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Organic Rose Growing Roses

Spirit of Freedom in 9a Texas

last year

Spirit of Freedom is such an amazing climber. I was so glad to order this rose in 2021 as I heard DA decided to discontinue it. When I got it from K&M last year, it even came with a bud! Typically for most climbers, they don't bloom in the 1st year. I was so delighted to see how fast it produced its 1st bloom. A few months after settling in its new home, it grew well.

Now at 1.5 yrs old, WOW it has been an amazing bloomer. Boy, those petal packed flowers are absolutely gorgeous! One of the very RARE DA roses that BLOOM WELLin Texas heat! If you are in the South like me, you may understand how roses grown in our climate look nothing like roses grown in the PNW. However, Spirit of Freedom does NOT disappoint. Heat and chilli thrips may impact it to some degree but overall it does very well.

I have mine in a big 22" pot and thinking about moving it to the ground next year and allow it to flourish even more. I have more videos of SoF on my Youtube channel at RosesInHouston as well if anyone wants to see more of this rose.

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Comments (9)

librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
last year
last modified: last year
Gorgeous! My Spirit of Freedom definitely does bookbloom better in the heat than the cool. It balls a little in the rainy cool of late spring and fall but blooms just gloriousgloriously in heat of summer. I love that yours is doing so well!
BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
last year
last modified: last year
Beautiful pics, thanks for sharing. I agree the majority of Austins aren’t suitable for the Texas heat. You were very lucky to get a Spirit of Freedom while they were still allowed to sell them.
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I have grown all of the Austins roses listed in the Chamblee's website at one time or other. They used to offer 'Spirit of Freedom', which is the one that would have been my top choice as a climber. I have 3 specimens that came from a single 1 gallon pot from Chamblees. They have growing to around 12 feet high or so in 4 years and have large, very full flowers with a strong damask fragrance. But SOF is no longer offered by Chamblees. Among the Austins still available from Chamblees, is Benjamin Britten. I am now growing Benjamin Britten and know that it can grow tall enough to train over an arbor. The canes are flexible enough that they would be easy to train. I have been to the David Austin Rose US headquarters in Tyler, TX and they have a number of the taller rose specimens on display that have been growing for a while. Benjamin Britten was around 12-14 feet tall and perhaps 6 feet wide. The repeat in my garden is not as fast as I woulld like. The red-orange flower color is interesting but would probably not appeal to everyone. If you consider Austin roses that are not offered from Chamblees, I would recommend The Generous Gardener and The Wedgewood Rose. Or two of the Meilland roses in their Romantica collection, Collette (pink) and its yellow colored sport, Lunar Mist. All of these have nice, full, medium large flowers with a good scent and repeat bloom with a reasonable frequency. Good luck with your selection, John
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Noocha--I assure you, I did not make my comments based solely on the news of this week. This is not a new problem and I've been following it for many years. I've read a great deal on the situation, seen many interviews with former FLDS wives who were able to 'escape'. I've seen an interview with a woman who took in some of the abandoned boys, and who recounted the problems they had learning to live in normal society. I watched the entire Warren Jeff's trial. It is true, that none of us (I hope) have been personally involved--but you don't have to live on one of these compounds to recognize the absolute wrongness of what's happening there. Do not discount what you've seen and heard, just because it came from the media. In this case, it appears the truth is actually even worse than you can imagine just from the news reports. I so hope that women being subjected to this terrible lifestyle everywhere, get help.
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Helen, I’m a little confused about Boscobel. When I ordered mine, I ordered it potted, because I wanted it ownroot. Now, when I go to DA’s site Boscobel says nothing about being ownroot anymore. I’m almost certain what I ordered was supposed to be ownroot. I don’t always trust myself, because my MS messes up my short term memory terribly. It’s getting later and later in the season for planting for me. If there’s a very long wait for my potted Boscobel, and the bareroots are supposed to be ownroot, I’d rather switch and take the bareroot now. I know I need to call them, but I’m wondering about them telling you Boscobel was ownroot and it appears to be grafted. I definitely want ownroot. It doesn’t really matter to me whether it’s bareroot or potted. I’m hoping you, or someone can confirm that it WAS listed as ownroot, previously. I don’t 100% trust my memory, and hate making a fool of myself(again) by insisting on something that I’m not remembering correctly. Thanks to anyone that can shed some light on this before I call DA:) Lisa
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rosecanadian
last year
Wonderful!!! It's doing really well for such a young plant. :) :)
erasmus_gw
last year
Beautiful! My plant of it has been slow to fill out or bloom well. It's own root and in a dry spot. It IS getting better established so I have some hopes for it.
TW H
Original Author
last year
@librarian_gardner_8b_pnw Thank you so much for sharing your experience with SoF. It sounds like SoF loves heat which is great as we don't get cooler weather much.
TW H
Original Author
last year
@BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) Thank you so much BenT. I'm so so so glad I got it or I would miss out on this great Austin.
TW H
Original Author
last year
@rosecanadian Thank yous o much. I thought so too. All of my other climbers don't bloom as good as SoF. It's certainly a champion.
TW H
Original Author
last year
@erasmus_gw I'm sure yours will do wonderfully with time. Mine is grafted on fortuniana and that's probably why it's vigorious. Glad you got yours, it's such a great rose you will love it.
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
last year
How frustrating that a rose that does well in the heat and is drop-dead gorgeous to boot is being discontinued. One can only hope that nurseries other than Austin's will still have this rose available as it will no longer be under patent. One wonders whether it's really necessary to churn out new rose varieties every year, especially if it means that older beloved varieties will bite the dust. I suspect I know the answer, but filthy lucre should not always be the prime consideration,.

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