..in hedging terms it looks as though they sent out a 1 year old maiden whip, like you get with hedgerow trees and shrubs... this rose is recommended for hedging so perhaps that's how it is... but for a non hedging garden rose you expect something better..
I gather it's been withdrawn from sale in the U.S. perhaps they got lots of complaints about it too... it's a shame, because it becomes such a good rose eventually, but it doesn't make them look too good unless it's made very clear from the outset what you should expect to receive...
The only time I've had issue with them is when they sent me a rose that I knew was the wrong one... but I didn't realise it until it started flowering.. I complained and they sent me another one, which also turned out to be the wrong rose same as before... it took me a whole year before they admitted that there had been a mistake in their growing fields, having consulted their senior rosarian, the rose was withdrawn, and I was refunded...
Well, no and no be my answer, eglantyne! It is also advertised as suitable for a mixed border, and interestingly is not offered as a hedging bundle on their website...
With my Crimson Shower, they first thought there must have been a mix up in the fields (admitted that freely, Marlorena, said is sometimes happens). Then an email from the head rosarian said they had a bad case of thrips that year and that was the reason my red rose was first white, then blush pink, but that it would eventually turn red. I still have the second one planted and is was a slightly deeper pink the following year, interesting to see how it turns out this year.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Here is Madame Alfrede Carrierre, flowering beautifully, first bud opened on Wednesday and now she has started flowering round the corner on the shady side. Lots more buds ready to open so I hope the weather doesn't change to drastically.
Another thing that annoys many people is that DA are very coy about their breeding.. they rarely give the names of the parents of their roses... which annoys me very much as I like to have this information... for instance Wild Edric is shown as 'seedling x seedling'.. which gives no one any information at all.. seedling of what exactly?
..well, I happen to know through the grapevine.. that Wild Edric's parent was another Austin rose [unknown which one] crossed with a seedling whose parents were a Bourbon rose [unknown] and a Canadian Explorer rose... which introduced the rugosa heritage.. the most likely of these is 'Martin Frobisher' as they used that before on 'Mrs Doreen Pike'.. but 'Jens Munk' and 'Wasagaming', other Canadian bred roses are also possibilities..
So with 'Wild Edric' you have some Canadian rugosa going on there,.. and something of the old Bourbon class of roses...
I'm sure you just wanted this useless piece of information, but what it also means is that 'Wild Edric' does not set hips unlike most rugosas... you will be lucky if you ever see just one on it....
I don't know about anybody else, but these days if a rose is marketed as such, I'm interested very much...
Here are my favourite thornless or low thorn roses, all of which I currently have..
'Cornelia' [hybrid musk].. 4-5 foot tall and capable of spreading to 10 foot, so great along a low fence line.. virtually thorn free.. musky scent.. one of the first roses to flower..
'Felicia' [hybrid musk].. 5 foot tall by 6 foot wide or more.. needs no support... beautifully scented pink flowers.. few thorns at base only.. loved at Sissinghurst.. and most everyone else the world over ...
'The Ancient Mariner' [Austin].. I love this rose.. there are thorns at the base, and a few higher up, but most canes are free... huge scented flowers all summer.. Lichfield Angel [Austin]... Large creamy white fragrant blooms, all summer.. healthy.. and very little in the way of thorns.. can be grown as a short climber too.. and last but not least ..
'Kew Gardens' [Austin].. as much a magnificent shrub as a rose, and should be considered as such.. always in flower, needs no sprays... all it asks is to be allowed to develop in its own time.. 6 x 6 foot after 3 years... deadheading lightly ... little scent but so much more than a rose.. and totally without thorns... probably not for warmer climates like the southern med.. it's not released in Australia, but perfect for us here.. I think it's one of the best shrubs of any sort, ever introduced... and is in my top 3 of garden plants..
2 others I have... 'Reine des Violettes'.. and 'Lilac Bouquet'... These need time and a certain kind of appreciation... perhaps not for impatient gardeners... but I wouldn't be without either...
'Mme. Alfred Carriere' and 'climbing Iceberg' are also low thorn and hugely popular, although I don't have them...
edited to say I've forgot to mention the ever popular 'Zephirine Drouhin'.. and its sisters 'Kathleen Harrop' and 'Martha'... all great roses, but you have to put up with some issues to appreciate them..
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore your photos, but I've only now seen them.. they weren't visible when I put up my two posts above... this happens I find quite a lot …
Wonderful to see blooms on your very famous and rightfully popular climbing rose... I bet you love the scent too... thanks so much for showing us today...
Hello @Jason-3, I have been thinking about your rose challenge and since I am up early this morning....
This is only my third season as a rose grower but its been a steep learning curve in my climate, where temps can reach mid 30s in summer. I have the benefit of summer rain plus being here to look after my roses, but find the following also helps them cope with the heat and manage watering needs, especially if I have been away on holiday...
Dig really deeply and improve the soil as much as possible Mulch really, really thickly Keep the roots in the shade Don’t plant roses with a high petal count, they are miserable in the heat/full southerly sun and don’t open properly Don’t underplant so the rose has to complete for precious water. If you have to, to keep the roots in the shade, plant further away only on the sunny side with very drought tolerant perennials. I also have strategically placed garden furniture for shade. When you arrive, the soil will be bone dry, pre-wet the surface of the soil in the evening to prepare the ground for deep watering the following morning - I give mine a 12 litre can water, added slowly to avoid run-off, twice a week.
American sites (texan rose growers are good!) are helpful for choosing suitable roses. I have just planted a climbing iceberg against an open, south-facing fence as it was recommended for my climate. I recently learned that noisette roses would also be suitable...
I hope thats of some use, but obviously check any of your choices with Marlorena first!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Posts
I gather it's been withdrawn from sale in the U.S. perhaps they got lots of complaints about it too... it's a shame, because it becomes such a good rose eventually, but it doesn't make them look too good unless it's made very clear from the outset what you should expect to receive...
With my Crimson Shower, they first thought there must have been a mix up in the fields (admitted that freely, Marlorena, said is sometimes happens). Then an email from the head rosarian said they had a bad case of thrips that year and that was the reason my red rose was first white, then blush pink, but that it would eventually turn red. I still have the second one planted and is was a slightly deeper pink the following year, interesting to see how it turns out this year.
For all their faults, I still love their roses though, and simply couldn't be without some of them..
..well, I happen to know through the grapevine.. that Wild Edric's parent was another Austin rose [unknown which one] crossed with a seedling whose parents were a Bourbon rose [unknown] and a Canadian Explorer rose... which introduced the rugosa heritage.. the most likely of these is 'Martin Frobisher' as they used that before on 'Mrs Doreen Pike'.. but 'Jens Munk' and 'Wasagaming', other Canadian bred roses are also possibilities..
So with 'Wild Edric' you have some Canadian rugosa going on there,.. and something of the old Bourbon class of roses...
I'm sure you just wanted this useless piece of information, but what it also means is that 'Wild Edric' does not set hips unlike most rugosas... you will be lucky if you ever see just one on it....
I don't know about anybody else, but these days if a rose is marketed as such, I'm interested very much...
Here are my favourite thornless or low thorn roses, all of which I currently have..
'Cornelia' [hybrid musk].. 4-5 foot tall and capable of spreading to 10 foot, so great along a low fence line.. virtually thorn free.. musky scent.. one of the first roses to flower..
'Felicia' [hybrid musk].. 5 foot tall by 6 foot wide or more.. needs no support... beautifully scented pink flowers.. few thorns at base only.. loved at Sissinghurst.. and most everyone else the world over ...
'The Ancient Mariner' [Austin].. I love this rose.. there are thorns at the base, and a few higher up, but most canes are free... huge scented flowers all summer..
Lichfield Angel [Austin]... Large creamy white fragrant blooms, all summer.. healthy.. and very little in the way of thorns.. can be grown as a short climber too..
and last but not least ..
'Kew Gardens' [Austin].. as much a magnificent shrub as a rose, and should be considered as such.. always in flower, needs no sprays... all it asks is to be allowed to develop in its own time.. 6 x 6 foot after 3 years... deadheading lightly ... little scent but so much more than a rose.. and totally without thorns... probably not for warmer climates like the southern med.. it's not released in Australia, but perfect for us here..
I think it's one of the best shrubs of any sort, ever introduced... and is in my top 3 of garden plants..
2 others I have... 'Reine des Violettes'.. and 'Lilac Bouquet'... These need time and a certain kind of appreciation... perhaps not for impatient gardeners... but I wouldn't be without either...
'Mme. Alfred Carriere' and 'climbing Iceberg' are also low thorn and hugely popular, although I don't have them...
edited to say I've forgot to mention the ever popular 'Zephirine Drouhin'.. and its sisters 'Kathleen Harrop' and 'Martha'... all great roses, but you have to put up with some issues to appreciate them..
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore your photos, but I've only now seen them.. they weren't visible when I put up my two posts above... this happens I find quite a lot …
Wonderful to see blooms on your very famous and rightfully popular climbing rose... I bet you love the scent too... thanks so much for showing us today...
This is only my third season as a rose grower but its been a steep learning curve in my climate, where temps can reach mid 30s in summer. I have the benefit of summer rain plus being here to look after my roses, but find the following also helps them cope with the heat and manage watering needs, especially if I have been away on holiday...
Dig really deeply and improve the soil as much as possible
Mulch really, really thickly
Keep the roots in the shade
Don’t plant roses with a high petal count, they are miserable in the heat/full southerly sun and don’t open properly
Don’t underplant so the rose has to complete for precious water. If you have to, to keep the roots in the shade, plant further away only on the sunny side with very drought tolerant perennials. I also have strategically placed garden furniture for shade.
When you arrive, the soil will be bone dry, pre-wet the surface of the soil in the evening to prepare the ground for deep watering the following morning - I give mine a 12 litre can water, added slowly to avoid run-off, twice a week.
American sites (texan rose growers are good!) are helpful for choosing suitable roses. I have just planted a climbing iceberg against an open, south-facing fence as it was recommended for my climate. I recently learned that noisette roses would also be suitable...
I hope thats of some use, but obviously check any of your choices with Marlorena first!