Regina's Rose Pages

 


New! Photos of rose pests.

 

Now with Photos! See Chart , below.


Took Dowager Queen in the 2001 Olympia Rose Show! Check it out!



Some background: We are in Western Washington State, in the Pacific Northwest. We are on the southern end of Puget Sound, not far from the Olympic Mountains, the only rainforest in the US. We are in USDA zone 7, Sunset zone between 5 and 4. The climate is cool, temperate, damp, with short cool dry summers. Winter lows rarely drop below 15F and summer highs rarely exceed 90F, if that much.


Spring is cool and damp. It's cloudy most of the time, but the rain falls mainly as mist and drizzle, not enough to water the deep-rooted plants like roses but just enough to give them blackspot. Rhododendrons and Japanese maples thrive in this weather. Last frost can be as late as late May. Summer weather doesn't arrive til some time in July. Summer is warm and sunny and short and almost never hot. There is very little heat accumulation for heat loving plants like tomatoes and melons to ripen. Roses billed as 'loving heat' won't like it here. Swimming is considered an indoor sport. Summer days are long, light showing about 4 am and not fully dark til 10:30 pm. Makes star-gazing hard for working folk who have to get to sleep. Rainfall is negligible and our soil dries out fast so it can get pretty dry and crispy by early fall.


First frost can be as early as late September. The rain returns some time in October and stays til June. Fall is beautiful though. Cool nights bring out fall colors in maples, dogwoods, serviceberries, ocean spray and hazelnuts, while days can be warm and sunny. Day length shifts rapidly in September, making star-gazing more feasible. Killing freezes arrive as early as late October. Winter is dark, wet and cool but rarely frigid. Light doesn't arrive til 8 am and is gone around 4 pm. If it were ever clear, stargazing would be a piece of cake. But cloud cover is constant and rain nearly so. Ice coats the roads many nights but almost always melts in the daytime. Snow is infrequent, light and melts by noon, to refreeze as ice that evening. Some people wear shorts all winter long - Alaskans and Coloradans mainly but still. Not me! Yearly precipitation is around 50", and the growing season averages 120-150 days.


We moved into our new house in 1999 and I started the rose garden in Jan 2000. It's in full sun, dawn to dusk for all practical purposes. When the sun comes out, that is (remember: rainforest). Some of the roses are noted as having come from California. These roses were in my original garden in Redwood City, Sunset zone 17, USDA 9. They were dug up in August of 1998, crammed into pots or whatever they would fit into, and driven up to Olympia. Quatre Saisons and Ferdinand Pichard were in wooden produce crates and Sun Goddess in a big plastic party tub with a crack in the bottom. There they sat in their pots until Jan 2000. Howver, over the years, I've noticed that the roses that I brought up with me just never did do as well as ones purchased up here and planted directly into the garden. Best of all of course are the bare root roses planted in huge holes so the roots could spread wide. The roses that came from California had a lot of adobe on the root balls. I didn't want to bare-root them in the middle of August but maybe I should have done just that once I got to planting them here, I'm sure that adobe was deadly in Washington's winter rains. Looks like I'll be moving my gardening again and I won't bother taking any of the roses with me this time, just start over from scratch. It's too hard to haul all those pots around and keep them watered and I don't know how long I'll be in between gardens, and then as I've seen the moved roses just don't do that well.


The garden, as I said, is in full sun. The soil is mainly gravelly, some sandy spots, some loamy spots. Officially it's called Alderwood Gravelly Loam. Organic content is very low naturally and even lower now due to abuse by loggers, quarrymen and developers. The site is an abandoned gravel pit which was logged off and then scraped and leveled for construction. Where the native vegetation was left alone, organic content in the topmost layer is sufficient for most plants. pH is 6, which is very good for this area. Drainage is excellent, which is good in winter, not so good in our dry summers. The formal garden is a circle and the roses are arranged by color in spokes radiating from the center. So all the whites are together, all the reds, all the bicolors, etc. Roses are spaced 4ft on centers. The informal garden is just that. This is where the non-hybrid tea types go: the Austins, the shrubs, the antiques that are floppy shaped, etc., along with peonies, hinoki cypress, abelias, ceanothus, camellias and a few sun-tolerant rhododendrons. The rugosas are mainly along the driveway because they don't need spraying or deer protection. The climbers are on the wire-mesh fence.


The biggest problems around here for growing roses are: A: Damp cloudy climate encourages anthracnose and blackspot; B: Deer browsing; C: Acidic soil; D: Heavy and/or constant rains ruin flowers and rot roots; E: Rose midge destroys the flowers before you even see the buds. F: Occasionally we get a killing arctic front, as early as mid November is possible. See also Miscellaneous Rose Pests.

A: I can't do much about the rain but I placed the garden in full sun and spaced the plants widely, 4ft on centers, to reduce blackspot. Haven't figured out yet what to do about anthracnose.

B: We installed a 5ft wire mesh fence with Douglas-fir poles we made ourselves from logging slash. No, it doesn't keep the deer out, but it does keep the dogs in, and they keep the deer out.

C: I add lime to neutralize acidity, plus lots of mushroom compost to add organic matter.

D: My drainage is excellent, thanks to that gravelly loam, so I don't get root rot. Can't hardly dig holes either for all the rocks but that's a different story.

E: Winter kill is possible but not inevitable. I'm near Puget Sound, which reduces winter's chill somewhat, so I wait til Thanksgiving or even later to strip my plants. Where most of town is in Sunset zone 4 and experiences temperatures of 0F, I'm in a cold spot of zone 5 and the lowest temperature I've seen here is 8F or -13C.

In the winter of 00-01 I used straight aged mushroom compost to bury my roses, which did quite a bit of damage - kept things too damp. Well, everyone says you have to cover the roses here, and I'm new, so what do I know. A few roses died outright, many were badly damaged with little above-ground growth left. Others were totally unfazed. For the winter of '01-'02 I used nothing to mulch my roses and - no dead roses. Everyone in the rose society was horrified when I mentioned I planned on skipping winter mulching this year. 'Oh you'll be replacing all those roses!' they gasped. Not! I suspect it's warm enough where I am that winter kill is unlikely, whereas winter rot is probable. I hear it's mainly botrytis to blame and I'm trying to figure out what to do to prevent it. I'm an entire Sunset zone warmer than in town.

Winter 02-03 again I didn't cover the roses. We got a killing freeze for Halloween, the temperature plunging from mid 60s to about 15 degrees F. Sprayed with Wilt-Pruf antitranspirant on Xmas Day, it's supposed to help prevent winter kill from both rot and freeze. They did fine, once again.


I prune the roses in March, and dormant spray with lime sulfur. I feed the roses when they have a few inches of new growth on them. I use either of two local organic fertilizers - Puyallup Rose Society Fertilizer or Terosa Ultimate Rose Fertilizer. I have to convince the dogs that they don't want to eat it because they think they do. Dogs like organic fertilizers but a blast with the hose (or two or three) will usually convince them otherwise. Starting spring of '02 I'm using alfalfa tea on the roses. They LOVE it! I repeat fertilizing after every bloom flush til August. When the soil is warm enough to fertilize, it's warm enough to apply predaceous nematodes to control thrips and midges. I spray with a fungicide every two weeks or so starting as soon as leaves appear. During the brief dry season, the roses are watered with a drip system made from rings of laser tubing around each plant.


Calendar of Rose Care, courtesy of the Olympia Rose Society:




For other rose growing tips, see The Olympia Rose Society website.





Rose Class Color Fragrant Disease Resistance Best Features Source Planted Comments
Abraham Darby Austin Peachy pink blend Yes so-so Color J&P 2000  
Alain Blanchard Centifolia x gallica Crimson Heirloom 2001 Own root, sets nice hips.
 Aloha Climber Sunset Pink Yes Good Color, fragrance, disease resistance Heirloom 2001 Own Root
Amelia Earhart Hybrid Tea Cream blushed Pink Yes None Flowers are huge and gorgeous Arena from CA demanding. weak. flowers lack substance.
Artistry Hybrid Tea Coral orange Yes J&P 2002
Barbra Streisand Hybrid Tea Mauve Yes poor Color, fragrance Edmunds 2000 removed fall '01 - blackspot
Blanc Double de Coubert Rugosa White Yes Excellent Fragrant and easy Arena 2000  
Brother Cadfael Austin Pink Oh yes so-so Absolutely humongous flowers Heirloom 2000 own root
Buff Beauty Hybrid Musk Buff Yes Excellent All around excellent. Arena from CA  A real beauty!
Clothilde Soupert Polyantha Blush pink balls Heirloom 2001 own-root
Cologne Grandiflora Lavender Yes Edmunds 2002 Love It.
Comte Boula de Nanteuil Gallica Rose Red Oh yes None Fragrance Arena 2000 mildew magnet
Condesa de Sastago Hybrid Tea Red/yellow bicolor Yes Good Floriferous, historic Arena 2000 first bicolored hybrid tea
Cornelia Hybrid Musk Pink Yes Good Arena 2001  
Dainty Bess Hybrid Tea Pink Good tough as nails Edmunds 2000 Single.
Delicata Rugosa Pink Yes! Excellent Fragrant and easy Arena 2000  
Double Delight Hybrid Tea Red and yellow Yess!! None Color, fragrance Edmunds 2000  
Fame! Grandiflora Dark Rose Red No Excellent Nonstop production 2000  Removed 2004, crown gall
Ferdinand Pichard Hybrid Perpetual Pink w/ red stripes Yes Reasonable Color and fragrance Arena from CA  Removed 2004 due to virus.
Fimbriata Rugosa Pink Yes Very Cute, fringed, carnation-like flowers Heirloom 2000 own-root
First Prize Hybrid Tea Pink Blend eh Color Costco 2000  
Fourth of July Climber Striped Red & White barely Good Color Weeks 2001  
Fragrant Plum Grandiflora Purple Yes Weeks fall 2001
Frau Karl Druschki Hybrid Perpetual Pure White No Large white flowers Heirloom 2001 own-root. Pure white.
French Lace Floribunda Off White No Poor from CA - removed fall '01 - blackspot  Replaced with standard '02
French Perfume Hybrid Tea Yellow and pink Yes decent Color, fragrance Edmunds 2000  
Full Sail Hybrid Tea White Yes Good Floriferous Edmunds 2000  tinge of pink Removed 2004, crown gall.
Gemini Hybrid Tea White blushed pink Yes Good Color Weeks 2000  
General Klaber Moss Silvery pink Very Nice! Heirloom 2001 Own root. Gorgeous.
Gertrude Jekyll Austin Pink Yes so-so Tough plant hardware store from CA  
Gros Choux d'Hollande Centifolia Soft rose-pink Yes Large full flowers; 'big cabbage'-like Heirloom 2001 own root
Helen Naude  Hybrid Tea White edged Pink Some   Color Edmunds 2003  
Honorine de Brabant Hybrid Perpetual Striped Pink Yes Good Takes shade, color, fragrance Heirloom 2000 own root
Ingrid Bergman Hybrid Tea Red Yes decent fragrant, disease resistant reds are rare Weeks 2000  
Intrigue Floribunda Purple Yes Not Color, fragrance 2000 removed fall '01 - blackspot
Jadis Hybrid Tea Pink Very Good Fragrance, full flowers Heirloom 2000  One of my all time favorites.
Jan's Wedding Shrub Yellow blend Yes decent Floriferous Briggs 2000 local hybrid
Jean Giono Hybrid Tea Golden yellow No Good Very high petal count Star 2002 Full frilly flowers with darker colored 'veins'.
Jeanne laJoie Mini Climber Pink No decent Cute & easy J&P 2000  
Just Joey Hybrid Tea Peachy orange Yes Good Huge flowers Edmunds 2000 Badly damaged by rot under winter cover '00-'01, died
Konigen von Danemark Alba Pink Yes Very Good Color, form Raft Island Roses 2002 sold as Jacques Cartier
La Ville de Bruxelles Damask Pink Yes Not Fragrant and floriferous Arena 2000 once bloom
LeAnn Rimes Hybrid Tea Yellow blushed Rose Yes Good Edmunds 2000  Died to ground every winter. Removed 2004 due to crown gall.
Liebeszauber Hybrid Tea Red Yes decent Fragrance Edmunds 2000  
Love & Peace Hybrid Tea Pink & yellow bicolor Not Very Edmunds 2002
Mme. Hardy Damask White Yes Fragrance, cute little green eye in flower. Star 2001
Mme. Pierre Oger Bourbon White blushed pink Yes so-so Unusual form, floriferousness Arena from CA  
Mme. Plantier Alba White decent landscape value J&P 2000 once bloom
Marie Pavie Polyantha Pale Pink/white Heirloom Own-root, 2001  
Martin Frobisher Canadian Explorer Pink Lawyer's 2001  
Mayor of Casterbridge Austin Pink Yes Heirloom fall 2001 own-root. Vigorous, productive, fragrant.
Melody Parfumee Grandiflora Purple Yes J&P 2002
Monte Rosa Rugosa Heirloom fall 2001 own-root
Moonstone Hybrid Tea White blushed pink Eh decent Floriferous, color 2000  
Mutabilis Shrub Rainbow No Good in a class by itself Briggs 2000 evergreen everblooming
New Dawn Climber Pale Pink Good Vigor Weeks 2001 Removed 2004 - a reversion to the once-blooming original variety.
New Zealand Hybrid Tea Pink Yes Good Fragrance 2000  died to ground every winter. Removed 2004.
Night 'n' Day Dark red None color J&P 2000 weak, removed fall 2001
Octoberfest Grandiflora Orange blend barely decent color Weeks 2000 weak, removed fall '01
Oklahoma Hybrid Tea Red Yes decent Rite-Aid 2002 bagged & waxed but doing great!
Paradise Hybrid Tea Mauve Yes eh Color Weeks 2000  
Paul Neyron Hybrid Perpetual Dark Pink Yes None Huge flowers J&P 2000  
Paul's Himalayan Musk Rambler Pink Yes! Good in a class by itself Wayside 2000  
Peace Hybrid Tea Yellow blend Yes eh Beautiful, huge flowers Edmunds 2000  
Peter Mayle Hybrid Tea Dark Rose Red Yes! Good Huge flowers, color, fragrance Star 2000  
Polar Star Hybrid Tea White some decent Color Weeks 2000  tinge of cream
Pompom Blanc Parfait Pink Yes Arena 2001    cute!
Quatre Saisons Autumn Damask Pink Yes Good Historic - from ~5000 BC, so tough as nails Roses of Yesterday from CA Also known as Rose of Castile
Queen Margrethe Shrub Pink No Good Cute & easy Weeks 2000  
Queen Nefertiti Austin eh slow to start Heirloom 2000 own root
Rina Hugo Hybrid Tea Magenta No decent Huge flowers, color Arena 2000  
Rose de Rescht Portland Rose Red Yes Good Cute little flowers J&P 2000  
Roseraie de l'Hay Rugosa Rose Red Oh my god Yes!!! Excellent Fragrant and easy Arena 2000 Reliably early bloomer
Royal Sunset Climber Orange Some Good Pretty & easy Arena 2000  
Royal William Hybrid Tea Red Good Edmunds 2002
Secret Hybrid Tea White blushed pink Yes so-so Pretty flowers from CA  
 Shreveport Hybrid Tea Orange No   Color Friend 2003  Small flowers.
Sombreuil Climbing Tea Ivory Yes so-so Flower form Arena 2000 best white climber ever
Sonia Rykiel Shrub Peachy pink blend Yes! Good Fragrant and floriferous Arena 2000  Badly virused.
Stainless Steel Hybrid Tea Lavender Yes so-so Color, fragrance 2000  
Stephen's Big Purple Hybrid Tea Magenta Yes decent Fragrance Edmunds 2000 not purple at all.
Striped Moss Moss Pink striped Crimson Heirloom 2001 Own root
Sun Goddess Hybrid Tea Yellow Yes Good Floriferous, long vase life J&P from CA; died 2003, root rot.  Must replace this rose!!!!!
Sunset Celebration Hybrid Tea Sunset colors Yes Good Color, fragrance 2000  
Sunsprite Floribunda Yellow barely Good Floriferous, color Edmunds 2000 boring; gave to friend '03
Sweet Afton Hybrid Tea Pink Yes slow to start Heirloom 2000 own root
Sweet Surrender Hybrid Tea Pink Yes decent Fragrance Weeks 2000 removed, virus '02
 Tamora Austin Peachy Yes Decent Color & Fragrance J&P 2002 tree rose
The Prince Austin Dark red to purple Oh my god Yes!!! No. Color, fragrance from CA  demanding but worth it.
The Temptations Hybrid Tea Pink swirls No Good Floriferous, vigorous Weeks 2000
Tiffany  Hybrid Tea Pink w/ Yellow Yes some Color & size orphan 2000 weak stems
Tineke Hybrid Tea Pure White No Good Edmunds 2002 really pure white
Tournament of Roses Grandiflora Coral Pink some Good Floriferous, easy Weeks 2000  
Traviata Hybrid Tea Red No Good Star 2002 Quartered flowers
Valencia Hybrid Tea Chamois barely Good Floriferous, color, huge flowers Arena 2000  
Voodoo Hybrid Tea Orange blend   decent    

2002

  
White Maman Cochet, Cl. Climbing Tea Pink Yes Good Color, flower form, vigor, fragrance. Arena 2000 No sign of white. Flowers ball in slightest dampness.
William Baffin Canadian Explorer Strawberry Red Briggs 2001




In 2001 I am spraying with a Bonide fungicide product made from hydrogen peroxide called Remedy. It seems effective. I also have the new Bayer Rose Insect Killer to spot spray for thrips and rose slugs, which seem particularly bad this year. I applied predaceous nematodes to the soil of a few of the roses that tend to get thrips and midges the worst. It seemed to help so I did the rest of the formal garden. Starting in 2004 I'm using Banner Maxx. Expensive, poisonous, but oh so effective and at 2-3 week intervals, too. Discovered Fertiloam's Borer and Bagworm spray, a dilute form of spinosad, effective against the rose slugs. Also discovered a new cure for midge: deer browse! When the deer come through and prune all your flowers off for you, they eat the midge too!

No ratings in 2002. Too busy.

In 2003 I sprayed twice with dormant sulfur, then twice with spring sulfur, before applying Soil Soup to the roses on May 18. As you can see most roses were pretty clean at the time. I want to see how clean they stay with this stuff. As you can see I had to introduce a category of F for some roses after a couple months of soil soup only. On the other hand, an impressive number of roses are perfectly clean. Some of the increase in blackspot should be attributed to brand new roses typically being uncharacteristically clean (see below); some to the extreme subjectivity of the rating method. Some roses have improved their rating under the soil soup regime at the same time that others have seriously deteriorated. The jury is still out.

I'm also going to hold off on rating roses their first year in my garden as many roses are clean the first year and only after a winter do they pick up the local blackspot - just look at the year to year ratings and you'll see what I mean! especially Abraham Darby and La Ville de Bruxelles. At the same time I've quit rating the rugosas. They're all clean.

Blackspot Ratings. A = less than 5% infected leaves. B = up to 10% infected leaves. C = 11-25% infected leaves. D = 26-50% infected leaves. THIS IS NOT NO-SPRAY!!! Nor is it scientific.
Rose ( * = best cutting flowers) JUNE 9 '01 SEPT. 2 '01 May 18, '03  June 26 '03
Abraham Darby A A- C  F
Alain Blanchard B A+
Aloha      A A+
Amelia Earhart * A B C F
Artistry A+ A-
Barbra Streisand C F  removed  
Blanc Double de Coubert A A    
Britannia B  
Brother Cadfael B+ A B+ B
Buff Beauty A A A+  B+
Clothilde Soupert C A+
Comte Boula de Nanteuil D- D A+ A+
Condesa de Sastago B+ A A+ A+
Cornelia B+ C
Dainty Bess A A C-
Delicata A A    
Double Delight * B+ A B+ A+
Fame! * A A- A+ C
Ferdinand Pichard A A A+ A
First Prize C A A+ D
Fourth of July A A B+ A+
Fragrant Plum A+ C
Frau Karl Drushki C A-
French Lace (bush 2001)(std 2003) D D A+ A+
French Perfume B A C  D
Full Sail * A B+ A+ B
Gemini * B+ A A+ A+
General Klaber A+ A+
Gertrude Jekyll B+ B- A+ D
Gros Choux d'Hollande A+ A+
Henry Fonda A B+  died  
Honorine de Brabant A A- A- A+
Ingrid Bergman * A A A+ A+
Intrigue D F  removed  
Jacques Cartier A+ A+
Jadis * A+ A+
Jan's Wedding B B C- D-
Jean Giono A+ A+
Jeanne laJoie B+ B+ C- B
Just Joey B+ A  removed  
La Ville de Bruxelles A A+ C- F
LeAnn Rimes * A A A+ A+
Liebeszauber D C A+ A+
Louise Odier A+ A+
Love and Peace A+ A
Mme. Hardy A+ A
Mme. Pierre Oger * B B+ C- F
Mme. Plantier C A B C
Mme. Scipion Cochet D dead  died  
Marie Pavie B B-
Mayor of Castorbridge B A+
Melodee Parfume A+ A
Moonstone * A B A+ A
Mutabilis C A- B+ A
New Dawn A A C B
New Zealand C B  died  
Octoberfest C C  removed  
Oklahoma A A+
Paradise * B A- A+ A
Paul Neyron B A B- D
Paul's Himalayan Musk A A   A
Peace * B B+ B+ C-
Peter Mayle * A A A+ A+
Polar Star * B C B+ D
Pompon Blanc Parfait A A
Quatre Saisons A A- A+ A+
Queen Margrethe B+ D B+ A+
Queen Nefertiti C D    A
Rina Hugo * B+ B A+ C
Rose de Rescht B A B+ C
Roseraie de l'Hay A A    
Royal Sunset B+ A+ B+ F
Royal William A+ A+
Secret C A A+ A+
Sombreuil A A- A+ A+
Sonia Rykiel B+ B D C-
Stainless Steel C C B+ F
Stanwell Perpetual B- B
Stephen's Big Purple * B+ A A+ A
Striped Moss A+ A+
Sun Goddess * A B  died  
Sunset Celebration * B A A+ A+
Sunsprite A A  removed  
Sweet Afton * A C C C
Sweet Surrender B A  removed  
Tamora (std) A+ A+
The Prince * B+ B+ C  F
The Temptations * B+ A A+ B
Tiffany A+ A+
Tineke A+ B
Tournament of Roses * A A B+ B
Traviata A+ A+
Valencia * B+ A- A+ A
Voodoo A+ A
White Maman Cochet, Cl. B A B- A


THE OLYMPIA ROSE SHOW, JULY 14, 2001

The 2001 Olympia Rose Show was the second week in July as usual and as usual my garden was mostly between bloom cycles. I only entered 10 roses. One of my friends in the Society was surprised to find out I don't qualify for Small Garden when she saw me with so few entries! I had LeAnn Rimes and Sunset Celebration as my only Hybrid Teas, and SC was in Open Bloom. I had two examples of Honorine de Brabant and one of Mme. Pierre Oger in the Bourbons & Perpetuals section (which I swept ! there was only one other entry), Sombreuil in Teas, The Prince in Austins, Quatre Saisons in Autumn Damasks, Jan's Wedding in Shrubs, and Comte Boula de Nanteuil in Gallicas. He'd grown out of most of his blackspot problem of the spring but he still had a couple of BIG spots on him. Anyway I was preparing my entries at the show and some old geezer (who turned out to be one of the judges I was assigned to clerk for) looked at them and said, "Why don'tcha WEDGE 'em?" so I thought to myself, well, why don't I? So I wandered over and grabbed some wedges and set to work and wedged all my roses.


Once all my roses were placed in their catagories I went to the Judge's Meeting before the judging to get my assignment as a judge's clerk. Clerking is a job that requires no skills or experience at all and I encourage anyone interested in showing roses to volunteer - you get to watch and listen while the judges work and you learn what they look for and why some roses did well and others didn't. It's especially interesting when you watch them judging your own roses.


Anyway I tagged along with the judges, trying not to listen in on one judge regaling another, a retired OB-GYN, about her uterine lesions. I put marks on tags and ribbons on vases while they argued about the merits of one rose over another. One class we judged had an entry that belonged in another class - an English rose in the Shrub (Not English) class, so I moved it to the correct class before the judges got started on it. When I went back later to check on my own roses, I saw that The Prince, my English entry, had a Second Place and the one I'd moved to this class had First! I was a bit annoyed with myself for being so honest until I noticed that every other entry in the class but mine had a First . Humbling. (Here in Olympia we like to give out a lot of blue ribbons It ain't easy growing roses in Olympia.)


Then I checked on my OGRs (Old Garden Roses). The classes had been judged and now they were judging all the Firsts against each other for the Trophies - Dowager for roses introduced before 1867 and Victorian for roses introduced after 1867 but belonging to a class developed earlier. I had a couple of roses in contention! Comte Boula de Nanteuil, complete with two big blackspot lesions, for Dowager and Mme. Pierre Oger for Victorian. I watched as the judges judged my Comte against another rose for Dowager - one judge actually told another to ignore the blackspot! They decided they liked mine because of the presentation and the freshness of the flower and the uniqueness of the variety - they'd never heard of it before, let alone seen one. My rose won a trophy because it was wedged up nice and straight! a rose I'd been about to shovel prune a month before because of the blackspot! Now I can never ever get rid of that rose.

 

(back to Olympia Rose Society)