Browsing the Rose Catalogues.

So, already the nights are drawing in and we perhaps shock ourselves when glancing at the calender. Wowee! where has the time gone. Anyway, perhaps it's that time of year when we take a look at the catalogues.

Some folk are privileged to have vast gardens, others like me, garden on a postage stamp. So. We convince ourself that, surely I can squeez at least one new rose in, then. If I move that over to there, that will give me two more spaces. So the saga goes on.

So friends, as you browse the catalogues. Please share with us your experiences. I will add more of my comments later.

 

Call me a peasant, but i still rate Ena Harkness as one of my favorite all time roses.
They've been around for donkeys i know, but the rich dark red with their strong scent is still impressive.

 

I am planning to order myself another Flower Carpet rose. Have a white one, and it really is the most marvellous, vigorous, but manageable shrub. Pretty white blooms from April through till December, nice shiny fresh-looking foliage, shrugs off any greenfly, occasionally suffers a little black spot but again unfazed by that. All this while growing in very poor soil, in the rough bank at the end of the garden. There's a free spot a bit further along that which is crying out for another - I'm just trying to choose between "Amber" and "Coral"!

 

Totally agree about Ena Harkness. That was Valerie's favourite. Such a shame that EK had such a weak stem (neck) that caused the blooms to look down. I have got a climbing EH and probably due to the additional height of the plant, the blooms can be appreciated more.

 

Nice surprise. A few days ago, I noticed from the kitchen window, a red HT rose about 12 inches from the ground. For a long time now I have been meaning to cut down this rose. For a long time now, it has been competing with the conifer. So, reaching for the sky, it had made a lot of what is now very thick, viciously thorned growth. The terminal blooms were well worth the effort. Yes! I have always suggested to others about cutting back hard, and provided the roots are good, then new growth will be produced. So the plant has got fed up waiting for me, and got on with the job.

This rose, a HT was one of a collection I bought from J. Parkers back in 1964. I have always thought it was, Deep Secret. The description etc fitted the rose. However Deep Secret was registered in 1977. So my rose is thirteen years older.

Now. If only I had looked further down the register. Deep secret registered in 1946 to me the description is the same. The record shows this rose was declared extinct in 4/77. So I wonder. Obviously Deep Secret is in for some very special attention.

 

Agreed Mike,
For a yellow one I've got
'Arthur Bell' which is shown in my title picture. That one is well scented and doesn't droop.

 

I am sure I have Arthur Bell somewhere. To be honest. I sometimes feel a bit of a fraud. Since Valerie passed away, I have really spent out on roses. Some were destined to fail from the start. Despite complaining no respnse from Harkeness. Then I traded with Peter Beales. Never any problems, although Peter passed away soon after his wife, then daughter Amanda soon followed her dad. The son is still running the business, but like so many nurseries now, many have amalgamated.
Nevertheless, I fear that my problem is my much loved conifer. So any roses I now buy, I pot-up in to 15Ltr. pots. I see now that most nurseries etc give a five year warranty. Never mind. This season I've had a pretty good show of the climbers, all in much need of a prune. My Valentine has just started to bloom. It really is a fantastic flower, very long lasting. I'm thinking of getting a couple more.

 

If i ran a nursery I'd consider giving a 5 year warranty on the 15 ltr pots, but i wouldn't give any warranty on the actual plants.
Some people would go home shoving their new purchase into a patch of virtual sub soil and then turn up six months later when the poor wretched plant/rose has given up trying to survive!
My policy would be 'sold as seen' - no refunds lol.