Our last summer

Our last summer, Rosa Eskelund 2013

https://youtu.be/KoyNlVQbUPc

Named after the ABBA song Our last summer this rose needs much more attention.. Light pink, typical HT flowers appear on a very healthy plant. It's a climber and she can get 250 cm or 8 feet. The exquisite blooms have a delicious fragrance. Reblooming is terrific and she's hardy zone 5b to 9b. A very good climbing HT in the style of Mme Caroline Testout climbing and La France climbing.

A very underrated rose so try her! 

Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel Was created by Massad for Guillot's Générosa collection in 1997. It is named after the famous Haut Couture House.

This rose is very interesting for a few reasons. It has been created from one parent rose that was the result of the cross between Yellow cushions X Aloha. This was the same cross of which Abraham Darby was created. So this parent got crossed with Graham Thomas and the result was Sonia Rykiel.

It is an arching tall shrub which can reach 120X150 cm or 4X5 feet. The flowers are very old fashioned and pink. Cupped at first, opening into almost flat rosettes. They are heavily fragrant with old rose, raspberry and even banana components. Reblooming all summer long and with good health this Sonia Rykiel is still a very popular member of the Generosa collection. Zone 6b to 9b. She's extremely beautiful in combination with blue and purple perennials.

A good substitute for many canceled DA roses. 

Highly recommended 

Baroness Rothschild

Baroness Rothschild was created by Jean Pernet in 1870 and is regarded as one of the very best Hybrid Perpetuals. Very soft powdery pink double blooms appear all summer long. They are cupped and stand on good strong stems. There is a mild to medium fragrance but opinions vary on its fragrance. It makes a beautiful neat shrub, nicely rounded 120X100 cm or 4X3 feet, sometimes a bit higher. Repeats very well if you keep deadheading. Foliage is rather light green and healthy. She's no weak rose, au contraire ! Zone 5b to 9b. Makes an ideal cut flower which holds for days indoor. A beautiful aristocrat in your garden!

The Alnwick rose

The Alnwick rose was released in 2001 by David Austin Roses and it's a lovely rose. Very cupped, light pink blooms opening in full rosettes. The are borne solitary in small clusters. They have a rich old rose with raspberry fragrance. This variety looks a lot like Brother Cadfael but it's lighter and the blooms are more delicate.

It's a bushy shrub 120X100 cm or 4X3 feet. Flushes freely throughout the season. Zone 5b to 9b. Foliage is very healthy and is disease resistant. It's a variety that's often forgotten but she's definitely worth your attention. She's a romantic cottagy rose which does very well in mixed borders or in pot.

Claire rose

Claire rose, Austin 1986

People who wouldn't know this rose would immediately say that's Souvenir de la Malmaison! But no, it's not, in fact it's an English rose bred by Austin. She was the result of the cross between the magnificent Charles Austin and Iceberg. 

Claire rose is a vigorous rose that, with some help, can be trained as a small climber against a fence or obelisk. She can reach 250 cm or 8 feet max. However, she does exceptionally well in a pot and even in a pot she can climb a bit. Her blooms are big, flesh pink and quartered and yes they almost are identical to those from Malmaison. They have a good strong fragrance. She reblooms all summer and autumn. Despite the fact that her blooms are so filled they are reasonably rain proof. Health is good although she's a little bit susceptible to mildew and my friends that's the reason why she got ditched by the Austin company in the early 2000. It's beyond my comprehension... Why would anyone ditch such a rose? Malmaison is much more vulnerable to diseases and she immediately balls in wet weather and she's regarded as one of the most beautiful roses and grown everywhere but Claire rose, which is identical, got murdered by its own creator. It's beyond me...

Zone 5b to 9b 

Tea rambler

Tea rambler /Paul's Tea rambler, George Paul 1902

Multiflora rambler 

Crimson rambler X unknown Tea 

This really magnificent rambler deserves much more attention as it's one of the most beautiful on the market. We all know the large flowering Barbier ramblers but this one is something else. Tea rambler makes a big, almost thornless, rambler which can climb up to 500 cm or 15 feet. In late spring it's completely covered with medium, double, light pink blooms. They look very pretty and no doubt they come from the Tea rose parent. They exude a good fruity Apple mixed with tea fragrance. Only once blooming but what a display it gives!

Highly recommended rose 

Pullman orient express

A seedling from Peace or Mme A Meilland this Pullman orient express and it shares many features of its famous parent. Meilland released this rose in 2002 and it has been a huge succes and it also got a climbing sport.

The reason for its popularity is it's gorgeous color: Just like Peace the flowers are very big and start as pointed high centered buds but where Peace starts as a completely yellow rose Pullman Orient express already has that carmine pink at the edges of the petals. When fully open the carmine gets more intense and especially with warmer weather. They have a good fruity fragrance. Growth is upright with stiff canes just like Peace and it's height is also the same 100X 185 cm or 3X6 feet. Reblooming is really good and disease resistance is also according to today's standards. The blooms are very rain and heat resistant. Because it's a seedling from Peace and not a sport it doesn't has the degeneration of strength which Peace has so it's vigor is really good. Immensely popular in Eastern Europe, Ukraine and even Russia and that's a surprise as this rose has hardiness zone 7b to 10b so it seems she's much stronger than said on paper.

One of the strongest Hybrid Teas 

David Hockney

Matthias Meilland told me that David Hockney is one of the most beautiful and best climbers they have ever created. When you see it growing in Southern France in the test garden of Meilland you can only concur with that statement. David Hockney has many old fashioned, very full blooms in light yellow with pink shading towards the edges, totally enchanting. They have a mild to moderate fruity fragrance. Foliage is healthy and extremely disease resistant as it survived the test trials. The test trials mean that the rose is kept for two years with irrigation and good care but after that they have to make it without irrigation, fertilizer, pest and fungicides.

David Hockney grows up to 200/300 cm or 9 feet. So beautiful as an espalier rose, against fences, walls, trellis etc...

Zone 6b to 9b. Reblooms all summer and autumn long. 

I think it's a stunning climber! 

Souvenir de Baden baden

Souvenir de Baden baden, Kordes

Hybrid Tea, ADR rose 

A delightful rose this Souvenir de Baden baden. Big blooms in this cream with pink shading in the center and edges color. They have ruffled petals which gives a charming effect. They stand in small clusters or solitair. Makes a rounded shrub of 100X100 cm or 3X3 feet. The canes are stiff and can support the flowers nicely. Foliage is healthy and extremely disease resistant. Reblooms in flushes all summer long. The beautiful flowers exude a good fruity fragrance. Zone 5b to 9b

Highly recommended rose