Thanks @Nollie, she does look good although I would prefer a repeat flowerer really. An unexpected, though welcome, heavy rain shower today has made me sadly realise that Felicia isn't the best choice for me in the rainy North East. I'm now inclined towards several David Austins - it'll be fun to choose. I've never grown them nor known anyone who has before. All rather exciting
@SeahorseFriend I second the GJ recommendation. Repeat isn't that bad, you get two good flushes and a third one if you have a good autumn. It's more about the fact that she flowers in big distinct flushes with no blooms between the flushes. Some other roses are always in bloom but never a spectacular flush. I don't really care about this because of our cold spring (roses flowering later) and humid autumn (disease pressure), I take 2-3 flushes as a standard. BTW isn't Tyne and Wear one of the drier parts of the country? I used to live there for 3 years and it feels like I get twice as much rain now in Wales than I used to get there. Wanting a big pink rose, fragrant, with good repeat and a good rain resistance... add disease resistance and we are in the impossible territory.
I was just about to say the same thing as edhelka @SeahorseFriend, you can never have everything in one rose! I get fairly heavy summer downpours and GJ does stand up to that well.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
BTW isn't Tyne and Wear one of the drier parts of the country? I used to live there for 3 years and it feels like I get twice as much rain now in Wales than I used to get there.
Aha, I used to think so, but this last year I've found that it might not rain often, but when it does it hammers.
Thanks for your recommendations! Some decisions to be made now
I'll give @SeahorseFriend one more.. just to confuse things...
Amongst David Austin's climbing roses you will see one called 'Mortimer Sackler'.. don't be put off by it being referred to as a climber.. it will grow perfectly well as a large shrub to about 8 feet and does not need support... it grows stiffly upright and branching, self supporting... It actually has everything with just one minor failing which I'll come to.. the scent is gorgeous.. the blooms are a delightful pink, the foliage is rich and healthy and it's virtually thornless... what more to ask?.. oh it also has continuous bloom.. ... during very hot weather the oldest blooms start to turn a little brown, slightly off colour and take a while to drop... I used to go out every day and just snip off any that have discoloured... just a few here and there...
..that is its only fault...
I know a garden in Ulverston, Cumbria I should say, where it's excessively wet and it grows beautifully there, free standing against a wall.. it looks good even in the rain..
..here's the top of the rose, about 8 foot, .. it flowers all the way to the ground... freestanding, upright, and as you see, no thorns ..
..might as well show some big pink roses I've had here, whilst on the subject..
'Felicia' before the rain.. ..and after.. which is a bit unfair as it's held up pretty good.. it was a right old downpour and few roses could withstand it.. 'Bonica' 'Bonica' again.. 'Hyde Hall'.. a large growing, musky scented rose, very thorny.. not the best picture.. 'Hyde Hall' blooms.. 'The Ancient Mariner'.. this rose has stunning Spring foliage, and beautiful buds.. 'Royal Jubilee'.. sweetly scented, continuous bloom, wonderful foliage.. globular, but will open to reveal stamens..
..oh gosh I'm forgetting 'Cornelia'.. one of my favourite roses... thornless like 'Felicia', musky scented that wafts a bit, continuous bloom, healthy and about 4 feet tall by 8 feet wide here on railings.. it does not need support and will grow freestanding to about 5-6 feet..
It looks like we could get some rain tonight. Fingers crossed. A quick evening collage: I have a pot that got broken in one of this winter's gales. I decided to used the unbroken part, burying it partially and making it into a display pot. I can put a plastic pot in it and change the display as I want to. Top row: Scarborough fair, a very pretty shrub now in its 3rd year, Princess Alexandra of Kent, pruned in August and only tidied a little bit in winter. Main picture: The rose bed. Scarborough Fair, Bordure Camaieu, Joie de Vivre at the front. I am happy with the clematis on the obelisk, it's already over a meter tall and growing well (Amethyst Beauty, purple, group 3). Bottom row: Kiss me Kate is a slow starter, Joie de Vivre.
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I don't really care about this because of our cold spring (roses flowering later) and humid autumn (disease pressure), I take 2-3 flushes as a standard.
BTW isn't Tyne and Wear one of the drier parts of the country? I used to live there for 3 years and it feels like I get twice as much rain now in Wales than I used to get there.
Wanting a big pink rose, fragrant, with good repeat and a good rain resistance... add disease resistance and we are in the impossible territory.
Amongst David Austin's climbing roses you will see one called 'Mortimer Sackler'.. don't be put off by it being referred to as a climber.. it will grow perfectly well as a large shrub to about 8 feet and does not need support... it grows stiffly upright and branching, self supporting...
It actually has everything with just one minor failing which I'll come to.. the scent is gorgeous.. the blooms are a delightful pink, the foliage is rich and healthy and it's virtually thornless... what more to ask?.. oh it also has continuous bloom..
... during very hot weather the oldest blooms start to turn a little brown, slightly off colour and take a while to drop... I used to go out every day and just snip off any that have discoloured... just a few here and there...
..that is its only fault...
I know a garden in Ulverston, Cumbria I should say, where it's excessively wet and it grows beautifully there, free standing against a wall.. it looks good even in the rain..
..here's the top of the rose, about 8 foot, .. it flowers all the way to the ground... freestanding, upright, and as you see, no thorns ..
'Felicia' before the rain..
..and after.. which is a bit unfair as it's held up pretty good.. it was a right old downpour and few roses could withstand it..
'Bonica'
'Bonica' again..
'Hyde Hall'.. a large growing, musky scented rose, very thorny.. not the best picture..
'Hyde Hall' blooms..
'The Ancient Mariner'.. this rose has stunning Spring foliage, and beautiful buds..
'Royal Jubilee'.. sweetly scented, continuous bloom, wonderful foliage.. globular, but will open to reveal stamens..
A quick evening collage:
I have a pot that got broken in one of this winter's gales. I decided to used the unbroken part, burying it partially and making it into a display pot. I can put a plastic pot in it and change the display as I want to.
Top row: Scarborough fair, a very pretty shrub now in its 3rd year, Princess Alexandra of Kent, pruned in August and only tidied a little bit in winter.
Main picture: The rose bed. Scarborough Fair, Bordure Camaieu, Joie de Vivre at the front. I am happy with the clematis on the obelisk, it's already over a meter tall and growing well (Amethyst Beauty, purple, group 3).
Bottom row: Kiss me Kate is a slow starter, Joie de Vivre.
Clematis - A bud from The President and some more Frankie flowers