 |
Rose Hit Parade February 2002 |
|
‘Evangeline’
– Dan Russo My
favorite roses have to be the old-fashioned ramblers. To me, there are few
sights more spectacular and beautiful in the rose world than a rambler in full
bloom, cascading from an archway or winding along a fenceline. Although usually
non-recurrent, ramblers make up for it in their amazing mass of bloom over an
extended period. Not too long ago, ramblers were the most popular and
widely-planted of all roses. Their survival in many old rose gardens testifies
to their charm, toughness, and continuing value. Among
the many rambler varieties that I grow, one of my special favorites is
'Evangeline' (1906). If you're looking for really fantastic fragrance (strong
green-apple) and the informal, old-fashioned look in a climbing-type rose, this,
in my opinion, is one of the best. Her flowers are single (five petals), like
apple blossoms, in large, airy clusters-- a soft, blush white with deeper
cameo-pink veining. Leaves are an attractive large and glossy dark green, bronzy
when young, and nice bunches of small red hips follow in the fall. Blackspot
never poses a problem, though good air circulation is needed to ward off powdery
mildew. As a very late bloomer, she also helps extend the rambler season well
into August. 'Evangeline' is a New England-bred rambler that seems to thrive
especially well in coastal conditions. She can be put to many good uses:
trailing over a stonewall or embankment, climbing on an arch and, of course,
covering that old outhouse. She's also a champion tree-climber with long,
flexible canes up to twenty feet. In fact, this is one exuberant rose, which
should be kept in mind where space may be limited. Her best use is as a large,
arching shrub along a back border where she'll perfume the garden air and be a
valuable bee-magnet. One last note: there's apparently several ramblers now in
commerce as 'Evangeline'. The true-to-name, very fragrant variety is the one
described here. She makes a very versatile and lovely addition to any rose
collection. Editor’s Note: Lowe's Own-Root Roses is a supplier of the
'Evangeline' described. ‘Veteran’s
Honor’ – Paul Vellucci I began growing roses in 1991. I started with hedges of
‘Simplicity’ and Jackson and Perkins gave me two ‘Summer Dream’ hybrid
teas to try out. That’s how I
started to grow roses. I began to
plant more and more roses that I liked and now have eighty in the ground. I have
thirty-two hybrid teas, twenty shrubs, twenty minis, five floribundas and three
climbers. I have such great roses as ‘Double Delight’, ‘Chicago Peace’,
‘Mirandy’, ‘Fragrant Cloud’, ‘Oregold’, ‘Perfume Delight’ and
many more fragrant roses. Two years ago, at the RI Flower Show, I saw my favorite rose for the
first time. As I walked into the RI Rose Society display, I saw the most
beautiful rose that I have ever seen. It was a small bush and it held the
perfect flower. It was red and pointed and fragrant. I asked Manny what it was
and he replied that it was ‘Veterans Honor’.
I couldn’t wait to order that rose. I
planted it in the spring and the first year was great. The bush reached four to
five feet with a lot of long stem, fragrant roses. Last year was its second year.
and it bloomed all summer and into November. The cut roses last a week in a vase
and are a beautiful red and fragrant. ‘Veteran’s Honor’ is a rose for all
gardens. ‘Saraband’
– Tony Silva My
favorite rose plant is a floribunda – ‘Saraband’. The blossoms don’t
have the “queeny” beauty of the blossoms of the hybrid teas, but their
plants bring beauty to your garden on show day, the day before and the day after
and all summer long. And you
don’t have to primp and cajole them to bring out their beauty as a plant. ‘Saraband’ was hybridized by Meiland in 1957. It won the All American Rose Selection for 1960, the
Bagatelle Gold Medal, the Geneva Gold Medal, the Rome Gold Medal in 1957, and
the Portland Gold Medal in 1957. The
blossoms are 2-1/2 inches wide, are semi-double with 10-15 bright orange-red
petals, have bright yellow stamens and bloom profusely with excellent repeat.
The bush is two and a half to three feet tall, is vigorous and bushy,
winter hardy and with excellent disease resistance.
‘Sarabande’ was the first rose that Elsie and I bought when we were
looking for a well-performing plant with bright color.
We planted three by our front door.
We now have many hybrid teas, floribundas, minis, and other classes, but
‘Sarabande’ still remains my favorite rose. RIRS
Members--If you would like to contribute to this column and let other members
know about your favorite rose, either sign up at the next meeting to write a one
or two paragraph description, or submit your favorite rose description to Angie
Chute at apc1090@aol.com
|