Mystery Dijon tea rose saga...
I just wrote a long post about this rose, which then disappeared. Sigh. Starting over. Here are some photos of blooms on a rose which I have known was growing in a hedge (made of Japanese quince and some other stuff ) In our garden for 35 years. It blooms only once a year in the Spring, and produces 2-4 blooms. The blooms start out pink, and then gradually get bigger, and end up (IMO) a gorgeous buff color.
About 20 years ago I rooted two cuttings, and gave one to my SIL, as her ancestors planted this rose. I planted one in my garden next to two tea roses. Both plants grew, and repeat bloomed all Spring and Summer and Fall, but with much smaller leaves than the original, and lots of very small, pale pink blooms, which stayed that way. Here is a pic of my SILs plant:
Recently I posted my dilemma on here - what was it? People who know things told me it was some sort of "Dijon tea" - not 'Gloire de Dijon', but probably a seeding of that rose, lots of which had evidently been introduced into commerce in the late 19th century. I moved my 20 yr old plant which was growing next to the tea roses (which I had trouble finding - the tea roses had eaten it). I had been so disappointed with what its blooms looked like that I had been ignoring it. I moved it into my new garden, and forgetting what caused the problem, into full sun. Last Spring it grew and bloomed profusely - you guessed it, with very small leaves and small, 100% pale pink blooms which never changed. (What is the definition of insanity?). So, we dug the poor thing up AGAIN, and moved it, still in the deer protected garden, to where it would get full morning sun, but afternoon medium sort of shade from trees. It sulked, and 100% of its tiny new growth died immediately. It's been like that for months, with no action whatever. Last week (I go and look at it maybe 3-5 times a week), I saw some growth buds which looked like they might not be dead. Today I just went out and looked at it, and it has tiny new growth sprouting in 7 different places! I am so happy. I won't know what it is going to do next for months and months, but I am trying to find a balance, a "sweet spot", of how much sun/shade it needs to bloom for 6-9 months, with larger leaves and the blooms which I, at least, think are gorgeous. I will let you know what happens. Stay tuned....
Jackie
Comments (12)
berrypiez6b
last yearlast modified: last yearWow Jackie, you have an enigmatic treasure.
Looks a bit like Ellie Beauvelain at her lightest.
jacqueline9CA
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The Allure of The Early English Roses
Comments (43)'Pretty Jessica" is a really lovely rose, with a strong old-rose/damask scent. It starts small, and stays small...and because of that, it probably isn't great in an area with really cold winters, but here it seems fine, so far. I planted two bands of PJ straight into the ground last June, and they stayed there all winter, and while small, they are both putting out a great deal of new growth. ONE bloom in a vase perfumed an entire room of my house. If these two do well this summer, I'll probably get more. BTW...that photograph of 'Cressida' is swoon-making....See MoreQuestion About Placement of Noisettes/Tea Noisettes
Comments (9)cweathersby, don't feel alone! I have had the very same problem with the Tea Noisettes in particular for decades. They grow and bloom magnificently for a couple of years, and then go into "suspended animation," followed by slow die-back over several years. Tough guys like 'Gloire de Dijon' still try to come back, sending up new canes; but they die back in the second season. Heart-breaking!--and I've finally given up on them. Teas grow magnificently; and a current 'Desprez a Fleur Jaune', though hesitant in growth, hasn't shown the characteristic die-back. The roses showing the problem have come from many different sources over many different years. I don't know if the problem is something in the soil, or some disease which specifically harms them but which other my roses carry (and so gets passed on the to the Tea Noisettes). A few of my non Tea-Noisettes have also succumbed to this mysterious malady. Bah!...See MoreTeas in David Austin hybridizing?
Comments (16)I read an interview of Mr. Austin where he mentioned he didn't like Tea roses, they do poorly in most parts of England. It comes to mind that he calls his hybrids "English Roses" and perhaps he would not care to breed a rose that would not thrive in York, or the fens. It is a great loss to us folks who garden in warm climates. I was greatly disappointed when I bought Malvern Hills' and it dropped its leaves before Halloween, when all my Tea and Tea Noisettes are blooming fully and beautifully; Celine Forestier, Mme. Alfred Carriere, Crepescule, to name a few, and they bloom through early December and are lovely foliage plants past Christmas, and bloom again in January if we have a warm spell. If I had bought an Alistair Stella Gray instead, I would have yellow roses blooming in my garden through early December. Some of the most beautiful Tea roses ever bred came from England, the rose out of Devon; 'Devoniensis' for one, Lady Hillingdon' for another, which has produces astoundingly long bloom cycles, with no need for deadheading. (pollen is infertile but it has been used as a seed parent previously) If Mr. Austin wishes to truly breed "continuously blooming" roses, he should look to the Old Garden Tea roses, for they are the only class of large flowered rose that do bloom continuously,because of their short pedicals and evergreen leaves, which allow continuous bloom through a very long bloom season that in our Mediterranean climate lasts for 9-10 months out of the year. Under the same conditions Hybrid Tea and Austin roses begin to bloom from late April, through late Oct. However, the average Austin rose blooms for only between 28 and 33 days, in spring and blooms again in July near San Francisco, Ca, then again in Autumn for a years total of c. 90 days of bloom per year, in our Mediterranean climate. Compare the average Austin, which Mary Rose(The longest blooming Austin out of 14 tested, produces between 90 and 99 days of bloom per year to Lady Hillingdon, which far surpasses it for days of bloom each year for it has amazingly long bloom cycles: Mid-March through Mid-July=120 days than stops for a month to rest in the hot summer days until mid August then blooms continuously through mid November for another 90 days of bloom = 210 days of bloom each year with never fewer than 33% of its peak bloom production during any day of a bloom cycle except during its first and last week of a bloom cycle. even at 33% that is a very decent garden display and that is at a low ebb. Lady Hillingdon =210 to 240 days of bloom per year. because if it is a warm Autumn through mid December add another 30 days, which is an average count. These are averages which have not fluctuated more than 5%+/- for 3 years, counting the first day of a bloom cycle when 5 blooms are open, and stop when the last 5 blooms open. There is a very good reason for doing this, which would take longer to explain and I'm not sure if any one is interested, here. To me there is no other class of rose that shows the "exquisite delicacy" of a Tea rose, one blossom in a vase can mesmerize me for hours. Tea roses are, to quote Jeri, are THE roses to grow in California. I live in hope that more Tea roses are bred in my lifetime. A lemon- yellow unfading Tea would be most welcome. Lux. You may quote this information to Mr. Austin if you wish....See MoreSome Rookwood roses
Comments (29)brightstar, my first thought on seeing that photo was that you have a lovely smile, my second thought was that was a funny-looking dog you were checking on, then my third thought was 'Holy Koala!, that's not a dog...' Looks like you have a very cool job, indeed. I'd be glad to send you the pdf, but I don't know how to e-mail forum members. The document should be quite easy to get via your local reference librarian, but if it isn't, let me know, and I'll try to figure out how to e-mail it to you. Your rose is undoubtedly the long-lost genuine 'Francis Dubreuil' that we've spent many hours trying to track down. Well, maybe. I hope you can get back soon, and catch it blooming. Realistically, 'Souvenir de Thérèse Levet' is a good possibility; 'Princesse de Sagan' is another, and there's a third rose that is confused in commerce with one of those in Oz... Okay, I found it- it's 'Professeur Ganiviat'. There were other red Teas, but I can't think of any that are likelier suspects. Good luck, Virginia...See More
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