Sultry, if that was a HT -- supposed to be high-centered, I'd call it a "bull-nose." (You can see where the term came from.) But if it's an OGR, or some sort of Shrub, I'd call it "almost-quartered." If it was a HT -- that would be incorrect form for it. But if it's an Austin, or some other shrub, it's just fine. ============= Y'know what Keith Zary told me? He said that modern rose breeders have ALWAYS gotten seedlings that bloomed in the forms Austin "re-introduced." But no one WANTED roses with that form, so they just discarded those seedlings. Then, along came Austin, and he selected FOR that sort of look, and VOILA!!!

Rosecanadian.... just laughing about this last night, because I thought to myself "this is too hard, I can't learn it....and the phrase I say to the boys popped into my head "don't say it can't be done chances are you rue it, for some poor fool who doesn't know will come along and do it." Then my next thought was I guess I could be the poor fool, who actually learns and remembers this stuff! So my goal this year is to keep looking at my notes, keep trying to see, keep at this until I get it...and not overwater...going to see which I learn first!!! Abe for me, did a little the first year...I got him from Garden Valley Ranch as a huge 2 or 3 year own root (I highly recommend them if you want the 5-12 roses they sell mail order.) But he really took off this year. I am also trying to learn for perennials "First year they sleep, then second year they creep, then third year they leap." I even have a tiny new root rose that I stunted last year with not enough soil or fertilizer and too much water, but it is actually creeping forward too this year.

I have own-root Abraham Darby in a pot (got as tiny rooting only 3 inch. tall this mid-April). Right now June 12 it has 8 buds in 6 hours of sun (already pinched off 4 buds last month). Very vigorous in 2 months !! Abraham Darby takes shade well. A Florida rose-grower stated that it bloomed well in 2 hours of hot sun, which translates to 3 to 4 hrs. of cold-zone sun.

When Heirloom sent out a notice it would be the last chance for own root Abe Darby, I immediately hit the buy button, now I am so glad. This morning I raced through the chores, finished watering the pot ghetto, and almost went in without smelling my first Abraham Darby bloom. Abe's piteous little bull nosed bud struggled to open from months of relentless rain. Even stunted , that frilly petal packed , sublimely tea perfumed rose is why I bought Abe again and would say it is without a doubt my favorite rose in the world.