We're a week or more away from the peak of the first flush but as of
yesterday, I've got rose blooms! It's a great time of year here in
Maryland. I know some of you have been enjoying roses in bloom for
weeks but they are just getting started here and I cannot wait. The
rugosa 'Blanc Double de Coubert', the climbing Bourbon 'Zepherine
Drouhin' and David Austin's 'Mary Rose' each have a couple flowers open.
The seedling rugosas have actually been blooming a few days and are
doing very well but since they really face the neighbors, they get a
better show than I do from them. Oh well, share the wealth. Sombruiel
Climbing looks like it's finally hit its stride. It's covered with buds
and is going to put on a great show this year. All the others are in
various stages of buds but won't have blooms for at least a week.

Because of construction next door and changes to our roadway, I had to
dig up three plants in the city right-of-way ('Pat Austin', 'Rose de
Rescht', and 'New Dawn'). They are doing well in large pots. Since we
may be moving anyway, I'll leave them in pots until we know for sure.

Anyway, it's been a beautiful spring so far and it just keeps getting
better. Pictures soon. Thanks for listening.

--
Henry

"Henry" wrote in message
.. .

We're a week or more away from the peak of the first flush but as of
yesterday, I've got rose blooms! It's a great time of year here in
Maryland. I know some of you have been enjoying roses in bloom for
weeks but they are just getting started here and I cannot wait. The
rugosa 'Blanc Double de Coubert', the climbing Bourbon 'Zepherine
Drouhin' and David Austin's 'Mary Rose' .................
===========================
I know the excitement. Our mini roses just started to bloom last week!
Plus an old antique rose of some kind the man at Lowe's sold us for $2.00
because the tag was gone.

Roze....

I smiled reading your post Henry. Its thrilling to watch them survive
and blossom- This is only my 2nd year with a rose garden. I live in FL
and we have blooms almost yr round. I've taken a while to learn how to
use fungicide without destroying (!) my bushes... and dead head and pull
black spot leaves off here and there almost daily enjoying every minute!
I have started a miniature rose collection with STARINA and KIRSTEN and
would love to hear of other favorite minis that any of you can
recommend. My minis will all be in urns... Oh, and have you see the new
Jackson Perkin's BLACK rose??? Its Gorgeous!! Its actually an extremely
dark mauve or red I believe. There's also a stripped mauve called
TIGRESS that's new and unusual... to me. Happy Gardening!

wrote in message
...
Oh, and have you see the new
Jackson Perkin's BLACK rose??? Its Gorgeous!! Its actually an extremely
dark mauve or red I believe.

I've got a new almost-black rose called Black Baccara, just out this year I
think. Mine's from Star Roses though. It's just barely about 2 days from
"popping", all covered with blooms. I'm really curious to see how dark it
comes out...it's also a very, very dark red.

It does look like it's darker than my previously-darkest red, which is
Taboo. Taboo comes out very cool, and mine is doing really well this
year--better than ever. Plenty of basel breaks, probably because I've
taken Gail's advice and used epsom salts this year. Oh, and of course our
practically nonexistent winter this year didn't hurt, either.

JimS.
Seattle