Very nice capture of a beautiful rose.

Sara Ann,

Your Dark Desire is gorgeous! Look at those velvety petals!

I was inspired by multiple people on this Forum, you included :-), and planted two. Not only are the blooms beautiful, fragrant, and long-lasting, the foliage on both has been so healthy (knock wood). That's really amazing in my book. NJ is so hot and humid, so fungal diseases are really rampant. To have a rose not to be afflicted by fungal diseases in our area is a true testament to Kordes' accomplishments.

--Lin

Thank you everyone! Lin, this year I am beginning to detect some fragrance from mine, but it is rather light.

Oklahoma definitely has its share of heat and humidity, but we’ve had such mild weather recently, that’s the exception, I’m sure we’ll begin having more typical summer temperatures soon. It will be interesting to see how DD performs when it gets really hot!

What a beauty. Thanks for the fotos

Since you brought up the fragrance topic Sara Ann, I have noticed quite some inconsistency regarding my two DDs' fragrance. My notes indicated that both bushes in their first year with me produced very fragrant blooms. Now in their more mature stage (second and third year respectively), the fragrance seems less intense. Also, for the blooms that were fragrant, the scent seemed to dissipate very quickly. What's your experience with DD's scent?

Looks so lovely! Glad to hear it’s healthy, too.

Thanks again. Lin, in the beginning I detected almost no fragrance from Dark. Desire, that’s pretty common with a lot of my roses, then after a couple or more seasons I will start to detect a fragrance. If they are typically very fragrant roses to begin with, like Firefighter, Neil Diamond, Pink Peace, Francis Meilland, Oklahoma, etc. the fragrance is always there.

I'm so glad you're having good success with your dark desire. I pulled mine out and traded it for Oklahoma I just couldn't stand the one long stem with the rose at the very tip it sounds like years is a much bushier form with beautiful blooms

Sara, which Zone are you in? How do you over winter it? Do you protect it? Is it on it's own roots or grafted?

THIS IS MY FAVORITE ROSE, next to the Madame Annisette. I had mine for two years until we got the very cold rains the whole month on May and it rotted the crown of mine out. I was never so depressed. It was a vigorous rose until this stinking weather did it in. I ordered another from a sweet lady after searching for two weeks to find out everyone else was not taking any more orders. 78 dollars later, it still sits in a container waiting to be potted into the ground. I am so scared to do that just yet. NOt sure if I should leave it in a pot or what?

It is the most beautiful and fragramt rose I ever grew. Almso black buds, velvety feeling, and very very fragrant!

Nice job on yours Sara.

Thank you Kristine and Meyermike. I’m in Zone 6b, nearly in Zone 7. Mine is own root from Chamblee’s. I have two, one is still in a pot, it’s doing okay, but the one in ground is more vigorous. It is the only Kordes Rose I have that is own root, the others are on multiflora. I don’t know if DD would be more vigorous on multiflora or not, my overall experience with that rootstock says it would be, I’m tempted to get a third one on multiflora. But I am pleased with my own root ones. It hasn’t had any winter protection. I’m very anxious to try Madame Anisette. It’s definitely on next year’s list.

Really beautiful!

Hi Sara ! You won’t be disappointed I’ll tell you. Yes, the one I just got is on it’s own roots. So maybe I’m worried for nothing. Thanks for the info. I needed that ))

Great pictures! I love this rose too. It's clean in GA no spray.