovb, I received my two Evelyns as bare roots from Austin in Texas, and I was very satisfied with the quality of the plants I received, and the subsequent rapid growth. flowers, I generally buy own-root but Evelyn hasn't been that easy to find, and I'm glad you haven't noticed much different between own-root and grafted. It sounds as though Evelyn has passed the heat test in your garden. noseometer, Evelyn was planted with added bagged soil and is mulched with wood chips from a tree that was chopped down in our yard, as are all the roses, so hopefully it will do well. I'll be sure to water it well, and I'll even talk to it nicely. I very much want Evelyn to be happy and bloom its head off.
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Lily, I purchased Evelyn from the US Austin nursery in Texas. I don't ordinarily buy grafted roses but I wanted a large bush and thought their roses would take off quickly. It was bought as a bare-root in January, I believe, and has grown nicely and both plants of Evelyn have buds. Here is the bloom again, in its third day as an open flower. The cool, moist weather is no doubt helping the bloom to stay nice-looking for so long, but many other roses are doing less well, so I think it's just a rose for our type of climate, and it should do very well in your new location in Temecula. Diane, I'm so looking forward to your spring blooms. Please tell them to hurry up! I'm thrilled that I now have an Evelyn too. oursteelers, thank you so much, you are so kind.
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portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
@ann beck 8a ruralish WA

Ann, I moved and had to leave her behind. ☹️ Carol
ann beck 8a ruralish WA
2 years ago
So sorry....at least I know she was good enough for me to keep trying to get her.
kathyc_z10
2 years ago
nice blog post! I enjoy looking at Austins but the only ones that did well for me were Charlotte and Sophie's Rose. You have grown so many-- I am looking forward to your pictures!
Brandon Garner thanked kathyc_z10
jerijen
2 years ago
Evelyn is one of the "Jolly green giant" Austins -- an a mild climate like SoCal. It might work to espalier it, so that the canes are horizontal. But we didn't know that when we planted it.

It grew 14-ft. tall, and only bloomed at the top.

We found that Emanuel was a similar bloom, but on an arching 3-ft. plant that bloomed a LOT.
Brandon Garner thanked jerijen
portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Jolly Green Giant: Ha, ha! Sooo many early Austins shockingly outgrew their English size charts. How about Othello the death thorn octopus that sprouted long arms like it had been blasted with a 1960s sci fi gamma ray gun? Thank goodness for the publication of C Martin’s 100 English Roses for the American Garden! Carol
Patrick-7a-MD
2 years ago
Jeri is absolutely correct about EVELYN. I don't recommend this rose unless you get some kind of winter. The same goes for THE PILGRIM. Another key to success is growing it own root, which holds the vigor down. Even then, once established you are going to have to keep after it with the pruners. Either that or train it horizontally like she suggested. My favorite way is simply to give her lots of room so the canes can naturally bend over and arch. Things I really like about EVELYN are the perfect flower form, luminous pastel color, strong fruity fragrance (think peaches), straight stems, and vase life. So many English Roses nod their blooms on weak necks and blow too quickly to make good vase flowers, not to mention the obnoxious myrrh fragrance. EVELYN doesn't have these problems.

The David Austin folks have phased EVELYN out and are actively trying to discourage people from growing the rose because it is no longer under patent; a business practice I despise and has soured me to the company. They are pushing BATHSHEBA as an improvement. Maybe so, but it is ANOTHER myrrh scented rose. I've had it with them.

Treasure your EVELYN because in a few years she might be extinct outside of home gardens. No online rose vendor is selling her anymore. She is a real collectors item.
Brandon Garner thanked Patrick-7a-MD

My thoughts on Evelyn

portlandmysteryrose

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ann beck 8a ruralish WA

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