What a beauty. Wish we could get it to a nursery in Florida.

It's being worked-on. I was going to send cuttings to Malcolm Manners -- but the Sacramento Cemetery will do it. From there, it can go to nurseries.

But it will be a few years before there's anything much to sell.

Jeri

Jeri, I am curious, what is your very educated guess as to who this rose might be?

I sure hope I can get one in San Jose.

I did get an e-mail from Rose Petals Nursery in FL that was encouraging. They are certainly aware of 'JH', and may be planning to offer it in the future?

I sure hope so- and I can wait a few years for it to be available. Such a beautiful rose is well worth waiting for.

Virginia

I'd like to see both of the FL Old Rose nurseries have it. Unless it has blackspot problems there (which we cannot know), I'd think it should be a good FL rose.

Best guess??? Well, that's a problem.

When we first saw it, Clay, and I, and Jill, and Mel Hulse all thought it might be a particularly nice 'Devoniensis.' AS IT TURNED OUT, when it was planted next to a known 'Devoniensis,' it turned out not to be that at all. In fact, it has much nicer foliage.

We all think it could be in the same general family of roses as 'Lamarque,' and 'Devoniensis.' Maybe related to 'Niphetos,' and/or 'Le Pactole.'?? Could be, 'Smith's Yellow' is in there, somewhere? Probably 'Parks Yellow Tea-Scented China' is contributory?

It doesn't fit easily into any one slot. But you know how I am ... I really love a good mystery, and I also love a good Mystery Rose.

:-)
Jeri

Thank you Jeri. I often wonder if some of the found roses used to be named roses in commercial or if they are naturally hybridized roses that planted themselves or were moved

That second picture with your husband sniffing the rose is really awesome; the flowers look so large and luscious. The only downside I can see is that the weight of the flowers causes them to sag downwards quite a bit. Is it just a matter of waiting until the rose has grown tall enough that one can see the flowers at eye level?

Ingrid

That is gorgeous! Love the shot of your husband smelling the flowers, it really shows off the size of the blooms.

The weak peduncle is characteristic of Gigantea genes through the Teas and early "Tea-like" HTs. Many writers, notably G.S. Thomas, felt it "charming", particularly in climbing sports, where the flowers "nodded" toward your face. In a bush form, it can be annoying as the flowers are best observed from underneath. British breeders and nurserymen found the trait offensive in later HTs such as Charlotte Armstrong and many of her offspring. Harkness even offered American breeders had "ruined" HTs through too often using her in breeding because of those floppy, weak peduncles, unable to hold the blooms upright. Kim

But you are making the mistake of thinking of Tea Roses as small bushes, maybe 3-ft. to 4-ft. tall. "Jesse Hildreth's" size (before it was almost killed) was not really abnormal. (See below.)

Look at the photos of Tea Roses grown in the South of France, in the late 19th Century. HUGE! They were HUGE plants.

Likewise, the mature Teas that Capt. Thomas purchased and had moved to his Beverly Hills (CA) home were huge plants. And if you STILL don't believe that Tea Roses can grow that big, Please visit the Sacramento City Cemetery's historic rose garden.

From personal experience, I tell you that on a rose standing 8-ft. tall, a nodding bloom is actually preferable. The same is true of the old Tea Noisettes of climbing habit. They nod down at you, spilling their fragrance as you walk under them. Who would change that? I sure wouldn't.

HTs are a whole other kettle of fish. Let HTs be HTs, and let Teas be Teas.

Jeri

No ma'am, I have long known they are monstrously sized here in the land of endless summer. But, they often aren't in shorter climates and for those whose pruners are "sharper". The British had to treat them as potted roses due to climate. Many Eastern climates had to do similarly. Even a plant of five or six feet in height, which many don't permit them to be, is not quite large enough to allow "nodding blooms" to be dealt with easily. Kim

Well, you can always pick 'em, and put 'em on a high shelf -- which, in fact, is what I do. :-)

Jeri

I rotated a few roses to bigger pots today and moved them all to a cooler and more shady spot today-angle of the sun has shifted. It is amazing how fast a couple of those new Tea bands have grown. They started in 1g pots and moved to 3gs today. I am guessing Smiths Parish is going to be large and so will madame Antoine Mari

My dear, Smith's Parish will, if you allow it to do so, be bigger that a VW Bus. Not BUG . . . BUS.

It makes Mutabilis look like a 95-lb. weakling.

See below: At The Chambersville Tree Farm, TX . . .

A row of Mutabilis on the left (all defoliated by blackspot) ...
A massive Smith's Parish on the right -- covered with buds and perfect foliage.

The Smith's Parish was 2 ft or so taller than I am.
I am 5-ft. tall.

Jeri

I know you mentioned wanting to send Burling some cuttings of Benny Lopez, Jeri. I think you should definitely get Jesse to her if you can! What a gorgeous rose. Thanks for sharing.

Jay

You're right, Jay. I've just been waiting for my plant to grow up a little. It's been making great leaps in this heat, tho.

Young Teas, you know, tend to grow flat and sprawly, until they really get substantial roots under them. They exemplify "First they creep . . . " When they are finally ready, they start putting growth UP. That's just starting, with my plant.

Have I mentioned that I love this rose?

I picked two buds this evening -- Tomorrow's heat will scorch the blooms anyhow -- and put them in a vase with 'Lady Ann Kidwell' (who is so very Tea-like). I've put them up on a high shelf, with my G-G-Grandmother's Staffordshire platter behind them. That way, when I stop to look at the blooms, I'll also see the Irish Platter. :-)

Jeri

This post was edited by jerijen on Fri, Sep 12, 14 at 20:59

Looking at the rose with your husband standing under it, which I know we've seen before and I've never forgotten it, I would take it over any other white rose in existence. It has a quality all its own that really speaks to me.

Ingrid

Ingrid -- it's that way for me, too. If I could only have 3 roses, this would have to be one of them.

Jeri

O.M.G. Jeri!!! that is a beautiful rose!!!

White roses are my favorite. I'd started a border of old white roses to surround my property,,so far my favorite white rose is a toss up between Westside Road Cream Tea (the flat blooms of J.H. somewhat remind me of .w.r.c.t.,
and Lamarque and Devoniensis, which is sublime.

Could you describe the fragrance of 'Jesse Hildreth' to me?
is it sweet and Tea like or mixed floral? or does the scent remind you of another rose?

where is the mother plant ?

Jesse Hildreth' fits all my criteria for a five star white rose:

Old fashioned bloom style
Tea , Tea-Noisette, or Tea-Hybrid.
Fragrant
Lots of pretty evergreen foliage
Plus 'Jesse HIldreth' is FLORIFEROUS!!!
Oh that photo makes my heart sing with joy, love and splendor.

Oh my goodness... I am suffering such rose envy. I'd love to cover a fence, a wall... the galaxy, with
'Jesse "Serene Queen of all White Roses" Hildreth'.

I'm excited (can you tell?)

Lux.