I recently had that same debate with myself @edhelka. Largely over The Albrighton Rambler, the colour and height was right for the planned location, but I largely bought it because DA said it was one of the few repeat ramblers. Now it its third year, despite the deep planting hole and well-improved soil, it has grown slowly, flowered sporadically, but not well.
Now I wish I had gone for a once-flowering as these seem to flower more profusely. So a secondary question, is, is that true on the whole, do you get a better, if briefer, show with a once-flowering? Does that make the non-repeating type ‘worth it’?
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Nollie Your Albrighton rambler is supposed to be a good repeater... but you know, with these repeat ramblers, they are never as good with the repeat, as they are with the first flush... that goes for lots of roses too, but especially with these... therefore, there's something to be said for a once blooming type, because you get that mass of first flush bloom, always the best... and they seem to put so much energy into it - because they can - so you get a wonderful display,.. but often for just 3 weeks or so... a month if lucky... but then we can do other things with them... my rose above for instance, I have clematis 'Rhapsody' growing through it for later flowers...
Thanks, Marlorena, the Albrighton rambler hasn’t yet produced anything like a first flush, just the odd bloom here and there. Perhaps I will give it another season then think about planting a once-flowering in its place if it doesn’t pick up.
I am getting less hung up on having repeat bloomers in certain situations. The repeaters are great for borders, though...
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Nollie I think once flowering roses would be fine if they are good looking for the rest of the year. But with roses, this can be a problem. They can be slow to grow leaves in spring and lose them soon to blackspot. It wouldn't be worth it to have three weeks of flowers and eight months of sticks. But a disease resistant once flowering rose with good autumn foliage and maybe hips, and suitable for a small garden - yes, I would grow that.
I feel ramblers are different. As Marlorena said, they can be combined with clematis and they also usually screen well or cover walls/fences when not in flower so they have their use. Unfortunately, the layout of my garden doesn't give me many option for climbing or rambling roses (or anything tall needing support).
I have 2 Gallica roses that are once bloomers, but not in flower yet.. here's another shot of my favourite Bourbon mentioned above... in fact one of my favourite roses, full stop..
..'Zephirine Drouhin' another well known Bourbon.. I use this as a rambler..
Ah, the 'Woolverstone Church Rose' aka 'Surpassing Beauty'. Yes, mine is in flower too. I first came across this rose when visiting the Ecclestone Square Garden in Pimlico which was being cared for by rose/plant expert and author Roger Phillips. Deep deep red and with the most powerful scent of any rose I'd come across. I had to have one. For those who are not familiar with this rose, she was discovered in 1980 in the churchyard at Woolverstone, Suffolk, by the eccentric rose enthusiast Humphrey Brooke. He passed a cutting on to Peter Beales who changed it's name and now produce the climbing perpetual rose. Humphrey Brooke was a former Director of the Tate Gallery and Secretary of the Royal Academy of Arts. He died in 1988. The example in Ecclestone Square has since died. I rode from Ouray along the Million Dollar Highway to Durango, one of the finest twisty roads I'd travelled on. Visited so many places including Little Big Horn (Custer's Last Stand), the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas a couple of times. So much to see in that fabulous country.
@Paul N, this thread is effectively a blog by Marlorena about her rose garden. Whilst we are all welcome to contribute with comments and queries, it is not an appropriate place to brag about your travels in America.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
...first bloom on 'Desdemona' [Austin]..opened today... this is such a beautiful rose..
..this is 'Marie Nabonnand'.. [climbing Hybrid Tea].. very sweetly scented, damask fragrance.. long season.. first flowers today...
..I bought some new roses today... if they are cheap I sometimes get some to grow as annuals, and I may not keep these, it depends how I like them.. they will stay in pots.. I got them for £6.50 each.. one place near me I can get roses for as little as £3.. so it's difficult to resist, although these are not the sort of roses I normally buy.. but looking forward to some lovely blooms... 'Midnight Blue'.. 'Lavender Ice'... 'Chandos Beauty'...
Desdemona looks wonderful.
I bought a Lavender Ice years ago, as a present for an elderly lady whose daughter had passed away (daughter was a good friend of mine). They had both loved roses and the colour was stunning.
Posts
Now I wish I had gone for a once-flowering as these seem to flower more profusely. So a secondary question, is, is that true on the whole, do you get a better, if briefer, show with a once-flowering? Does that make the non-repeating type ‘worth it’?
I am getting less hung up on having repeat bloomers in certain situations. The repeaters are great for borders, though...
..'Zephirine Drouhin' another well known Bourbon.. I use this as a rambler..
'Mme. Antoine Mari' ..again..
..part of my 'Desdemona' hedge...
Erysimum 'Golden Jubilee' makes good ground cover..
I'm pleased with this random grouping, as I didn't plant the Californian poppies, they just seeded there...
..more 'Halimium libanotis'.. just love this plant..
..first scented bloom on ''Woolverstone Church Rose''..
I rode from Ouray along the Million Dollar Highway to Durango, one of the finest twisty roads I'd travelled on. Visited so many places including Little Big Horn (Custer's Last Stand), the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas a couple of times. So much to see in that fabulous country.
I bought a Lavender Ice years ago, as a present for an elderly lady whose daughter had passed away (daughter was a good friend of mine). They had both loved roses and the colour was stunning.