Daniel Hanna wrote:

Well, I finally found it. Shiva's favourite rose.

Oh, Daniel, it is most beautiful in the fall. How large is the plant?


I was browsing a nursery this wet morning, looking for a pink old-style
rose to replace Mayor of Casterbridge (which had died a very sudden
death in its prime, from rose wilt virus I suspect). I ended up getting
Gruss An Aachen.

Nice rose. I've thought about it.


And then, I found it. Granada. Nearly knocked me over backwards. I
hadn't seen that old 60s variety in any nursery since the 90s, although
some specialists still stock it. It was even flowering, so I could tell
the label was correct.

Daniel, can you smell it? I've never had a single bloom that didn't have
the most outstanding fragrance. And, the thing is, you get a wholly
different form and quality of color if you bring the buds inside to open.
You get more of a spiral effect.


Well, I couldn't just leave it there. Shiva would never have forgiven
me :-)

Right you are! It is the best hybrid tea ever. Bet the women in your life
will love it as a cut flower, and the more you cut the more it makes.


How hungry does Granada get, Shiva? I've mixed a good amount of
Osmocote into the potting soil, and layered the top with this new
lucerne mulch I am trying.

I've never done anything special for it. All my roses get rich black soil,
lots of mulch, bone meal in the planting hole, lots of water, and generic
feeding. It isn't a "stay-in-bloom" rose, but the flushes are huge and
beautiful. You will probably get better results than I do with my generic
food.


I've brought it home and placed it in a big, self-watering pot. Given
we're only a few days off Autumn, it will be interesting to see how well
it does before winter.

What is a self-watering pot? And, when will you put it in the ground? My
first was a Star Rose, sometimes known to be virused. It is amazing.
Started off with one or two blooms, then WHAM! 25 blooms all opening at
the same time. That is when I took this:

http://www.cotse.net/users/hypatia/Roses/granbnch.jpg

Yay, Daniel! I think you will love this rose.