@Tack Other dark roses in a similar style: Prospero (also sold out), Tradescant, The Dark Lady (not as dark) or William Shakespeare 2000. They are from the same line of breeding, going back to gallica Tuscany.
I personally like Tradescant because it connects several of their breeding lines with very beautiful roses in its ancestry. I believe this info is only visible on HMF if you have premium account so here is a screenshot. Just saying it could be a good replacement for The Prince
Thank you @edhelka, that info is interesting, I could imagine poring over those family trees if I had it. Maybe something for the winter. Is that second chart the Tradescant family tree? I like the look of it but just cannot consider another climber. I did choose all 10 that I have too quickly, I should have drawn out that pleasure while gaining more knowledge but none are worthy of SPing yet.
I daren't risk it. Anyone would think we were in different countries
Edit. And you have started something. I'm now getting lost down an HMF rabbit hole with the free Betty Boop ancestry tree. I don't even like that rose but it is interesting to see how something was bred.
I enjoy growing roses which are old or discontinued or with some story behind (and as you can see, like to pitch them to other rose enthusiasts) because it would be sad to see them completely disappear.
I agree rose family trees are fun, a good activity for long winter evenings without real roses.
@Nollie, thought you might be interested to know that GW's October mag answered a query about pink speckles on rose blooms, which is apparently due to a hypersensitive reaction by some roses to a Botrytis spore landing on the petal (Botrytis cinerea - grey mould). It recommends pruning the rose carefully this winter to protect it against this fungus (but unfortunately doesn't explains why or how pruning helps).
Thanks @edhelka. I'll be ordering from them as well this winter. I've got these on my list so far (some lens, some cos' they're cheaper than in the UK)
@Tack, will keep you posted, for good or ill. @edhelka, I nearly got Prospero last year but was mostly off Austins then so didn’t. I do wonder if there is something in the older Austin’s lineage that makes them more tolerant of my conditions, so fascinating to see their genealogy. I will see how TP does next year. Oh and the other reds I have on order, having said no more red roses 😆
@Lizzie27, Thanks. I don’t seem to (visibly) suffer botyris here apart from one sickly potted purchase that was quarantined, now dead, but the red colour inhibitor in roses does break down more easily in my heat. It could be either of those things and I’m not sure how to tell what’s what!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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Are there any others which I should consider?