On Tue, 30 Dec 2003 23:22:15 GMT, "Anne Lurie"
wrote:

Heidi,

I can't offer any answers to you, but I'm in Raleigh, NC also! (I saw
Heidi's subsequent post) And there are at least two more of us in rec.roses
(where *is* Shiva, anyway?).

I'm going out on a limb (as it were), but I'm guessing you may be new to NC,
as April is nearly summer here! I thought the best time to plant roses was
in January or February (not kidding); the J&P boxed roses appear in local
garden centers in February, if I'm not mistaken.

I have limited experience with roses, but I've been enamoured of Graham
Thomas ever since seeing pix on a photographers' website that I like. The
rose reminded me of something Martha Stewart might have created for a
wedding bouquet, by stuffing in extra petals!

One thing about Graham Thomas that many have commented on - it
shatters very easily. It's not a rose for bouquets at all. Not only is
it not very usuable for arrangements ('cause it has about a day or two
life at best), but it doesn't really last long on the bush either.
Once it gets fully formed, plan on a couple of days at best before it
shatters on the vine (so to speak). Yeah, you might eke out a week if
you're lucky, but I wouldn't plan on it. The blooms literally explode,
and I'm not talking about profusion, either.

Having said that, I love my GT. It has a nice scent, it's pretty
prolific in terms of blooms (and fairly fast growing as well), but it
also takes great pics g. Just don't expect *any* life on the blooms.
It just won't happen, IME.