Can You Help ID Another New Mystery Rose?

5 years ago

We have 3 plants of this variety at the Summerland Ornamental Gardens. For the past few years, I have not really noticed that this rose variety was distinct from the 3 plants of the Mary Rose, next to these. This year, after spending four seasons doing rejuvination pruning, fertilizing and new drip irrigation system. The differences stick out like a sore thumb.

The plants in this garden are all at least 25 years in the ground. So that puts a limit on what cultivars it might be. My best guess, looking at my various Austin reference books and catalogues and on HMR is "Cottage Rose". If you grow it, do you think I have it right. Note the dark green mature leaves, maroon new stems and paler newer leaves. The newly opening blooms are very globular.

It is astounding this season, with the long neglected roses now back to full health and vigour how many roses I have either mis-identified til now, or have not been able to identify until now. Golden Celebration is a case in point. We have three plants of it and for the past three years, I was leaning toward Graham Thomas as the identification. This year with vigorous, rejuvinated, happy rose plants it became very obvious that it was in fact Golden Celebration which I had not personally grown in the past. The fragrance, pure citrus, the blooms are fuller, more petals and cupped, they are also much more golden in hue than Graham Thomas. So it is new to me, but I am very impressed now that it is happy.

It is amazing how much difference there is now that the roses are being properly cared for and growing well.

Thanks for any help with the ID,.

Cheers, Rick

Featured Answer

rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
Original Author

5 years ago

Jeri, there are far too many roses, OGRs, English Roses and others for us to try them all :( However, after decades of growing roses, you begin to recognize a rose that is superior when you first are intorduced. There is a town rose garden, just south of my home in a lttle town called Oliver, B. C. The lady who owns the local nursery is a rose lover and is the person who planted and takes care of that rose garden. I have had happy chats with her and bought a rose or two as well.

To the point: Golden Celebration is one variety which she has planted multiple plants of in that garden. Two years ago they were xix feet tall, this year they have been pruned to 3 feet. Either way, they are covered in bloom and full-on glorious. Now that our 3 plants in the Summerland Gardens are thriving again, I can see the likeness easily. Ours are about three feet high, but more, perhaps 4 feet, across. Golden Celebration is a thing of beauty, both in bloom and fragrance. I like it a lot.

Now if I can just ID my pink mystery rose?

Cheers, Rick

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Comments (6)

fig_insanity Z7b E TN
5 years ago
Rick, it's been several years since I grew CR (one of the first I lost to rosette disease), but something about your photos makes me doubt the ID. The color is right, but I remember CR being much more full, with many more petals than your photos show. Some of the later blooms were less full, but the first flush was always petal-packed. I don't remember the leaf/new growth details; it's been at least 13-14 years ago since I lost my plant.

Whatever your rose is, it's grown to perfection. Well done.

John
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a thanked fig_insanity Z7b E TN
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
5 years ago
I love hearing about all this, Rick. I don't know the ID, sadly.
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
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Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
5 years ago
Ingrid grew Pretty Jessica. Maybe you could keep that one in mind for ID.
jerijen
5 years ago
I don't think the pink rose is Pretty Jessica (which I grew too long ago to be positive!). But may I just say that it's lovely???

As for Golden Celebration . . . There's not much I can say in praise of it that I've not already said over and over. I purely love Golden Celebration!!!
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a thanked jerijen
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I am pretty certain that after a little more research and a few more visits to observe the blooms as they mature, that I have identified this rose. I believe it to be the early Austin English Rose -

Bibi Meizoon", 1989 release.

Some more images of blooms from today that are fully open now. I kept looking at the blooms and they reminded me very much of The Reeve. Sure enough, when I looked up the parentage, it is "The Reeve X Chaucer".. This rose has a lot of Gallica/Hybrid China close up in its pedigree through Chaucer and Constance Spry. Interestingly, it would seem that if is had been bred 150 years ago, it's genetics would probably qualify it as a Hybrid Perpetual.

This is a rare one. I have never seen a live plant before and never known anyone who has grown it. So I will watch it with interest for the remainder of the season to see how it performs. Right now all three plants are covereed in huge globular gorgeous pink blooms. We did have a pretty good rain two days ago and a few of the blooms were a bit balled, but most opened fine. I suspect that this one would ball badly in a wet climate. But she very much likes the Okanagan Valley with our dry warm climate..

Cheers, Rick