Mini-flora. That is the normal flower form and size, it's a biggun' for sure, always has been. I've had it for a long time. Frank B., the hybridizer, thought it was way too big for a mini, but once mini-floras caught on with the exhibitors, he finally introduced it. It is a terrific rose.

Thanks Diane. Guess I will give it a chance. The first flower is just as large as the first flowers on some of my new HT's! How large does the shrub get for you?

Cheers,
Michelle

3' tall by 2' wide.

My Leading Lady bushes are the same way! Huge bushes-for a mini-and floribunda sized flowers that are still gorgeous to look at despite their large size. I would have registered it as a floribunda anyway as that is truly what it really is. It is too bad that some people have an aversion to the floribunda's and the grandiflora's for some reason. I love them both and think they have their place in the big scheme of things.
John

Here's a photo of my Leading Lady, taken yesterday morning. She's still a baby, but I'm looking forward to having her in the garden for a long time to come. Good form, lasts great in a vase . . . what's not to love?

Connie

Does she fade out?? Does she have a nice bush form?

TKS

Ronda

The blooms turn to white pretty quickly in my garden. The bush is still small, so no comments on bush form. Maybe the color will hold better after the plant gets established?

Cheers,
Michelle

It holds color better in cooler weather. Yes, it has very nice bush form. Does need spraying here.

Size of roses is only an issue in my eyes if you are planning on exhibiting them.
My Leading Lady's are more floribunda sized everything than mini or mini-flora sized in any way. The bushes are 5' tall and the blooms are all as big as any floribunda I have ever grown. Still, they are lovely blooms reminding me of the HT Cajun Moon that I also grow.
Still, Leading Lady is a beautiful rose no matter what size you want to call it and I am glad to have them in my garden.
John

John,
As the breeder of LEADING LADY I felt the rose was too big to be introduced as a mini or miniflora. The rose is about ten years old and I had it planted out along side our garage. I gave a few plants away to some real good growers and after growing it for a few years they all urged me to have it introduced as a miniflora. I declined so then they urged me to enter it into the ARS AOE trials. I did just that, and after 2 years of testing in 6 public gardens and 5 private gardens across the country, It came out FIRST in the trials. Only then did I concede to have it introduced.
So that is how LEADING LADY made it's way into commerce.
Frank Benardella

Hi Frank! Cool to have you posting. I have to say I really love Magenta Mystique. It's one of my favorite new minis in my garden.

Cheers,
Michelle

(Love some of your other introductions in my garden, too: Black Jade, Liberty Bell, Rosie, and Baby Boomer)