|
|
Post by Rosefriend on Sept 2, 2006 12:43:45 GMT
I would be interested to know how people choose the roses that they buy.
Years ago it was colour and scent and how beautiful a rose looked. Is it the same nowadays or are more people buying roses that are healthier and therefore do not have to be sprayed with some kind of solution - organic or non-organic.
Thankfully these days there are Roses that are healthy and beautiful although I still feel that the first impression when you see a rose goes a long way when buying one.
Rosefriend
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2006 16:05:52 GMT
I bought all my roses from David Austin Roses for my circular rose bed  www.davidaustinroses.com/english/I wanted each group of 3 to be of a different colour, and taller at the back, apart from one in the centre which can reach 8 foot. I just knew that I didn't want hybrid T roses. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2006 13:38:27 GMT
Hi Rosefriend I still choose my roses firstly by robustness and suitability for the chosen site and then by colour and scent. I have a preference for the older shrub roses, particularly the repeat flowering ones. My favourite at the moment is Rose de Rescht which has flowered continuously since June and has exceeded the height and spread given in the gardening books. It is also a healthy rose. I have grown David Austin roses but they seem to succumb to blackspot. We were given two 'Silver Anniversary' roses two years ago. The flowers are lovely but the heads are so heavy that they hang  . Last year 'Comte de Chambord' was destined for the bonfire heap because it (he?) wasn't happy and we had nowhere to place it. Having read the article in Gardener's World mag about growing roses in pots, I rescued the two stemmed bush and potted it up. It has put on a fantastic display this year, having survived a very cold winter and grown three new stems. |
|
|
|
Post by 4pygmies on Sept 4, 2006 20:06:02 GMT
I love roses but they don't love me (apart from climbers). They never seem to flourish - my biggest disappointment was "Cardinal de Richlieu", which I love for its gorgeous colour, but it didn't last very long. The flowers only lasted a day and the whole plant just wasted away over two years. I thought I'd really paid attention to its needs but it was never happy. I've not bought any since....
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2006 6:24:01 GMT
Interesting comment there shadylady - I wonder if that is why my roses suffer so much - they were all bought from David Austin  |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2006 8:42:46 GMT
Rita, I thought that having blackspot was related to having clean air. When people had coal fires there was more sulphur in the air which effectively killed off the spores which carried the disease.
Although now that I think about it, none of the roses that I bought from David Austin did very well but the ones I bought from Scotts of Merriot (lovely people) all thrived.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2006 8:56:59 GMT
I have been told that blackspot is worse in rural gardens - which mine is - I live on the edge of a very, very small Norfolk village. Shadylady - do Scotts of Merriot have a web site? - I'm thinking ahead to my next garden as our house is for sale. |
|
|
|
Post by Main Admin on Sept 5, 2006 18:33:02 GMT
So far the rose bushes I have have been bargains or given to me, the bargains were just about past their best when i bought them but since being put into the ground they have sprung back to life and are both showing great flowers, the to that were given to me have also sprung into life after being released from their pots.
I do like the roses of unusual colours though.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldmoleskins on Sept 5, 2006 22:18:00 GMT
Sometimes you don't - you look around at the right time and they're just there. Perhaps they're the best of all!
OM
|
|
|
|
Post by Rosefriend on Sept 6, 2006 11:53:16 GMT
Hi OM
I do know what you mean - I tried to keep a colour scheme years ago and somehow the most beautiful roses are the ones that "don't belong" as such, and yet I wouldn't want to be without them.
Rosefriend
|
|
|
|
Post by Spruance on Sept 8, 2006 21:56:36 GMT
I used to really like Hybrid Teas but don't think you can beat David Austin's English Roses. My favourite David Austin roses are Gertrude Jekyll, like my avatar rose, and Abraham Derby, both of which have a fantastic fragrance, and good flower structure as well. If you like unsual colours CB, how about Masquerade, the flowers of which change colour from yellow through to red... www.classicroses.co.uk/roses/m/masquerade.html |
|
|
|
Post by anneliesje on Sept 8, 2006 22:08:09 GMT
Hi Rosefriend, In the beginning I chose my roses only on colour and the flower had to be small. But I have changed. Now I'm chosing on colour, scent and sickness resistant. And I read other peoples messages! E.g. I read that Plantaholic bought a rosa Albertina, so I looked it up and loved it. Then I went browsing through my books to find a good match to it (for the other side of my arch). So far everything went right! BUT my most beautiful rose was bought in an impulse. I wanted a climber there and then, and there was only 1 available. That was the Rose Alchymist. IT IS LOVELY and the scent is overwhelming! The whole month of June we had this rose flowering again and again. And I only planted it last year. uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/anneliesetirry/detail?.dir=acaf&.dnm=a3d6re2.jpg&.src=phOn the other hand, I would like to get rid of all these small flowered rose shrubs which I have . They disappoint me, because the flowers are off so soon. Good luck with your roses A. |
|
|
|
Post by Rosefriend on Sept 10, 2006 14:29:45 GMT
Hi all
Shadylady - well join the club - Comte de Chambord was given away as a present to a begging neighbour - it looks fantastic in her garden - damn it......
Spruance - I keep looking at you avatar and knew that I knew the rose - I have it myself - there are better but the scent is really something. Mary Rose is also one of my favourites from David Austin.
The GC where I go has just got the commission from David Austin to propagate his roses. We have a problem here that the winters are to cold for Austin Roses which have been bud grafted in England - they just die.
As I am on first name terms with the guy and his wife at the GC, he sometimes gives me the odd plant - last week he gave me a fuchsia - winter hard. I wanted the name and he says he has forgotton it - has he hell.. Maybe he will give me an Austin rose - never know.
Rose Alchymist is a gorgeous rose anneliesje - I haven't got it in the garden but I know it well.
Blackspot is a problem with Auston roses to a certain extent. However one must remember that the more roses that you have the more problems with Black Spot and Co. Fewer roses are better unless you have the space and unfortunately I don't.
Rosefriend
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2006 16:51:18 GMT
Shadylady - do Scotts of Merriot have a web site? - I'm thinking ahead to my next garden as our house is for sale. Sorry for the late reply rita. Scotts have a webpage: www.scottsnurseries.co.uk/If you call them and ask for a catalogue, they'll send you one in the post (They haven't got new ones yet so it may be last year's but the prices don't change that much). The catalogue's not illustrated but you can read it in bed and then look up the ones that you fancy. They also don't put you on a mailing list so you don't get unwanted catalogues every year. |
|
|
|
Post by beanie on Oct 4, 2006 13:13:27 GMT
nearly all my roses have be bought from david austin and there are also some old shrub roses,ikeep rosa mundi for colour and it's very healthy, abraham darby is a marvelous colour but the heads always seem to heavy for the stems so i 've put it against a fence, mm gregoire stachelin lovely scent, and the best red which doesn't fade seems to be w.d. braithwaite but the growth does'nt seem to be very strong, kathleen harrop lovely scent but always developes black spot. |
|
|
|
Post by fozzie on Oct 6, 2006 17:26:07 GMT
As you do a friend
Foz
|
|
|
|
Post by Rosefriend on Oct 6, 2006 19:56:46 GMT
How very true Foz - some of my roses really are like old friends to me.
Rosefriend
|
|
|
|
Post by magrich on Oct 9, 2006 14:26:02 GMT
I must admit my first roses were all bought as memories, and were as much for the name as the flower ( wasn't really into gardening then).
Papa Meilland was for grandad, count your blessings for my mum, Whisky Mac for my sister.
Nowadays I have fewer roses and keep them out of the way , (young grandchildren) but choose for colour and scent.
|
|
|
|
Post by JennyWrenn on Oct 10, 2006 20:21:40 GMT
I buy my roses from the garden centre when they are established and I can see what they look like in flower And recommendations for eg Rose of the Year 2004 I think was Rhapsody in Blue - I bought four which have not thrived very well  That was my fault as I moved them too soon and then planted them in the wrong place but I would buy them again |
|
|
|
Post by Rosefriend on Oct 11, 2006 7:36:45 GMT
I had a problem with Rhapsody in Blue as well - put it in the wrong place - and it has taken two years to be right again.
Actually I am in two minds about it - I do not know whether I like the colour or not.
Rosefriend
|
|
|
|
Post by obelixx on Oct 11, 2006 13:18:12 GMT
Rosefriend - I have bought nearly all my roses from David Austen, one way or another. They arrive as bare rooted plants from the UK. Some do fine abut quite a few have died or not thrived.
This spring, I found two Belgian nurseries selling DA varieties I needed, already potted up and rooted and they have all thrived. They were also cheaper or the same price as the direct from DA plants. They have grown well, flowered well, smelled beautiful and not had any blackspot etc.
I could dig out the names of the roses and suppliers if you like.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rosefriend on Oct 11, 2006 13:43:19 GMT
Hi Obelixx
That would be great if you would - I would certainly appreciate it.
Rosefriend
|
|
|
|
Post by obelixx on Oct 11, 2006 14:05:49 GMT
DA direct:- Generous Gardener - climber, excellent Teasing Georgia - climber, one died, one is happy Tess of the Durbevilles- climber, excellent but less vigorous The Pilgrim - climber good but not as vigorous as expected Gertrude Jekyll, Molyneux and Benjamin Britten shrubs - excellent flowers, colours and perfumes though GJ seems to have ambitions to be a climber. Crocus Rose - 3 fine, one dead, colour disappointing compared to catalogue and also has ambitions to climb which is not good in a mixed bed. Grace - 3 dead, 1 OK but colour poor and wants to climb. Belgium suppliers www.brunoparterre.be - not far from Aachen actually Eglantyne ( for a friend) - superb William Shakespeare - 6 plants all doing briliantly. His range is limited but the quality is excellent. The other 6 are Scepter's Isle, I think from www.danielschmitz-roses.com. He's over near Malmédy so also not far from the German border. These 12 are very healthy and have no ambitions to climb. See also Louis Lens who has a well known rose nursery www.lens-roses.com |
|
|
|
Post by Rosefriend on Oct 11, 2006 14:10:58 GMT
Marvellous Obelixx - thanks a lot.
Daughter and son-in-law just moved to Holland , - just 30k's from Aachen - so when we visit no doubt we could have a look then.
I will have a look at the website.
Thanks again
Rosefriend
|
|
|
|
Post by Juliet on Oct 11, 2006 16:47:16 GMT
Think I chose mine firstly for disease resistance (wanted low-maintenance, not ones I had to coddle), secondly for colour, thirdly for scent - in my case, lack thereof as I tend to be allergic to scented things. I initially got two climbers (Altissimo and White Cockade); two shrubs (National Trust and Southampton); a rambler (Alberic Barbier) and a rugosa (Schneezwerg). Recently I got a patio rose (Sweet Dream), but that was by accident (it fell into my basket at a nursery sale  ). All except the Schneezwerg have appalling black spot - it seems to be endemic in the soil here & there's not a lot I can do about it, except for picking off affected leaves. It's unsightly, but it doesn't seem to impair the roses' general health or vigour in any way. The National Trust & the Southampton both fade to pink, so I wouldn't get those again. Sweet Dream is supposed to be yellow (according to the label) but is actually a sort of peachy-colour - also a bit too close to pink for my liking. Alberic Barbier is a monster - it grows much bigger than the site I saw it recommended on said it did, and it flowers for about a week in June - definitely wouldn't get that again. White Cockade is quite pretty, but it is distinctly a repeat rather than a continuous flowerer, & has long periods without flowers in between the ones with. Altissimo is absolutely fabulous - lovely colour and last year it flowered non-stop from May-December (though it does take its name rather literally and has aspirations to reach the sky! - have to keep cutting it back to keep it in check) - will definitely get this for new garden. Schneezwerg is pretty but I think I'd get a Rugosa alba next time so that I get the hips as well as the flowers. For my new garden I'll continue to take into account disease resistance and colour, but I'll try to see roses in flower before deciding to buy them so I don't end up with any fading-to-pink ones again. I'll be less concerned about scent - they seem to be the only scented plants I'm not allergic to - though I'll avoid ones which are supposed to be strongly scented, just in case. |
|
.
).