Does anyone grow R Ena Harkness anymore? I remember it as a child wonderful scent and petals like velvet.
I had a climbing Ena Harkness in SW France. The flowers were lovely but there were very few of them. She didn't like the hot summers, was covered in black spot and rarely produced new canes.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
i find a lot of DA roses don't do well with excess heat which I find odd given that many "Paradise" gardens in Persia include roses. i've started trying French bred roses but it's too soon to say if they're better in heatwaves.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
My cutting in its 1st year was a black spotty mess (must say that it was a neglected).. The parent plant is much cleaner in its third year in a pot (no spray since 3 months and many others have dropped their leaves).. alternatives would include Soul, a Tantau variety but disease resistance is not great.. comes close MW in scent and flowering.. Dark desire, a Kordes is not good for flowering (for me) as compared to MW and it starts blooming pretty late.. but others here have grown it well, apparently dislikes hard prune.. Mine does blackspot..
I am feeling reassured that it isn’t just me who struggles with MW. She has got more air this year as I’d already cleared some space around, but maybe that hasn’t had time to take effect yet as she still looks dreadful foliage wise.
Thanks again for all the suggestions, I will have a good look at those and in the meantime will persevere and try a bit of cosseting and doing some cuttings.
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
@Busy-Lizzie I thought that might be the case. I can still remember the fabulous scent to this day. I don't know if this is right but over time even the new introductions that are supposed to be disease free start to suffer.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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i find a lot of DA roses don't do well with excess heat which I find odd given that many "Paradise" gardens in Persia include roses. i've started trying French bred roses but it's too soon to say if they're better in heatwaves.
Edit: just happened to see another members post on similar coloured varieties.. https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1071462/roses-spring-summer-2023/p399
Thanks again for all the suggestions, I will have a good look at those and in the meantime will persevere and try a bit of cosseting and doing some cuttings.
East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
I think you could be right @GardenerSuze.