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Rand Lee |
Rand Lee
Payne's Nurseries
and Greenhouses
Mad About Roses
I don’t know about you, but I want so badly for spring to get here that I can almost taste it. Rather than wallow in my misery alone, I thought I’d tease you with visions of a few — a very few — of the many hundreds of plants that Payne’s hopes to be offering you in 2008. Try not to drool on your keyboard.
Let’s start by looking over the Payne’s Nurseries 2008 Rose Collection. If all goes well, this year Payne’s will be featuring the most exciting rose collection since I started working here in 2003. If you’d like a complete list of what we hope to offer, e-mail me at marketing@paynes.com and I’ll get a copy to you.
Since I’m nuts for fragrant roses, I list below the most fragrant of the collection.
Strongly scented white roses will include ‘Blanc Double de Coubert’, a rugosa from 1892; ‘Iceberg’ (Floribunda, 1952); ‘Moondance’, a raspberry-scented Floribunda introduced just last year; ‘Pillow Fight’ (Shrub rose, 2000); ‘Pope John Paul II’ (Floribunda); and ‘White Dawn’, a Climber from 1949.
Strongly scented pink roses will include ‘April In Paris’, a Hybrid Tea introduced just this year; ‘Aromatherapy’ (Hybrid Tea, 2005); ‘Ballerina’ (antique musk, 1937); ‘Falling In Love’, a pink and cream Hybrid Tea introduced in 2005; ‘Pearly Gates’, a strong spice-scented Climber from 1999; ‘Pink Peace’ (Hybrid Tea, 1959); ‘Rose de Rescht’, a fabulous ruby-colored old rose of ancient origin, introduced to commerce in 1940; ‘Tahitian Sunset’, a peach Hybrid Tea (2006); and ‘Zephirine Drouhin’, a marvelous old Bourbon rose introduced in 1868.
Strongly scented red roses will include the classic Hybrid Tea ‘Chrysler Imperial’ (1953); the lipstick red ‘Dolly Parton’ (Hybrid Tea, 1984); ‘Don Juan’, the wonderful old Climber (1958); the red coral ‘Fragrant Cloud’ (1990); ‘Frankly Scarlet’, a spicy Floribunda introduced this year; the violet-red Rugosa ‘Hansa’ (1905); ‘Mister Lincoln’, my mother’s favorite red rose (Hybrid Tea, 1965); and ‘Oklahoma’ (Hybrid Tea, 1964).
Strongly scented yellow and gold roses will include ‘Gold Medal’, a Grandiflora from 1983; the Climber ‘Golden Showers’ (1956); the strongly citrus scented ‘Golden Zest’ (Shrub rose, 2005); ‘Julia Child’ (Floribunda, 2006); ‘Radiant Perfume’, a deep yellow Grandiflora with a strong citrus scent; and the sweetly licorice scented Floribunda ‘Sunsprite’ (1977).
Orange roses with strong perfume will include the Floribunda ‘Outrageous’ and, of course, the 1963 Hybrid Tea ‘Tropicana’.
Strongly scented apricot to peach roses will include the 2006 Grandiflora ‘Strike It Rich’; the 2006 Hybrid Tea ‘Tahitian Sunset’; ‘Tuscan Sun’ (Floribunda, 2005); and the 1970 Climber ‘Westerland’.
Lavender roses with strong perfume will include ‘Fragrant Lavender’ (Shrub rose, 2005) and the 2006 Grandiflora ‘Wild Blue Yonder’.
Purple roses with strong perfume will include ‘Ebb Tide’ (Floribunda, 2006); the plum-colored ‘Memorial Day’ (Hybrid Tea, 2004); and ‘Purple Simplicity’ (Shrub, 1999).
There will also be lots of bicolored roses with perfume strong enough to knock your socks off. Some of my favorites will include the richly scented Hybrid Tea ‘Double Delight’ (1977), which blossoms cream with a red blush; the warm pink-and-cream ‘Falling In Love’ (Hybrid Tea, 2006); the gold-and-peach ‘Granada’ (Hybrid Tea, 1964); the Grandiflora ‘Love’ (red with white reverse, 1980); the old-rose-scented, striped, purple and white Floribunda ‘Purple Tiger’ (1991); and red-and-white ‘Scentimental’ (Floribunda, 1997).
Remember that roses and tomatoes need exactly the same conditions in which to thrive: deep, rich, composty soil; a well-drained site in full sun (at least 8 hours a day); mulch; regular fertilization (I like the 100% organic, non-burning Peace of Mind brand rose food, which we sell at our North Store on Camino Alire); and regular water. Aphids and thrips are the biggest rose pests here in Northern New Mexico; at Payne’s we sell organics that can take care of them. (Don’t forget that roses can thrive in large oak half-barrels!)
There are lots more roses to choose from that I haven’t mentioned here. If you’re as nuts about roses as I am, be sure and ask for the complete rose list. Spring is just around the corner! (I see in my mind’s eye the brilliant orange rose ‘Outrageous’ next to the gorgeous purple ‘Ebb Tide’ …)
Copyright 2007 Rand B. Lee
Read some of Rand's other columns
Errors of Spring | Bulbs of Spring | Vegetable Passions