Ghislaine complements that clematis and the sort of plum colours I like very well. I saw Ghislaine and Perennial Blue at the garden centre today, I came back with PB. But now I wonder if I'd have been better with a pale yellow. Ah well, perhaps next time.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
...thanks for looking in and for your question... yes it does have thorns, quite a few, but spaced out a bit... they're an attractive pink colour and quite small, but nothing like as thorny as Gertrude...
..however, I'm not sure if you're aware that this rose is not sold in the UK... I imported it from Germany, and with shipping, it wouldn't be worth it just to order one rose, .. I ordered several at the time.. also with ongoing situations, I've no idea as to availability later this autumn... so need to take that into account..
...I recommend 'Scarborough Fair' or 'Scented Garden' as semi double roses available in UK... both superlative roses..
Hi Marlorena, thank you re thorns. Yes I have read your post that you ordered it from Germany. I will think about it. I bought a Scented Garden after seeing the photos of your rose. Mine does not have beautiful pink/orange blushed edges on its petals though, and the flowers open in soft yellow and fade to cream. I am a little disappointed but will give it another year or two.
@Marlorena oh wow, your Vanessa Bell looks gorgeous! How old is your rose? I bought mine last year and it looks lovely, but not as big as yours. Also drooling over your Ghislaine, but don't have the space for that gorgeous rose!
Wanted to ask you if you have any experience of a climbing rose called Aloha? I have just ordered - planning to have it climb up a fence next to a seating area, so hoping it's not too thorny and will fill the air with fragrance! I don't see it mentioned too often on this forum.
Also another question if I may- you have mentioned that you have moved your roses, do you usually wait until they are dormant or have you ever moved roses during the summer? I would like to move my Desdemona to a more prominent spot as it's such a gorgeous rose and it's currently in a spot where it's beauty can't be fully appreciated. I'd like to move it now rather than wait and was thinking of digging up a big ball of soil so that it's roots don't get disturbed too much. Do you think this will work?
It's been a fair old struggle with this Graham Thomas climber Marlorena, this is the third summer in the ground and at last it is showing signs of vigour. It's still only about 4-5 feet tall but it has produced 3 flowers so far and a fair bit of healthy looking foliage. Still a way to go though to match the example on the DA website.
...only 3 flowers? I can't understand that... I've been growing that rose on and off since 1990 and it was always a good bloomer, and one of the first to take off, but it never used to grow as a climber back in the day, I only ever had it as a shrub rose.. nowadays it wants to climb, and it started to get on my nerves with its long canes throwing out everywhere, so I no longer have it.. but the butter yellow blooms are striking.. ..here as a young plant..
@Sammymummy ...I think it needs heat to bring out those colours.. mine is also mostly yellow and white at the moment... hope it improves for you, I think it's one of the nicest introductions in recent years, so jury still out for you on this one unfortunately..
..thank you.. my Vanessa Bell is 3 years old in that pot... and I might transplant it to the ground or give it another year in the pot.. I really don't know right now... it's too good not to have.. ..re your Desdemona.. well of course I move roses any time of the year, even in July... but I must tell you, I've had 2 bad experiences with this particular rose when moving it... I have 2 of them 'in recovery' and at one point I thought I had lost both of them... even now I'm still not happy with one of them... it could be a rose that seriously dislikes being interfered with like that.. but normally I would say to you, yes move it when you want to, if you think you can handle the extra care and watering it will need... I would still move it, but it might take some time to recover... in another garden, with someone else, they may have no problems moving this rose... you just never know until you do it.. best of luck with that..
...I used to have Aloha... lovely pink climber, not too hard to manage... I found it quite upright and containable... I can't guarantee that rose will scent your garden, it's pleasant enough as I recall... but it was a long time ago now..
...David Austin used this one a lot in his breeding, so many of his roses have Aloha in their bloodline... you have chosen well !...
Hi Marlorena...DA's website offers it as a shrub and climbing version, are these basically the same plant depending on how it's grown. Would I be able to move it when it's dormant and then try growing it as a shrub. I don't really want to get rid, but I'm beginning to lose patience with it in it's present form.
@Sammymummy I second Marlorena, the colours of 'Scented Garden' can change depending on the weather. I usually see the pink edges but I checked my most recent photos (taken 2 days ago) and they are pure yellow. The colours are strongest right after the blooms open and fade to warm white with slightly yellow centres and lightly blushed edges. The combination of newer and older blooms adds to the charm of the rose.
Posts
Wanted to ask you if you have any experience of a climbing rose called Aloha? I have just ordered - planning to have it climb up a fence next to a seating area, so hoping it's not too thorny and will fill the air with fragrance! I don't see it mentioned too often on this forum.
Also another question if I may- you have mentioned that you have moved your roses, do you usually wait until they are dormant or have you ever moved roses during the summer? I would like to move my Desdemona to a more prominent spot as it's such a gorgeous rose and it's currently in a spot where it's beauty can't be fully appreciated. I'd like to move it now rather than wait and was thinking of digging up a big ball of soil so that it's roots don't get disturbed too much. Do you think this will work?
...only 3 flowers? I can't understand that... I've been growing that rose on and off since 1990 and it was always a good bloomer, and one of the first to take off, but it never used to grow as a climber back in the day, I only ever had it as a shrub rose.. nowadays it wants to climb, and it started to get on my nerves with its long canes throwing out everywhere, so I no longer have it.. but the butter yellow blooms are striking..
..here as a young plant..
I do miss it though...
...I think it needs heat to bring out those colours.. mine is also mostly yellow and white at the moment... hope it improves for you, I think it's one of the nicest introductions in recent years, so jury still out for you on this one unfortunately..
..thank you.. my Vanessa Bell is 3 years old in that pot... and I might transplant it to the ground or give it another year in the pot.. I really don't know right now... it's too good not to have..
..re your Desdemona.. well of course I move roses any time of the year, even in July... but I must tell you, I've had 2 bad experiences with this particular rose when moving it... I have 2 of them 'in recovery' and at one point I thought I had lost both of them... even now I'm still not happy with one of them... it could be a rose that seriously dislikes being interfered with like that.. but normally I would say to you, yes move it when you want to, if you think you can handle the extra care and watering it will need... I would still move it, but it might take some time to recover... in another garden, with someone else, they may have no problems moving this rose... you just never know until you do it.. best of luck with that..
...I used to have Aloha... lovely pink climber, not too hard to manage... I found it quite upright and containable... I can't guarantee that rose will scent your garden, it's pleasant enough as I recall... but it was a long time ago now..
...David Austin used this one a lot in his breeding, so many of his roses have Aloha in their bloodline... you have chosen well !...