On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 17:11:29 -0500 (EST), "Shiva"
wrote:

Duet - from Ashdown Roses.

Don't know Duet, but do know Paul Zimmerman. Great guy, great nursery.
Where are you? I am in central NC.

I like Paul's approach to growing - focus on improving the soil, keep
the chemicals to a minimum, etc. We definitely hit it off right away.

I'm in Atlanta. Zone 7. Pro = mild winter, amazing spring weather
for gardening. Con = Texas-like heat in August, clay soil.


Christian Dior - does anyone else here grow these? Or am I off my
rocker on this one?

It is a lovely rose. I have seen it in bloom. A velvety red as I recall. I
cannot recall if it is in the Mr. Lincoln/Chrysler Imperial line of red,
fragrant roses that are genetically related. I am digging out poor
cankered Mr. L. this week--the buds still thrill, with their perfect long
form and the scent is great--but the blooms are sloppy and floppy and the
plant is ten-12 feet tall here, all straight up.

I have a Mr. Lincoln that isn't doing so well at the moment either.
I'm going to move it to a spot with 100% sun (it gets afternoon shade
now) and see how it responds.

My first rose, planted two years ago, was a packaged Christian Dior
(or so the label says - you can never be sure) that I planted as a
test just to see if roses would like my yard better than azaleas. I
absolutely love it - disease resistant plant, big red blooms on long
stems - incredible cut flower.

I've bought many more of them, which has left me with a mystery. My
first one does indeed appear to be a Dior, as opposed to a mislabeled
Mr. Lincoln or something else, but it is quite fragrant. I didn't
think anything of it at first, because the label (I wish I could
recall the brand) said it would be fragrant. But other references and
nurseries list it as only having a mild fragrance.

I'm wondering if there are multiple sub-strains. My trunkload of
refugees from the hardware store included several Diors, and their
label also says "fragrant". If they turn out as fragrant as my first
one, I'll be recommending it to everyone I know.


Blue Girl - another bagged rose rescue. Barely any roots, a hack job
of pruning, and one of the canes partly severed by string from
packaging.

This is not the way to start out with many of the lavender roses, which
seem to share a gene for wimpiness. Even with great beginnings as robust,
long-rooted bare roots and the best of care, they tend to be fussy. Blue
Girl, Sterling Silver, and my first rose, Lagerfeld are all that way.
HOWEVER--I ordered another such wimpy Diva this spring--called Blue Nile--
so go figure. The lavenders can be some of the most beautiful and also the
most fragrant hybrid teas. Trouble is, insects and fungus seem to like
them just as much in my garden as I do!

I picked out the Blue Girl more for contrast than anything else. It's
in a row of mostly reds, between a Christian Dior and a Chrysler
Imperial. I was hoping the presence of lavender would make the reds
stand out, and vice versa.

The Evil Ones who packaged her mangled her so badly that I give her
less than a 25% chance of surviving two months. If she lives to
produce any blooms at all, I'll consider them beautiful little
miracles. (And I'll cut them as soon as they open, so that her few
roots won't have to support them.)


Oklahoma - from Weeks. Apparently I have a weakness for reds.
Especially fragrant ones.

GREAT rose. I saw it early and opted for Mr. L. instead. One thing--try to
put it in a place that gets some afternoon shade. This black-red rose's
petals will burn in the summer, esp. if you are in FL or SC or somewhere
farther south than me.

Hmmm, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip. I'll probably
switch it with the Mr. Lincoln that isn't doing well in afternoon
shade.