@BenT (9B Sunset 14) Does PJPII grow well for you? I've been holding off on getting it because I read it's not very vigorous and does not repeat well. I am always on the lookout for low thorn, fragrant, and floriferous roses and I read that PJP is very fragrant and low thorn.

Thank you for the information on Fragrant Cloud's productivity - adding to wishlist. ;)

I bought Neil Diamond along with Elle from Northland Rosarium. I had problems finding Neil in stock then I came across that store and they had it. Pretty sure Neil made it to my wishlist because of one or more of your post comments also. I have a bookmarks folder of research on Neil Diamond and Rock & Roll and one of those links has an excellent post from you about Neil from 4 years ago. I have a few different pages of rose notes where I copy and save rose comments from you and a few others on here. Ok, more than just a 'few pages' of notes.... and tons of bookmarks.....

I also appreciate the hard work you put towards bringing roses with you! I moved to this property 3 years ago and only have 1-3 inches of soil then rocks, bigger rocks, and even bigger chunks of rock. I dug/trenched 3 different flower beds, minimum 16" deep up to 24" deep. One is 4' wide, 11' long. Another 5' wide and 9' long. I am still trying to get rid of all the stone I dug up... Had to stop making more flower beds for now because I have nowhere to put all the rocks I dig out.

I don’t know what type of company to call to trench a flower bed for me. I asked my neighbor, who works for an irrigation company, and he didn't know. I emailed one landscaping company and never heard back. Don't blame them; I bet no one wants to trench out a bed 24' long, 5 feet wide, and minimum 16" deep along a fence then haul away all the stone... Thinking of calling a pool company next.

Sharon

What part of Texas are you? When I lived in Austin Hill country it was pretty rocky. A pool company is a novel idea for making flower beds! Or maybe a raised bed might work? PJPII is extremely heavy blooming and fast repeating for me…in Texas as well as in California. He also has the ability to form exceptionally well formed large blooms in the dead of summer. I’ll have to upload his video soon.

Modestgoddess

As Diane said, my Blue Moon Stone came from Etsy, the seller’s name is KatesRoseGarden. There are several others sellers as well.

Ben, your new garden is just as exquisite as the previous one. I have been binge watching your videos on YouTube, because your roses are so gorgeous!! What a behemoth of a task to move 80 roses from Texas to California. I wish I could garden in California and have huge blooms. So happy for you, please keep posting pictures and making videos.

On a side note, where can we find Chando’s Beauty rose? White or cream colored roses are my weakness.

Sumera

Thanks so much for the kind words. I had thought for a long time about moving to California since my family is here, it wasn’t easy but I’m glad I did it. Try Hortico for Chandos Beauty, last I spoke to them they were still trying to propagate more of them.

Ben - yeah, sometimes roses are duds. :) It'll be gone by next year. :) Oh my goodness!!! Such beautiful roses!! I'm at a loss for words. :) :) As to Hortico...last summer they sent me one...turned out to be a Rosemary Harkness...they sent me two of them. :(

MRH - a pool company. :) :) My soil here is glacial till...tons of rocks and very little soil so I know what you mean. A trench is way better than individual holes as there's no drainage. Good luck with your struggles. I grow my roses in pots...57 roses. :)

A joke for the day!

Question: How is a rush to find a restroom like a tour through Europe?

Answer: When you’re trying to find a restroom, you’re Russian. When you find it, Eur-a-peeing. Afterward, it’s a relief to be Finnished!

*groan” bad joke!

This was actually told to me by a tour conductor on a bus ride in Austria.

With that, here is my small tour of European roses:

Germany’s Osiria, by Reimer Kordes

England’s Juliet, by David Austin

France’s Roberto Alagna by Michel Adam

Continuing our tour of France, we have Red Intuition from Arnault Delbard:

Finally the tour ends in The Netherlands with All Four Cherry Blossoms, hybridized by Lex Voorn

OK, Ben, surrender your secret. HMF has no info on All Four, and google itself has no info when a search is plugged--in fact, your video above is the only thing google can come up with. You're right at the top. This makes me wonder if this rose even exists--heh. Or do you have some supernatural connections in the rose world? Have you sold your soul to the big guy below for the ultimate unattainable rose? Diane

Oh man, the RUFFLES on that last one!

Ben so glad to see your Roberto Alagna in bloom. I am still waiting for mine to bloom and now I know what to expect.

Me, too, Kristine!

Diane, Magpie,

Thank you, I think All 4 Cherry Blossoms is one of the oddest roses I have. Another plant collector gave it to me. Its first bloom 2 years ago was the most hideous thing:

My friend and I joked that it‘s so ugly it must be pollinated by flies, not bees. I was really excited to see it formed buds this spring, and even more so to see it transformed into a unique beauty, sort of like the Beast turned into Belle:

It must also be the longest lasting rose , looked totally unblemished for over a month with two days in the mid 90s., petals are unbeiliveably thick. The hybridizer Lex Voorn breeds florist roses in the Netherlands, but there is no mention of his ’All 4’ series of roses. (There is also ’All 4 Heart, All 4 Pure , All 4 Love etc). Only the Japanese and Chinese seem to have this series, they love to collect rose oddities!

Librarian, Kristine,

I hope Roberto blooms beautifully for you this spring, I think it’s very promisiing. Nothing like the excitement of a new rose blooming for the 1st time!

Carol,

What a bummer to get Rosemary Harkness when you wanted Chandos Beauty! Two of them, double bummer! I know you have tried to replace Chandos for quite some time, hope Hortico makes it right for you.

@BenT (9B Sunset 14) wow! That IS like Beauty and the Beast!

Your All 4 Cherry Blossoms is beautiful and unique, Ben! I am curious if it has any fragrance? Somehow fragrance on top of all that would seem too good to be true.

Ben, I'll see your Four Cherry Blossoms, and raise you one Rouge Royale. Diane

Diane

Why is there an alien coming out of your Rouge Royale? Hopefully the alien likes to eat voles.

Judi

I think All 4 Cherry Blossoms only has a slight fragrance, but I’ll try to get a better sniff on the next flush.

Oursteelers,

Yes, I couldn’t believe the blooms came from the same plant.

Ben, I got 3 bags of Milorganite. How much per rose? Thanks

Ben & Diane,

Your roses had ”proliferation,” growing leaves in the middle of a bud…a mutation freak of nature. It sometimes hapoens on first bud of the season. then the rest of buds are normal.

I am having proliferation for the first time on my Louise Odier first opening bud…. I can just see the leaves in the center of the first bud only… wait until it opens-VERY WEIRD! ALIEN!

Louise Odier proliferation bud ready to open… leaves growing in the center of bud! ALIEN! 🤪

Diane, Love your alien (mutated) Rouge Royal! Lol!

I’m also having a lot of proliferation this year, on many different roses

Kitty, I know that. Evelyn often has small proliferations which are kind of attractive. But Rouge R not only had the ugliest proliferation I'd ever seen, but some really ugly petals, too. That's the only time for RR to proliferate. My second new RR is about four feet tall and blooming up a storm, and It's still in its 5 gal nursery pot. I've planted everything but that rose, and I'm dreading it. Yes, Louise is an alien--at least one of her is. Roses can be hideously ugly at times.

Ben, every year I have at least one or two alien plants land in my garden from out of nowhere. Magpie then generously identifies them for me. I just call them Audrey 1, 2, 3, etc. v Diane

Audrey 3, Poison Hemlock imitating orlaya, only it's 6 feet tall

Audrey unknown

Audrey 2 Mullein

Audrey 4 Lesser Burdock

Who knows why, but Audrey 3 poison hemlock didn't show up.

Yikes! Diane, Weedy Monsters! Lol! Nice photography of Hideous Monsters! Lol! And And….. Hmmmmm proliferation attractive!? Not mine! Lol! Rouge Royal-Geez-Monster octopus green arms in middle of your rose! 🤪🤪 He He, he! My poor Louise Odier-First bloom doomed to be alien!!!🤪🤪🥀

Oursteelers, I'm having some proliferation for the first time on certain roses. The strangest one is on Belle de Crecy where it looks like an entire new bud inside the original rose. I wonder if our strange weather had something to do with it. Very long, late, cold, wet spring followed by a sudden early heatwave.

I've read that too much nitrogen from fertilizers may cause proliferation. Some day, I'lll get around to reading more about this phenomenon. Diane

I had also read that too much nitrogen encourages proliferations. I guess we are all very enthusiastic with our fertilizer routines hence the proliferation of proliferations! Diane, with those giant weeds, you’re the head cheerleader for garden fertilization. I think they eat burdock in Korea, get out your pickling spices and make a jumbo jar of kimchi.

Summers

Maybe a 1/2 cup per small rose , 1 cup per large…too much and you’ll join our prolific club of proliferators! Since milorganite is 6-4-0, you might want to add some sulfate of potash I get mine in buik at Home Depot , just a few tablespoons per rose, since it is 0-0-50. It is the same source for potash used in most organic fertilizers like Rose-Tone.

Ben, I am in Cedar Park (a suburb northwest of Austin). Thank you for the information on JPJ II. I will definitely add him to my garden! If I have a question, I will ask. Thank you! I try to search for information first since you and a handful of others here with drool-over-rose-gardens and indispensable experience have already been very generous with sharing your experiences, which I very much appreciate!

I thought about a raised bed. All the garden beds at this property are ground level and I started trenching along the middle of that fence-line, so it would look weird to have just one 24’ portion be a raised bed. I made a raised bed at my Austin house and learned some good lessons (like use treated lumber, cedar, or something that will last more than 2 years… lol).

Ben, my roses don't have many proliferations, maybe three in the last 19 years. And I don't use an overabundance of fertilizer--really. After early April, my roses don't get fertilized, unless I spray on a dose of Miracle Grow, which I often don't do.

Yes, I was told that burdock is edible and recipes were offered, but out the burdock went. I cook enough around here without adding burdock to my burdens. My son in law is a superb Asian Chef, and he and my granddaughter have been known to make kimchi. This house is a repository of Asian condiments, seasonings, and every other ingredient you can think of.....There's a giant red target hovering above me which can be seen from outer space. This target directs all weird plants to my garden. Yes, that's what I believe to be true. Diane

I‘m gonna say nay to the nitrogen as I fertilize only once a year with Rose Tone in the spring and then usually some alfalfa tea later in the season, usually beginning of July.

Right now I’m going with @librarian_gardner_8b_pnw and guessing weather

Diane,

I think those weeds are like stray cats. You don’t choose them, they choose you!

Sharon,

I went to high school and college in Austin, so very familiar with Cedar Park!

An old house about 5 miles from mine with some extraordinary roses!

The first plant is maybe 8x6, the second 5x6 ft. The house looks like it was built in the 60s I bet the plants are probably 50+ years old. That is the magic of rose growing in the sunnier parts of California, the rose has no serious weather or pest issues, just all that cloudless California sun to keep building on itself year after year. I sent the pics to Tom Carruth and he said they are Sutter’s Gold and Gay Princess. I should knock on that door and ask for a cutting of Gay Princess.

I don't think I fertilized Belle de Crecy but here she is

Ben, I bet that they would be honored if you asked. Who knows, maybe they planted them and have stories to tell.

Librarian,Ok, a bud coming out of a rose bud! Pretty Alien!!!! Lol! Yep! I read cold snaps & weather change couod cause it-do-know-though? Funny proliferation on first buds sometimes! It’s just freaky nature!

Ben, Amazing CA rose bushes! Love your thread! I am looking carefully at your videos-seeing which roses I’d like next! Very helpful and beautiful photography!

Maybe Peter's Joy got too much nitrogen. I prettypretty much just use compost and a little bit of slow to break down organic fertilizer.

Librarian, that BdC is a bit grotesque lol, however I think that green center looks lovely on your Peter's Joy. How are you doing? Are your kids enjoying summer break so far?

Those neighbor roses are incredibly floriferous, wow! I can only hope that one day, even one of my roses achieves that.

Houzz ate my comment last night. 🙄 I agree, the BdC proliferation is not beautiful. I'll let you know if it blooms.

Ben, thanks so much for sharing your neighborhood roses. ThoseThose are spectacular!

Magpie, we've got 3 weeks of school until summer break! So I guess we're still in "spring" but it feels like early summer. The kids have been loving being outside and they even had fun taking family photos i.n the garden yesterday.... Probably because we assisted them in taking photos with my Cannon camera . How are your kids enjoying early summer?

Oh, I'm surprised to hear they still have 3 weeks to go! Mine are having a blast, their best friends are a brother and sister that live a few houses down so they just play from after breakfast until dinner time every day. What a life. Today we're headed to the library to pick up their summer reading challenge sheets.

I like my old Fuji digital camera. I was very used to a 35 mm SLR, which I used for many years, and we geezers don't like change. Actually, I like the colors better that the Fuji produces than phone cameras. Over the years, I've had a some experience with schools starting and ending at different times. Each state has its own rules with California and the East starting way later than here, but ending later, so it all comes out in the wash. Colleges and Universities are just as bad. Diane

I think we need a “Funny Rose Proliferation thread-or My Funniest Rose thread??? Lol! I’m too busy… but i’ll add to it if anyone starts it, Ha Ha!

This proliferation isn't particularly funny and it's from way back. I don't get many proliferations. As I said, maybe three in the last 19 years, and none at my previous home. I've grown roses for about 30 years. Diane

2012 Evelyn

I think the small proliferations like Diane’s Evelyn and Librarian’s Peter’s Joy add to the beauty of the rose. Tantau even has a entire collection of proliferated varieties that they sell to the florist trade. But that Belle Crecy belongs in a rose horror movie!

Magpie, terrific that your kids get to spend all their time with their best friends, what a life! Librarian, I bet yours can’t wait for school to end!

Kristine,

I should knock on that door, as you said making a new garden friend and hearing those plants’ history would be terrific….now to find that house again.

Kitty

Thanks for the kind words about my videos, much appreciated.

New Videos!

Three old favorites:

Oregold, a big classic gold

Chicago Peace, colors still look magical to me

Pope John Paul II a near perfect white

Two newer novelties with unusual coloring

Minerva, a deep true purple

Blue Dress, almost a light sky blue

Pretty! What do you feed them?

Ben - oh there are no words...such phenomenal beauty...no wonder everyone always asks what your feeding routine is. :) :) :) You are so right about Cherry Blossom rose being hybridized by flies...BUT THEN...the next year they become GORGEOUS swans!!! I've given up on getting Chandos Beauty. Most of the roses I get from Hortico end up dying on me because the roses are too small for me to make them do well. There are lots of beautiful roses that I can get elsewhere where I get a normal grade 1 set of roots. Wow!!! Your neighbor's roses are outstanding as well. My goodness! I first thought that your Minerva must have been photoshopped...but it's real??!! Oh my goodness...be still my heart! Those are all wonderful pictures...I can't pick a favorite. :)

Diane - lol...weird, rampant-growing plants apply at Diane's house. :) :) Even your proliferations are stunningly beautiful. :)

Librarian - blech on your BdC. :) :) I don't like proliferations...and that one's a doozy! :)

Carol

I wonder if Hortico is even serious about selling roses anymore. I remember many years ago they sold so many exotic varieties available no where else. My local nursery would buy a big batch for us rose collectors. Now their selection has dwindled to nothing, I’m sorry the Chandos Beauty are so wimpy.

Minerva is indeed deep dark blackish purple. I’ve been moving my little bands in pots around to protect them from hot sun, sort of like you do for frost protection. But I’m only moving about 5 bands, and only when they have nice blooms on them. I can’t imagine moving 50 plants like to you do!

Cadence

I feed mostly organics and compost a few times a year. In early spring I give them a shot of miracle gro, alfalfa tea and seaweed.

Ben, Regan used to do the same thing with Hortico. They'd order a bunch of rare ones from Hortico, and I felt much safer getting them through Regan, given Hortico's reputation. Some years, a rose wouldn't come in, but I ended up getting a nice handful of rare roses that way. I was shocked a few years ago when I checked Hortico's list... nothing I couldn't find elsewhere.

I did get Cressida and St. Cecilia a few years ago from Hortico when they were not available anywhere. I love them.

St. Cecilia starting bloom.

That is Cressida in the middle with the long cane up.

Cressida

Ben - it wasn't Chandos Beauty that was wimpy...it was just everything I get from them. When I did get Chandos Beauty from them many years ago...it was a good plant.

Susan - so true. Their selection isn't very good and I've only received very small rose specimens from them.

Sheila - gorgeous!!

Sheila,

Those bushes are magnificent. Great that you were able to get them while Hortico was still decent, I’m sure they’re not available any more

Susan

We have exactly the same experience over the years with Hortico. I wish they’d return to their former glory.

Carol

Sorry to hear that on top of the small selection, the plants are wimpy too. I guess no reason to shop there currently.

New Videos

Three terrific roses that Weeks introduced in the same year. They would qualify as HTs, Grandifloras or Floribundas, so Weeks made each one a different type. What they are is extremely floriferous , dense , cluster flowered varieties with easy care , beauty and fragrance. These could be ’Flora-Teas’ too , a term J&P coined a number of years ago.

Perfume Factory

Fun in the Sun

Queen of Elegance

And two famous Frenchmen from Delbard. In Asia they don’t know who these folks are, they they named them after yummy treats. Thierry Marx is Blueberry Panna Cotta, Henri Delbard is Marmalade!

Henri Delbard

Thierry Marx ( thanks Seaside for posting about this one!)

Ben - I now have 3 mail order rose places in Canada...so I won't be buying Hortico roses anymore. Oh, Ben! Those roses are divine!! :) :) :)