Encased in roses…

Living on the far end of an island brings with it an incredible amount of serenity and privacy. It also lends to an incredible amount of fauna. The deer are plentiful and it is not uncommon to have a few bedding down for weeks at a time just beyond the blackberry brambles, pines and cedars surrounding us.  In an attempt to protect our tender flowers, we built a formidable 8 foot fence surrounding 16 raised beds.  In the past decade, I have acquired just over 150 varieties of roses, which means I have had to get creative with where I plant them. I began to plant climbing roses all along the inside fence, with foxglove and modest size rose bushes in-between. My hope is that in a few years, the fence will be completely encased in roses.

Of all the roses I have grown, there are inevitably some that reign supreme. These are some of those favorites.

Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch)

There is no other full size rose that matches the color of Ash Wednesday. Think foggy lilac with a hint of stormy blush. It it grey and lavender with the warmest pink at its heart when it first begins to open.  I planted my first bush in the fall of 2019 and by May I had my first roses. It is a vigorous climber and within just a few years it spread across the entire west side of our fenced garden. It only comes into bloom once a year, but it is so astonishing when does that it more than makes up for it. Bred by Kordes in 1955, it’s hard to find but so worth the hunt. I’ve heard from some growers that it seems to have no scent, but it is quite fragrant in our garden, in fact I think it smells a bit like Earl Grey tea.

Bathsheba

I don’t know that I could ever pick a favorite rose, but I do know for certain that David Austin’s Bathsheba would be a contender. Color, fragrance and form are the three categories that matter most to me. I’m willing to put up with a difficult rose as long as it is worth the effort. Bathsheba is one of my top picks in every one of those categories and it is also one of the healthiest. Rarely does it get black spot or powdery mildew, which seems unavoidable when growing roses in the Pacific Northwest. Most buds begin a shade of honey gold before opening in warm peach and then softening to apricot with gentle blush on the outside petals.  It’s form is entirely enchanting and the fragrance is truly one of my favorites. I don’t have any other rose in the garden that smells like Bathsheba. It is one of my shorter climbers, so it would work well in limited space.

Black Tea

An extremely unique color of Hybrid Tea, I ordered this rose several years ago and as soon as it bloomed I put myself back on the waitlist for another bush. It is the most alluring shade of russet to claret red washed in a delicate veil of black.  It is also one of the most difficult roses to photograph as the color never quite comes through true. It has been slow to establish and grow, but I am more than happy lending extra patience to this one.  If you love red roses, this is one you definitely will want to add.  If you detest red roses, I am confident it will prove the exception and win you over.

Emily Brontë

I am a true bibliophile and when David Austin released a rose in this name I was quick to pre-order it. I don’t mind taking a gamble on a rose, I have ordered many sight unseen and scent unknown.  This one does the author justice, I believe. It is romantic. Almost heartbreakingly so. Shades of ivory, cream and blush. It is repeat flowering, so you will enjoy plenty of blooms all season long. The roses themselves are almost flat and filled with layers of swirling petals. It has the loveliest fragrance, and I have found it does very well in bouquets. I added more bushes last fall.

Golden Celebration

If ever there was a gateway rose, this one might be it. I have lost count of how many people have insisted they do not like roses, both when visiting our farm and during our years of selling bouquets at local farmer and artisan markets. There is wide spread belief among many people who have never experienced a true garden rose, that all roses are equivalent to the reds, pinks and yellows flown up from Ecuador. All identical in shape, all identical in color, all identical in their lack of fragrance, and all being completely devoid of magic and enchantment. A garden rose is something entirely different. The color is never entirely exact from one bloom to the next. The petal count can vary, the size can vary, the fragrance can fill an entire room, and they are entirely magical. Closing your eyes and burying your nose in the petals instantly transports you to somewhere you thought never actually existed. If you could capture the fragrance of an enchanted summer afternoon in a rose, it would be this one. It is also entirely lovely with large honey colored cups that fade to an antiqued gold.

Koko Loko

Color. This one is all about the color. It’s been highly sought after for several years and luckily it is now much easier to obtain. Ranging from a dusky lavender to a creamy cup of coffee, the mocha shades of this one are perfection. It does excellent as a cut flower and puts out countless roses every season. The fragrance is also enchanting, which often times is not the case when you have a rose bred for such exceptional color. This is a definite favorite for me to use in arrangements as it just does so well, but mostly because it’s just so jaw-droppingly beautiful.

Lion’s Fairy Tale

I never expected to love this one as much as I do when I bought it. I have come to find that Kordes roses, more often than not, entirely exceed my expectations. This rose is also known as KORvanaber, Lions Rose and Champagne Moment. It will vary in color throughout the season from a creamy white to a creamy apricot with warm blush and hints of antique gold at the center. It only has a light fragrance, but it puts out more clusters of roses than any other bush I grow all season long and has the healthiest, deepest glossy green leaves in addition. It is a gold medal winner in international competitions and that is easy to believe once you grow it. It is said to grow rather small at 2′ by 1 1/2′ but my first rosebush is much larger, at about 6′ x 4′ and possibly the healthiest rose I grow.

Little Grey Pearl

I don’t grow many miniature roses, mostly because despite doing wonderfully with flowers grown in-ground I tend to over-love or neglect the plants I grow in pots. However, when Paul Barden decided to part ways with a very tiny little plant I absolutely jumped at the chance. If you are not familiar with Paul Barden roses, they are some of my favorites. This one is close in color to the rose Ash Wednesday but it is a bit more silvery grey and has a slight shimmer, just like a little grey pearl. It is a tiny, and has up to 50 petals per flower. It takes a bit to get going and Paul advised it is susceptible to powdery mildew, but it’s been blooming for me all season and I truly adore it.

Sweet Jane

Where Golden Celebration is without doubt the winner in my garden for fragrant yellow roses, Sweet Jane surpasses it in form.  Another from Kordes, and also known as KORangober, it has very full cupped blooms that open in the form of an old rose. They begin a rich honey gold with hints of copper before fading into an antiqued lemon cream. I love this one in a vase, because the more it ages the more it resembles a vintage painting.

Tea Clipper

Another phenomenal rose from David Austin. The warm golden-peachy, blushing apricot shades have been a long standing favorite for me. This one has all those shades in one rose. With 50-100 distinct shaped petals per flower, it’s unique form and color set it above so many others. It has a strong fragrance and looks incredible in a bouquets. Furthermore, it blooms in flushes all season long. This is one of the few roses that truly checks all the boxes.

Vol de Nuit (Night Flight)

Of all the purple roses I grow, this one is my favorite shade. It’s like an ominous sky at dusk, charged full of electricity as a storm prepares to engulf it.  Full and fragrant, it’s really a beautiful addition to any rose garden. I make a point to find roses I love in a wide range of color, as I have no idea what shades will be my favorite in five to ten years from now.  If you are partial to purple, or if you just need to further the variance of color among your roses, this might be the one you need.

William Morris

My very first David Austin rose. Everything about it is perfection. It has that nostalgic fragrance only found in english garden roses. It displays the most delicate shades of pink and peach among large, full blooms that continue all season. It’s wonderful for cutting and has been a standout in many of my bouquets. Abraham Darby is a parent plant and it’s easy to see similarities between the two. I grow them both, and I think William Morris is just a bit better.

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