@Nollie Othello is in its 3rd year. The colour varies from pink, red , dark red and purple with the hint of yellow towards the centre. Othello blooms: 1st year - purple
2nd year: red/pink
3rd year: red/pink
I have fallen for DA dark roses. Now I am thinking to add Prospero!Â
Tradescant - I have killed it in it first year by not following a proper spray program but I love the blooms. I am trying to acquire this again. Fingers crossed.Â
First bloom - both belongs to the same flower at different timesÂ
Fab study of Othello @Rojas, thanks. Such a shame you lost Tradescant, although unlikely that was down to lack of spraying, sometimes you just get a duffer.
LD Braithwaite is a DA I’ve grown, that was fabulous in it’s first year or two but rapidly declined and turned into a dog. I like Darcy Bussell (apart from the bad BS) but of the older DAs I only have The Prince and WS2000.
Most of those old reds have their faults, whether poor disease resistance, lack of heat resistance, floppiness or wayward growth, but sometimes it’s worth putting up with for those luscious, blowsy blooms. Its interesting the only one of that high petal count type DA still sell is Falstaff so I assume they must rate that. Thomas a Becket is still around too, but less full blooms I think.
Prospero is one I would like to try, meant to be well-behaved, habit-wise, but they are getting increasingly difficult to source even for me in Europe.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Nollie thank you and I already have Falstaff, Othello, LD Braithwaite, Munstead Wood - all are in the third season. Tess of the d'urbervilles in its 2nd year. Lost Tradescant.  Last year I have planted The Prince ( My long waited, special thanks to you .. it’s because of you I have got it from dewilde.nl) WS 2000, Fisherman’s Friend. When I have visited DA garden I have picked Munstead Wood over Darsy Bussell due to colour, large petal count, flower form etc.
Now the following are in my wish list … Fragrant Purple aka Wise Portia, Prospero(available in UK), Tradescant,  The Squire , The Dark Lady and Thomas A Becket.. such a long list 😳.. Did I missing anything?! I am already tired of looking after the roses 🤔
@Rojas, Heathcliff! Plus once-flowering Chianti. Lots of non-DA reds out there of course but sounds as if you have enough already - not that that stops us of course 😆Â
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Posts
Othello blooms:
1st year - purple
LD Braithwaite is a DA I’ve grown, that was fabulous in it’s first year or two but rapidly declined and turned into a dog. I like Darcy Bussell (apart from the bad BS) but of the older DAs I only have The Prince and WS2000.
Most of those old reds have their faults, whether poor disease resistance, lack of heat resistance, floppiness or wayward growth, but sometimes it’s worth putting up with for those luscious, blowsy blooms. Its interesting the only one of that high petal count type DA still sell is Falstaff so I assume they must rate that. Thomas a Becket is still around too, but less full blooms I think.
Prospero is one I would like to try, meant to be well-behaved, habit-wise, but they are getting increasingly difficult to source even for me in Europe.
Now the following are in my wish list … Fragrant Purple aka Wise Portia, Prospero(available in UK), Tradescant,  The Squire , The Dark Lady and Thomas A Becket.. such a long list 😳.. Did I missing anything?! I am already tired of looking after the roses 🤔
RIP HM Queen Elizabeth...