On Sun, 11 May 2003 23:37:55 -0400, Henry
wrote:
They had both Pat Austin and Jude the Obscure (among others) but I
decided I'd go with this one for now. After all, it's Mother's Day so I
couldn't buy too much for myself. Jude is still on my list. Johnson's
is overpriced so even at 20% off it was $32 but it's a lovely, large,
healthy plant so I guess it's worth it.
Sometimes the sheer ease of picking up a big healthy specimen of a
rose you really want at a pricey local garden center is worth the
extra money. My Pat Austin is a Muncy's ownroot, and I do recommend
Ken and Suzie Muncy for ownroot roses. They will not ship to
California, but they will ship to you. There is a website:
http://www.muncyrose.com/
If you look, remember that the price includes shipping. The one-gallon
ownroot of Jude the Obscure is $16.95. (You can also get a
three-gallon grafted Jude for $26.95 total, including shipping.) The
roses come packed kind of funky but are always intact and, best of
all, they take off like weeds! I planted Pat Austin, Golden
Celebration, Tradescant, and three Abraham Darbys last fall (not a
really good idea here as we can have nippy winters) and they came
through GREAT despite just a few oak leaves for insulation. And they
were so small! Each has produced 10-15 roses so far, that's how much
they have grown!
He has a nice list of Austins, Henry! Check our Happy Child!
I'll let you know how it does
and how I like it. My wife's not sure about the mix of colors I've got
but I don't care. I don't think she will, either, when they are all
blooming.
You are a smart man! The odd colored roses add interest. There is
nothing more boring to me than a fistfull of pastel pink and white
roses. I took a bouquet to a neighbor that had some Pat Austin,
(coppery) plus Tradescant (gorgeous deep velvety wine) Jude the
Obscure (buttery) and Abraham Darby--most gorgeous handful of roses I
have seen in a long time.
Have you seen Distant Drums? Speaking of unusual? I have four. It is
the first rose I have four of. I am truly smitten with this rose.
Fragrant, too.
The New Dawn was rooted by a friend so will be growing on it's own
roots. Don't know what difference that might make.
I would love to hear progress reports. From what I hear it is hard to
find a more vigorous rose, so I imagine it is a perfect one to grow on
its own roots.
I'm going to grow
it along my front fence (from the outside).
MIne has the entire end of the new rectangulat bed--I left it five
feet on each side, and it has a chainlink fence to grow on. On one
side, Barbra Streisand, at the juncture of the side fence, on the
other, Blue Nile, at the other juncture. Framing this, viewed from the
end of the bed, is Joseph's Coat, Climbing Rainbow's End (when I get
mine) and Golden Celbration and Pat Austin and Abe Darby! So its
Orange, yellow, purple, pink, lavendar, pink (Paul Neyron, can't
forget him) Orange-pink (Darby) golden yellow, Orange! Then there are
Simply Marvelous, Royal Amethyst, and Outta the Blue, ranging from
grapey mauve to deep purply-something, respectively. My garden is
probably your wife's idea of a bad dream! Contrast, CONTRAST, I love
contrast! I don't know why, it just does it for me.
I currently have four roses
on the inside (Linda Campbell, Johann Strauss, Auguste Renoir, and
Barbara Bush)
Of these I have only seen Barbara Bush, which is such a good,
floriferous rose in a friend's garden that I am tempted to buy it,
even though it has no scent to my nose. How do you like it?
plus those growing up the arbor at the end of the walk (at
the gate)(Zephirine Drouhin, Sombreuil, and Madame Isaac Pereire). Now
with these two outside, I'm really running out of space up front. The
south side of the gate just doesn't get enough sun. There's a very
large buddleia that may have to go.
Oh, yes ... the .... Buddleia ... must ... GO! ;0)
I think it will give me room for
two or three more...
Yippee! More roses!
--
Henry