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Vase roses and fertilizing: Evelyn, Sandy Hook, Austins for hot & dry

10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago

From HMF and also from my 160 fragrant own root varieties (39 are older Austins) in my heavy clay, zone 5 with hot summers over 90 F.

Kordes roses like Poseidon, Kiss me Kate, Deep Purple and Summer Sun make good cut blooms. But Savannah doesn't last long in the vase (can't take hot full sun either).

French roses that last long in the vase and can take hot full sun: Versigny, Peter Mayle, Dee-lish, Sweet Mademoiselle, Firefighter, Moonlight Romantica, Liv Tyler, Rouge Royal, Princess Charlene de Monaco.

AUSTINS FOR THE VASE: Evelyn (4 days), Claire Rose, Young Lycidas, James Galway, Perdita, Jayne Austin, Swan, Dove. Fair Bianca (one week), Tradescant & Tess of d’Urberville , The Squire (1 week), Princess Alexandra of Kent, William Shakespeare 2000, Munstead Wood.

AVERAGE (about 3 days): The Dark Lady, Golden Cel., Prospero, The Prince, English Garden, Sweet Juliet, Abraham Darby, Carding Mill, Sharifa Asma, Radio Times, Mary Magdalene.

I don't cut Abraham Darby since it DOES NOT last long in the vase like Evelyn, plus Abe. Darby has sharp citrus scent (less quality than Evelyn's sweet peaches scent).

SHATTERS: Tamora, Heritage, Ambridge rose, Graham Thomas, Scepter d’ Isle, Queen of Sweden.

Niels in Denmark compiled days in the vase: Heritage 2 Tradescant 4 William Shakespeare 2000 4 Brother Cadfael 5 Benjamin Britten 5 Golden Celebration 3 Scepter D Isle 3 Alnwick Castle 3 Crocus Rose 3 Teasing Georgia 3 Glamis Castle 4 Falstaff 4 Othello 5 Graham Thomas 3 Evelyn 4 Wisley 3

Crocus Rose 4 Abraham Darby 3 The Dark Lady 3 Charles Austin 3

Brother Cadfael, Benjamin Britten and Othello have good vase life. Pegasus and Bishops Castle make good cut-flowers. Pretty Jessica is low-thorn.

Non-Austin ROSES FOR THE VASE:
Sunset Celebration, Tournament of Roses, Tuscan Sun, Granada, Louise Odier

Don Juan, French Lace, Peace, Fragrance Cloud, Veteran's Honor, Let Freedom Ring, Black Magic, Touch Of Class, Memorial Day, Valencia, Elina, Alpine Sunset

Fragrant Plum, Bride's Dream (thrips-fest), Olympiad, St Patrick, Helmut Schmidt

Kentucky Derby, Moonstone, Flo Nelson, Perfume Delight, Calico, St. Patrick, Tiffany, Pascali, Prominent, Stainless steel, Oklahoma, Mirandy, Chandos Beauty, Elle, Papa Meilland, Rouge Royale, Arizona, Floral Fairy Tale, Big Purple, Liv Tyler

Osiana, Imperatrice Farah, Black Baccara, Tineke, Frederic Mistral, Firefighter

Old Garden Roses: Paul Neyron Mrs. b. Cant Henry Nevard 'Archiduchesse Elisabeth d'Autriche' & 'Souvenir de la Malmaison, La Reine.

For hot & dry: "Betty White" "Moonstone" "Toulouse Latrec", "Yves Piaget" "Tournament of Roses", Veteran's Honor, Dee-lish, Purple Lodge, Sweet Mademoiselle, Moonlight Romantica, Peter Mayle, Prairieville Prince.

What are your roses good for the vase in hot & dry summer, THANK YOU.

Below were Munstead Wood & smaller red William Shakespeare 2000 and Evelyn taken hot July 14, 2024 after lots of acidic rain, which made my 12th-year-own root Evelyn bloom pinkish .. its old rose scent comes through with acidic rain, but still has intense sweet peaches scent.


Below is a vase of mostly Evelyn (turns peachy in hot & dry) and with high potassium biochar at pH 8.6. The sweet peach & candy scent is intensified with biochar. I have version #1 Evelyn (bought in 2012 as own root) with open stamens so the sweet peaches scent is intense, a few blooms can perfume the entire room. Version #1 Evelyn has shallow cup with FAST REPEAT (pruned down to 1 foot after 1st flush). Pale leaves belong to dark pink La Reine. Pic. taken 7/21/24:



Below pic. is taken from David Austin 2011 catalog, showing Evelyn being apricot with open stamens, old rose and fresh peach scent, 100 petals:


Evelyn leads the pack in the most blooms for 2nd flush, next is Carding Mill, then Prairieville Prince, Mary Magdalene, About Face, and Veteran's Honor also give the most blooms in hot & dry July, but I don't cut them for the vase. Veteran's Honor has a light cherry scent in cold temp, but zero scent in hot & dry, pic. taken July 21, 2024: The white small blooms are Cloudert Soupert, red is Veteran's Honor:


Below yellow Well Being also gives lots of blooms in hot & dry but Japanese Beetles love its fruity scent. Blooms are smaller due to the heat & dry weather. It lasts 4 days in the vase (longer vase life and deeper yellow than Jude). All pics. are taken July 21, 2024.


Sandy Hook rose, bred by Robert Neil Rippetoe to honor the 28 mass-shooting victims at Sandy Hook, CT, USA. He gave me the seeds in 2012, that's when my ex-neighbor's 6-year old daughter got shot in Sandy Hook (they moved from my NW Chicago to that town). My daughter used to play with the girl's older brother when they were toddlers. Sandy Hook is VERY thornless, only 3 prickles at the base of bush. Amazing sweet scent of baby power and grape juice, very much like a toddler's sweet face. It survives 11 of my zone 5 winters. Very hardy and small & compact at 1.5' x 1'.


Below middle red bloom is Sandy Hook rose, left peachy pink is Evelyn. Upper pink is Comte de Chambord. Sandy Hook scent rivals Comte de Chambord and can easily beat all the red fragrant roses in my garden: Mirandy, Firefighter, Crimson Glory, Munstead Wood, William Shakespeare 2000, Rouge Royal, Barcelona.


Comments (55)

  • 10 months ago

    Peppermint. :) :) Maybe I'll give that a try. Now that my sister is out of my house (after 2 months) maybe I can try eating better now that the stress is gone. :)


    Beautiful, beautiful roses!!!

    strawchicago z5 thanked rosecanadian
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    rosecanadian I'm down to 119.4 as of today 7/31/24 thanks to weeks of sniffing Evelyn (sweet peaches scent) along with Sandy Hook (red wine and grape juice with my hard-well water at pH 9, and sweet pea & old rose with acidic rain).

    The best way to lose weight at my old age (will be 63 soon) is to eat very slowly and use one's nose to be satisfied. The nose is the commander rather than the bottomless pit stomach.

    I credit sniffing Evelyn after meals so I'm NOT temped with sweet treats. I sniff Sandy Hook in between meals to be happy .. I'm much happier getting my enjoyment from sniffing roses than to stuff my belly with food. Below left bloom is Sandy Hook (better scent than small top William Shakespeare 2000). Pinks are Evelyn which have been in the vase for 4 days, Evelyn does NOT drop its petals fast like Abraham Darby (I rarely cut Abe).


    Above left RED is Sandy Hook rose (formerly Yves Seedling since it's bred from Yves Piaget). Peachy blooms are Evelyn, and yellow is Golden Celebration. See Sandy Hook in HMF rose link: 'Sandy Hook' Rose (helpmefind.com)

    Sandy Hook smells like delicious red wine and grape juice when watered with alkaline tap water, or sweet pea and baby scent with acidic rain. Evelyn is intensely sweet peaches, as stated by David Austin. And Golden Celebration smells like cupcakes from the oven.

    Below 3 roses (red Sandy Hook, peachy Evelyns, and yellow Golden Celebration) enable me to lose weight with their scents that satisfy one's soul .. like a temporary passport to heaven. Their fabulous scents make me happy, and happiness is the key to eating less and be satisfied.


  • 10 months ago

    Straw - my goodness!! Sandy Hook is such a gorgeous rose...I picked it out as my favorite in the first picture. Evelyn wins in the 2nd. :) :) :) I'm proud of you for finding a way to lose weight more easily. :) :)

    strawchicago z5 thanked rosecanadian
  • 10 months ago

    Double Easy Orange blooms last 5-6 days on the bush..(Color does not fade much...)

    At Last rose blooms last 1-3 days on bush... (Color fades fast on At Last..)


    Sandy Hook rose is very nice Straw! A great memorial rose for that sad event!

    All your roses look flawless Straw! Awesome!

    If I sniff roses here a insect would jump out and bite me...lol

    So happy your losing the weight you wanted to lose! :-)

    strawchicago z5 thanked jim1961 Central Pennsylvania Zone 6b
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    jim1961 Central Pennsylvania Zone 6b Thank you for the best laugh today & love your sense of humor. Both your At Last and Double Orange have lovely deep orange color.

    Below is a bouquet of Evelyn and Strike it Rich in this last week of July (hot & humid). The right upper yellow is Golden Celebration (best scent among yellows). Strike it rich are the middle yellows (last 5 days in the vase). Pinks are Evelyn, fades to light pink after 4 days in the vase.


    Below dark pink Barone de Rothschild lasts long in the vase (up to 5 days) but with lesser scent than Sandy Hook. Small pink clusters in the middle is Annie L. McDowell (lilac and musk scent). Lowest light pink is Savannah (doesn't last long in the vase, nice scent).


  • 10 months ago

    Another 91 degree F day with high humidity here! I can not wait until temps & humidity ease up a bit...At Last rose is getting to the point its a eyesore! lol...Might not wait till end of season to yank it out...lol




    strawchicago z5 thanked jim1961 Central Pennsylvania Zone 6b
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    I recognize LOW POTASSIUM in At Last rose by the black spots on its canes. I have the same problems with SHALLOW root Augusta Luis: canes turn black with tons of rain. Augusta Luis has VERY SHORT root as own root (less than 1 foot) so roots can't go deep for minerals at bottom like Evelyn.

    I have to top Augusta Luis CONSTANTLY with dense minerals or high potassium ORGANIC fertilizer since its SHALLOW roots feed from above, rather than from below like deep-rooted TALL Austins (disease-resistant) roses like Evelyn. Below is Augusta Luis, great for the vase, but prone to blackspots:


  • 10 months ago

    Ok thanks Straw... Good ole potassium... What brand do you use?

    strawchicago z5 thanked jim1961 Central Pennsylvania Zone 6b
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jim: sulfate of potash is too acidic for your high rain climate since sulfate of potash has 18% sulfur. Muriate of potash or potassium chloride is too salty at salt index of 113.

    High phosphorus soil or too much applied calcium block the absorption of potassium. That's why potassium is best as sul-potassium-magnesium (potassium combined with magnesium and sulfur) which helps potassium to be absorbed better.

    Without magnesium (the stickiness in clay), potassium can't be absorbed. If you have fluffy & loamy soil, then potassium is best as Langbeinite (a complex of potassium & magnesium and sulfur) sold on Amazon as Down to earth brand ... that would be best for roses.


  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Ok Thanks Straw! :-)

    Come to think of it this season I only fertilized At Last once with Rose Tone in April/May...

    Two years prior I top dressed with cow manure & fertilized with Rose Tone 3-4 times those seasons in which the plant was healthier...

    Since At Last is planted in fluffy leaf compost soil the nutrients this year probably ran out faster...

    Me bad! lol


    strawchicago z5 thanked jim1961 Central Pennsylvania Zone 6b
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Is your soil sticky? Does your soil stick to your shoes when soil is wet? If it does not, then your soil needs magnesium (the stickiness factor), such as Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) or Langbeinite (high potassium mineral plus magnesium). That will help with potassium absorption to prevent disease.

    With less magnesium, heavy rain leaches out both calcium and potassium. Magnesium helps soil to keep its potassium, that why you see Sulfate of potash Magnesia (Langbeinite) in the ingredients in Tone fertilizers.

    Your At last rose is a heavy bloomer .. booming takes up LOTS OF potassium and calcium. That's why I use biochar (super high in potassium & calcium plus trace elements like copper & zinc & boron which are anti-fungal).

    K & M roses have loamy soil in a high rain climate, and this nursery advises using Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). 100 petals waterhog like Evelyn need high magnesium soil like clay to retain water better, plus magnesium is a co-factor for potassium (necessary for disease prevention).

    K and M Roses - GROWING ROSES ON FORTUNIANA ROOTSTOCK BY: JAMES... | Facebook

    Below many petals roses like my high magnesium and VERY STICKY heavy clay which retains water and potassium well: Left pink is Evelyn, and right orange is Crown Princess Magareta, both last 4 to 5 days in the vase. Evelyn fades when it ages in the vase, but it doesn't shatter its petals like Abraham Darby after only 2 days in the vase.


  • 10 months ago

    I'm still going get rid of At Last since the colors fades fast & petals drop fast!

    But I'll still need do this stuff with my next rose bush next season since that leaf compost soil is different than my more clayish native soil...Thanks Straw!

    strawchicago z5 thanked jim1961 Central Pennsylvania Zone 6b
  • 10 months ago

    The sticky clay way below 2 feet is rich in minerals & good for plants. My Lemon Balm clumps next to the rainspout look really bad due to rain leaching out minerals .. leaves get blackspots in late fall, and there are green caterpillars on these lemon balm (fluffy soil due to acidic rain).

    When I dug holes for roses, I dig out the DENSE & sticky yellow clay filled with pebbles and threw that at the end of my garden. It's all HARD and DENSE clay mixed with rocks, but this grows the BEST clump of lemon balm: thick, lush and large leaves.

    I'm using the clay at BOTTOM 2 feet to top my roses since it's high in magnesium .. I also mix in fertilizer. My neighbor has a Ph.D. in Botany and works for Ball international nursery, he "FLIP UP" his clay before winter. He dig up the clay at bottom to throw on top for next year's planting of veggies. My Thai Basil below is grown in fast-drainage air-pot, plus FLUFFY potting soil, note the leaves are lighter green due to leaching of minerals.

    Below is another Thai Basil is grown in dense & hard clay mixed with pebbles. Note DARKER GREEN leaves, and I like to eat the thick & sweet leaves from this bush for Beef Noodle soup, more so that the THINNER leaves from the air-pot above.


  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    There's a lot of confusion in Facebook with version #1 Evelyn (open stamens) and Abraham Darby, so I'll post pics. to show the difference. Below is version #1 Evelyn, pic. is from 2011 Austin Catalog, note open stamens and 100 petals:


    Below Evelyn was bought by a friend from David Austin: Note the center is yellow with same-shaped leaves compared to my Evelyn.


    Below is my 12th-year-own root Evelyn, pic. taken this humid July but leaves are 100% clean with ZERO BLACKSPOTS. Same shaped leaves, base of petals is also yellow. Intense ripe peaches scent on my finger when I strip the petals off to expose the stamen.


    Below is my Evelyn taken July 4 during hot & dry with alkaline tap water at pH 9, note PALER leaves and paler blooms. Leaves looking like the 1st pic. of Evelyn bought from David Austin.



    Below is Evelyn pic. taken from San Jose Heritage Rose park, posted in Dave's Garden website by Sue Brown in 2010, looking identical to my Evelyn above:


    Below is my Abraham Darby bloom in July 4, note LESS PETALS, and DARKER GREEN leaves and ROUNDER LEAVES:


    Below are Abraham Darby's 1st blooms from a tiny rooting, note LESS and CRINKLED and IRREGULAR petals.



    Below is another Abraham Darby's first bloom from a tiny rooting with sharp citrus scent. Note the ROUNDER and DARKER green leaves than Evelyn. Plus SHORTER stem on Abe's bloom. Evelyn throws LONG OCTOPUS cane before blooming.


  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jim - your Orange rose is looking good!! I love it! Oh my...eeek...your At Last rose has got to go!! I've got a few like that that will be given the old heave ho this spring. Crimson Glory is at the top of that list...mildew city. Buxom Beauty will probably be another as will Sunsprite.

    Straw - my Augusta Luise really did terribly with all the stored rainwater I had to give it when we had our water restrictions (still there, but with fewer restrictions). So I cut off the top and made a own root rose out of it. It looks good...but small, not doing much. I have it in the same pot as the mama AL which is a one cane wonder. Your AL blooms are gorgeous!!!! Oh my!!! What organic fertilizer are you using for it? LOL...I looked on Amazon for that langbeinite and they only have a 50 lb bag for $457. lol...I'm not buying that. Sheesh. Oh my....all of your blooms/rose bushes are so healthy and beautiful!!!

    Here's my Grande Dame from today. The blooms were all standing upright until my husband put the sprinkler to work on the grass. Our grass is so crunchy and dry...we can finally use our sprinkler on specific days for 2 hours/week.


    Gabriel Oak...smells heavenly


    The blooms are much darker in reality.


    La Fontaine Aux Perles.

    Pink Peace...bloom is darker in reality


    strawchicago z5 thanked rosecanadian
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    rosecanadian Thank you for your gorgeous roses above !! You have the best looking La Fontaine Aux Perles !! All your roses are good for the vase (I checked). Grand Dame is low thorn and it's on my wish list. I used to have Pink Peace and it's my #1 favorite rose to cut for the vase, I adore its buttercream frosting (no roses can smell YUM like Pink Peace). Below were my Pink Peace in a vase and as a own-root:




    Thank you, Carol, for the info. about Augusta Luis NOT liking acidic rain .. I'm saving my alkaline tap water for Augusta Luis. Since Augusta Luis has a SHORT root (as own root) I use high-potassium & high-calcium tomato fertilizer (Tomato Tone), plus sulfate of potash and alfalfa meal for faster growth. Below Augusta (lowest front) is impressive in the vase with scent similar to Munstead Wood (dark red blooms). White is Mary Magdalene (frankincense scent):

    NOTE: if you use DENSE organic matter like compost leaves, alfalfa meal for topping .. these have plenty of magnesium, thus no need to buy langbeinite at 50 lb bag for $457.

    K & M rose nursery recommends using Epsom salt since it's a cheap source of magnesium.

    Epsom salt plus sulfate of potash = Langbeinite (potassium & sulfur & magnesium).

  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Here's an excerpt from K & M nursery guide to fertilizing in Facebook:

    K and M Roses - GROWING ROSES ON FORTUNIANA ROOTSTOCK BY: JAMES... | Facebook

    "Give each rose bush a cup of Milorganite in the early spring after the danger of the hard freeze is over. This will not burn the roots and is a good source of iron. Also give each bush a cup of time release fertilizer such as Nurseryman Special or Osmocote.

    Once a month add a tablespoon of soluble fertilizer to each rose bush in a gallon of water. Peters 20-20-20 and Miracle Grow are two good soluble fertilizers. A tablespoon of Epsom salts in a gallon of water each month will help produce basal breaks from around the graft. Repeat the time release and Milorginite each month until September. After September do not feed any more so the bushes can begin to harden for winter. "

    MY NOTE: I don't use Milorganite since I don't like the sewage smell. I use chicken manure (also high in iron & phosphorus) in early spring (March). I use HIGH NITROGEN and high potassium chemical granules (NPK 12-0-12) in April. This is sold cheap at Walmart at $16.97 for a 40 lb. bag, see below:



    I use Espoma Tomato Tone NPK 3-4-6 in early May for massive spring flush.

    Twice a month I use SOLUBLE Master-blend Tomato fertilizer at NPK 4-18-38 with very high trace elements for constant blooming (too lazy to get horse manure for trace elements). I don't use Epsom salt since my clay is very high in magnesium, and I top roses in pots with my sticky & dense clay.

    I don't use chicken manure nor time-release granules every month since I have clay that retains nutrients well, but I put granular Tomato-Tone monthly in my pots with fluffy zero nutrients potting soil. Below is Carding Mill, pic. taken August 1. It's a CONSTANT bloomer in my high-magnesium clay that retains moisture well. Lasts only 3 days in the vase:


    Below is a cluster of the Dark Lady when it was fertilized with Tomato Tone early May. I really should use Tomato Tone monthly but I have too many roses & it gets expensive.


    Below tall beiges are Princess Charlene de Monaco, and lower right cluster is Evelyn. Both like the homemade biochar (high in potassium and calcium) for their firm petals for the vase. They were fertilized with chicken manure in March, then chemical 12-0-12 in April, then Tomato Tone in May, then biochar in June & July. In hot & dry August and early Sept, I'll fertilize them with alfalfa tea:


  • 10 months ago

    Nice photos Straw! Everything looks great! Thanks for the info!

    strawchicago z5 thanked jim1961 Central Pennsylvania Zone 6b
  • 10 months ago

    Straw - Thank you!!! I'm in love with my La Fontaine aux Perles!!! Grande Dame is a great bloomer...but it'll need extra Potassium to stiffen the necks as it likes to droop. But they do stand up if given extra potassium. I always say that Pink Peace smells like fruitloops. lol Ooooh!!! I love your Pink Peace!!! Don't you love how large the blooms get? I used to grow Chicago Peace but I got rid of it because it was scentless....but man, oh, man...they were some huge, GORGEOUS and mutable-colored blooms!!! My Augusta Luise is finally starting to grow better leaves and has a few buds. It's amazing how long it took to counteract the huge amount of rain (my stored water) water it got. You use Tomato Tone (all the tones are way too expensive here...$150 for a 4 lb bag...ridiculous) so I've been using Tomato fertilizer, 0-10-10 Fish fertilizer and 5-1-1 fish fert. They work really well. Plus I've given each rose about 1 1/2 cups of my worm vermicompost. I love your roses in the vase...but my favorite is Mary Magdalene...I gasped when I saw its bloom!!!! I put a lot of leaves in my worm bin in the fall...so that's good for magnesium, maybe? Man, I love your Carding Mill!!


    Look at all of the stuff in Vermicompost!!

    What are the nutrients present in vermicompost?The main nutrients present in vermicompost are C, H, O, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S and micronutrients (Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B) (Adhikary 2012;Singh et al. 2008Singh et al. , 2020b Theunissen et al. 2010) . The nutrients in vermicompost are in a form that is readily available to plants ( Gómez-Brandón et al.


    strawchicago z5 thanked rosecanadian
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Carol: thank you for the above info. on vermicompost ... way better than manure. Plus manure has 10% salt, and U. of Colorado in hot & dry recommends manure only ONCE a year in rainy spring. When lowest leaves are brown & yellow in hot & dry weather, that's salt-burn from manure.

  • 10 months ago

    I like the part where it says the nutrients are readily available to the plants...good for roses grown in pots. Probably innoculates the potting soil with good bacteria?


    I found this:


    When vermicompost is added to soil, it boosts the nutrients available to plants and enhances soil structure and drainage. Vermicompost has also been shown to increase plant growth and suppress plant disease and insect pest attacks.


    and this:


    Vermicompost has detoxifying ability, thus its cultivation products are safe. Also, vermicompost is safe for farmers (4). In this regard, yield of the plants treated with cow manure dosage of 500 g/m2 decreased, which is probably due to its high pH relative to the vermicompost fertilizer.

    strawchicago z5 thanked rosecanadian
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    rosecanadian Yes, vermicompost is so much better than manure !!

    I burnt plenty of roses with chicken manure, and also with horse manure (when it wasn't well-decomposed), but my roses in pots perk up when I put a few earthworms in my pots. The earthworms dig tunnels for past drainage and introduce air in the pot for fast root growth. Earthworms like it slightly alkaline, and my best blooms were with my alkaline clay topped with organic matter (horse manure) to feed earthworms below.

    Below many petals top peachy pink is Evelyn. Deep pink below is Sonia Rykiel, and orange/yellow are Crown Princess Magareta. Dark reds are Firefighter.


  • 10 months ago

    Lovely bouquet...and the winner of the gorgeousness award goes to Evelyn!! :)

    strawchicago z5 thanked rosecanadian
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Carol: you are right about vermicompost (worm manure) is far better than chicken or cow manure. In my 50 years of tomato gardening, the year that I had the most tomatoes was when I mixed grass clippings with my clay months in advance and there was lots of earthworms below.

    This year 2024 I was lazy so I put 1/2 bagged cow manure & humus in the planting hole, and I get 1/4 tomatoes plus they are cracked and small due to salty manure prevents stable water-osmosis. Vermicompost (worm manure) has zero salt, versus other animal manures have at least 10% salt, which suppress potassium for bigger blooms and fruits.

    I have version #1 Evelyn (with open stamens and can be grown as a short bush in my zone 5, heavy clay and high rain). My heavy clay is high in magnesium, which makes my Evelyn more peachy:


    My Evelyn has less open stamens in dry weather ... with less water for potassium availability, thus LESS stamens and less wafting scent in dry weather, see below:


    Version #1 Evelyn, bought in 2012 is the most healthy among my 160 fragrant own root roses. Pic. below were taken in July 24 for its 2nd flush. Never see blackspots, mildew, rust, RMV (rose mosaic virus), nor proliferation in my 12th-year-own-root Evelyn:


  • 10 months ago

    Such beautiful, beautiful photos everyone!


    I wasn't aware there was a rose to commemorate Sandy Hook. I live one town over, and my daughter did her student teaching in their school system. It's very close to home but apparently it touches people halfway across the country too, straw. Heartbreaking.


    I am glad to learn of this rose and will have to add it to my garden. Thank you all for sharing such beauty. Goodness knows we can all use it in our lives!


    :)

    Dee

    strawchicago z5 thanked diggerdee zone 6 CT
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Dee: For more info. about Sandy Hook rose, see below link: 'Sandy Hook' rose photos (helpmefind.com)

  • 10 months ago

    Straw - I love those soft colors together in your bouquets. :) :) We had a lot of rain last night...1 1/2 inches!!! We haven't had rain for so long!!! Our grass is already starting to turn green. It's been dry as a bone here and we had water restrictions for so long. I'm hoping it will really zing the fragrances of the roses!!!


    Dee - yes, Sandy Hook has been known all over the world, I'm thinking.

    strawchicago z5 thanked rosecanadian
  • 10 months ago


    strawchicago z5 So Evelyn is not as fragrant in dry weather? It smells like myrrh to me but not peachy or super fragrant in summer in Socal.

    strawchicago z5 thanked Z10Socal
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jemma Z10Socal I'm in several Facebook groups, and one person posted a pic. of Strawberry Hill rose (with larger & rounder & waxier and glossy leaves) which was bought as Evelyn from Regan Nursery. Strawberry Hill rose has a myrrh scent, and blooms don't turn peachy/apricot like Evelyn. There's zero scent in Strawberry Hill rose at nearby rose park in hot summer.

    'Strawberry Hill' rose photos (helpmefind.com)

    My Evelyn scent is most powerful (two blooms can perfume the entire room) when we have 24 hours rain with more potassium available to open the inner petals to expose more yellow stamens for intense wafting scent.

    Version #2 Evelyn with buttonhole has LESS exposed stamen than version #1 Evelyn thus LESS scent. Below is Version #2 Evelyn, as pictured in 2016 David Austin catalog with buttonhole:


    Below is version #1 Evelyn with EXPOSED stamens and more petals at 100, as pictured in 2011 David Austin catalog. This version #1 Evelyn (bought as own root in 2012) is grown as a SHORT shrub (2 feet tall in my zone 5), with intense sweet peaches scent from the EXPOSED yellow stamens:


    rosecanadian Evelyn is worth getting for weight loss, esp. with version #1 Evelyn in 2011 David Austin catalog. This has open stamens with powerful wafting scent. Abraham Darby looks similar but with less petals, and I don't cut Abraham Darby for the vase since it reeks of sharp grapefruit and melon.

    Below Evelyn smells like a sweet coffee cake/pastry laced with peaches. YUM. I can stick my nose into Evelyn 24/7 and it's like desert heaven.


    In tons of rain, Evelyn changes color to deep pink and more yellow exposed stamens for intense sweet peaches scent, see below large pink Evelyn, and orange Sweet Mademoiselle and beige Princess Charlene de Monaco behind Evelyn (largest bloom in any bouquet):


  • 10 months ago

    Strawchicago, well i'm sad now =/

    I was on David Austin's waiting list for two years, and now I have had this plant for two more years, and this whole time I had strawberry hill.

    Any chance you can propagate me a plant? I can pay you or trade with you.

    strawchicago z5 thanked Z10Socal
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jemma Z10Socal I'm so sorry to hear that. I wasted many hours in the past years over mislabeled roses from David Austin. I sold Evelyn rootings cheap for $20 to $10 back in 2022 and donated 100% to charities, but people accused me of sending them Abraham Darby just because my version #1 Evelyn DOES NOT have the buttonhole like version #2 Evelyn.

    It's best that people buy version #2 Evelyn as grafted from Grace rose farm so I won't be accused.

    Abraham is much harder to root than Evelyn. This past winter I rooted 6 Evelyns to gallon-size, but only one Abraham Darby. Abraham Darby blackspots badly in the humid rooting box, but Evelyn stays 100% clean.

    I no longer root for people who accuse my Evelyn of being Abraham Darby just because my version #1 Evelyn is dark pink or peachy with exposed stamens.

    Never mind that my 3rd-year own root Abraham Darby is a blackspot mess, versus my 12th-year own root Evelyn is the HEALTHIEST rose among my 160 fragrant own root roses.

    Never see rust, blackspot, mildew, RMV (rose mosaic virus), nor proliferation (green stuff from the buttonhole) for the past 12 years in my version #1 Evelyn.

  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Strawchicago,I'm sorry that some people weren't appreciative and accused you of giving them an Abraham Darby. I have a small Abraham Darby myself and I love it dearly. You're right—it's not as hardy as some other plants (so no reason you would waste time growing the wrong one), so please don't let those complaints get to you.

    I reached out to DA to request a genuine Evelyn, as they offer a 5-year warranty. I don't have a Facebook account, but if you ever decide to grow one again for a rose lover please feel free to message me.

    I'm so thankful I read your post and found out I have had the wrong rose this whole time.

    strawchicago z5 thanked Z10Socal
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jemma Z10Socal I'm thankful for your gracious and comforting words. You helped me to feel better. A friend in Wisconsin bought below Evelyn as grafted on Dr.Huey from David Austin in 2022, her Evelyn changes color from peachy to pink, and has same leaves as my 12th-year-own root Evelyn.

    My own-root Evelyn has more yellow stamens since I have black gumbo fertile clay, and own-root is more efficient in getting potassium & water to form more yellow stamens and for fast repeat when pruned short to 1 foot after blooming. I also have soaking wet heavy clay plus 7 rain-barrels in a high rain climate. Below is my friend's peachy Evelyn from David Austin in 2022:


    Below is my friend's grafted Evelyn from David Austin, note the base of petals are yellow (same as my own-root Evelyn), also identical leaves:


    Below is my friend's 2022 grafted Evelyn from David Austin, note the exposed stamens since she's in a high-rain climate like mine .. more water to push open the inner petals and more potassium to form yellow stamens. Potassium regulates water osmosis, disease-prevention, and best scent via more stamens.


    Below are bush-shots of my 12th-year own root Evelyn, it's very good in getting potassium for best health, plus FAST REPEAT even when pruned it down to 1 foot after blooming. Leaves are glossy and healthy since I fertilize with high calcium and potassium biochar at pH 8.6:


    Below is my 12th-year-own-root Evelyn in 2024 spring flush with over 100 buds/blooms, despite being winter-killed by my zone 5 down to 1 foot after winter. It's a spreading short bush, always under 2 feet tall since I pruned down to 1 foot after each flush:


  • 10 months ago


    This the one I have. It does not have glossy green leaves but does not smell peachy or get peachy like yours.

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  • 10 months ago

    "Twice a month I use SOLUBLE Master-blend Tomato fertilizer at NPK 4-18-38 with very high trace elements for constant blooming (too lazy to get horse manure for trace elements). I don't use Epsom salt since my clay is very high in magnesium, and I top roses in pots with my sticky & dense clay."

    This is what your fertilize it with ?

    strawchicago z5 thanked Z10Socal
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    The poster in Facebook suspects his Evelyn being StrawberryHill since it's pale pink and never turn peachy. Another grower bought 3 Evelyns from 3 different sources and they are different from each other.

    I asked another grower with buttonhole version #2 Evelyn about the scent, and they said it's medium strength, and gone in the vase. I grew Sandy Hook rose from seeds, and the mother bush produced lousy pink and pretty red blooms on the same bush. I had to douse it with high-iron red lava rock before it produced only red blooms in its 3rd year. Repeated applications with high nutrients changed its genetics to producing red blooms only. The cutting taken from the mother bush also produces only red blooms.

    Evelyn was bred in 1991, that's 25 years in commerce and there's a decline in its genetics if there's a deficiency in nutrient. In humans, vitamin D deficiency in the mother was traced to autism in her child.

    When Evelyn is grafted on Dr.Huey-rootstock, this rootstock is NOT good in picking up potassium and Dr.Huey itself is known for rust, mildew, and blackspots.

    Repeated grafting on such poor rootstock produces a deficiency in potassium, thus more prone to diseases and less able to get enough water to push the petals open for exposed stamens. I saw diseased leaves on the buttonhole Evelyn currently pictured on Grace Rose Farm website.

    I have seen version #1 Evelyn (smaller leaves and exposed stamens) with bad rose mosaic virus RMV from David Austin, shown both Facebook and HMF. Thus version #1 is discontinued and other Evelyn-mutations from the same parents (without RMV) are used instead. Thank God I bought Evelyn in 2012 and I never see RMV (rose mosaic virus) like with my own-root Queen Sweden (stingy), below is 1st-bloom of gallon-size Evelyn that I rooted this winter, with intense peachy scent:


    Below is the mother bush Evelyn, very peachy with 100 petals, same sweet scent like a Danish pastry with peach jam.


    Note below 100 petals in my Evelyn as stated in David Austin catalog. Less stamens in dry weather in my Evelyn bought in 2012:


    Below is a picture from 2011 David Austin catalog.


  • 10 months ago

    Thank you for sharing this information.

    So if I asked DA to send me one on its own root stock it still will not be as healthy as your 2012 Evelyn rose?

    strawchicago z5 thanked Z10Socal
  • 10 months ago

    Rose moisaic virus is more lethal with own root since it infects the root as well as upper growth. I will ask Jim to testify how wonderful his Earth Song many years ago was, compared to his 2nd Earth Song bought recently (infected with RMV) and is a disease fest and stingy in bloom.

    I have 12th-year own root Gruss an Teplitz, infected with RMV, which didn't show up until the 2nd year. It was a disease-fest since first bought as own-root, I keep it since I want to see if RMV can be fixed with nutrients. The answer is NO.

    RMV doesn't affect the blooming ability nor the health of GRAFTED rose since the root is NOT infected, only the upper portion.

  • 10 months ago

    I mean better in that it can absorb the potassium

    and look more peachy.

    I have never had rose mosaic before.

    Does this rose from GRF have it on the leaves?

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  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    According to Heirloom Roses company.

    "Rose Mosaic Virus (RMV) is a virus that is usually spread through grafting roses.....Once a plant is infected with RMV, it will spread throughout the entire plant via the phloem (food-conducting) system. While the plant may continue to grow, it will have reduced quality and puts the rest of your roses at risk. RMV can be transferred by garden pests, such as thrips, and contaminated pruning tools."


    HR is so wrong if what I have is RM on my GRF roses that are on their own root.

    strawchicago z5 thanked Z10Socal
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jim's Earthsong was bought as own root from Heirloom roses this year and it has RMV & fails to grow and a disease-fest.

    My soil is tested very high in magnesium (known to make yellow color more intense, versus phosphorus makes color more pink/red). Magnesium is what makes clay soil sticky and clumps together. If you have dense & sticky heavy clay then there's plenty of magnesium. I once tested dunking cut blooms in Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate) and blooms & leaves turned yellowish.

    If you have fluffy & loamy soil and use animal manure or compost, plus neutral to slightly acidic pH, then your soil is high in phosphorus.

    Potassium makes leaves DARKER GREEN and glossy when I tested sulfate of potash (very high in potassium at NPK 0-0-50) in my zone 5. Another Pakistan rosarian in zone 9b said the same. My Evelyn's leaves are glossy and dark green since I fertilize with biochar (high in potassium) plus acidic rain. But when I use my alkaline tap water at pH 9, less potassium is available, and my Evelyn's leaves turn pale.

    There's a possibility that your soil is high in phosphorus which makes your Evelyn pink rather than peachy yellow. But it doesn't explain for the myrrh scent, and Evelyn is well-known for its sweet peaches scent.

    Your pic. above as own root from Grace Rose Farm: looks like RMV. Below are charts of plant nutrient deficiencies, and they do not match with your picture above.




  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jemma Z10Socal In hot & dry weather: Twice a month I use SOLUBLE Master-blend Tomato fertilizer at NPK 4-18-38 with very high trace elements for constant blooming. I use such since it's cheap for high trace elements.

    Folks in CA have lots of blooms in pots with using Maxsea (kelp for trace elements). It's best for blooming but expensive so I don't use it. Plus I grow roses in pots for big roots to ship, and it's a nuisance to pinch off blooms for root-growth, so I don't use Maxsea with many trace elements for blooming. The only time I get cluster blooming on William Shakespeare 2000, see below, was when I used Dr.Earth Bloom formula with kelp.

    Maxsea Bloom Plant Food 1.5 lb (NPK 3-20-20) (12/Cs) at $25 on Amazon with kelp for the most blooms.



    Do you have any pictures of the LEAVES of your Evelyn from David Austin? Strawberryhill's leaves are very distinct (rounder) than Evelyn. Thank you.

  • 10 months ago

    Thank you for all this info.

    I will have to take a pic of my plant when I come back to show you. Leaving to do some errands. DA just got back to me and they don't think its Evelyn too.


    My soil is clay but most of my plants are in pots. I have been fertilizing them with fish liquid fertilizer.


    Will RM virus keep my new roses from growing into healthy plants?

    strawchicago z5 thanked Z10Socal
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago





    All the pictures I posted here were taken today. I picked this bunch yesterday and had in in the fridge since I have no AC and wanted it to last.

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  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jemma Z10Socal Your leaves and "dumpling blooms" match with St. Swithun (also myrrh scent). St. Swithun is more buttonhole than Strawberryhill. It's also a climber like Strawberry Hill, but the repeat of St. Swithun is NOT as good as Strawberry Hill. See the link: 'St. Swithun ™' rose photos (helpmefind.com)

    It's easy for nurseries to sell mislabeled "Evelyn" since Evelyn is the SLOWEST to bloom as a tiny rooting. Abraham Darby blooms at least 2 months sooner than Evelyn as a tiny rooting. A friend bought Evelyn as band-size own root from A Reverence for Roses in May, and now in August it HAS NOT bloomed yet.

    Below is my tiny rooting of Abraham Darby with 2 buds formed. Note the well-rounded shape (as stated by David Austin catalog), more branching than Evelyn, and the 2 buds are on SHORTER stems. Abe.'s leaves are rounder and DARKER-GREEN than Evelyn:


    Below is GALLON size rooting of my Evelyn, note it throws LONG OCTOPUS canes but with zero blooms to identify the plant. Note the reddish young thorns and paler leaves:


    Below are 1st blooms of Abraham Darby rooting. Note the CRINKLED petals and LESS petals (70 petals and SHARP fruity scent as stated by David Austin). The scent is SHARP grapefruit & melon and it stinks up when aged in the vase.


    Below was Evelyn's st bloom as a band-size rooting .. I had to water it daily plus lots of Osmocote to force it to bloom in November. This was back in 2014 when I DID NOT grow Abraham Darby, so it's 100% Evelyn. Note the MANY PETALS (100 petals) smoothly arranged in circular form, also exposed stamens but with sweet peaches and old rose scent. This rooting was in partial shade, and Evelyn DOES NOT like partial shade like Abraham Darby.


    Jemma: I glanced at Rose forum and found your posts with your cute dogs and such pretty flowers. Houzz is frequented by VERY FEW people, and I post in Organic Rose forum AS A REFERENCE when people google for info., rather than for popularity.

    In Facebook, someone stole my Evelyn picture (bush-shot) to post in another group. She got 78 likes in one hour, until I protested & reported such plagiarism and the administrator stepped in to delete that post.

    A Facebook post can get 200 to 1K likes, but the post CANNOT be googled. But when I google for a rose name, such as "Evelyn" or "Abraham Darby", old posts in Houzz showed up, or HMF info. also show up.

    Any pics. I post in Houzz CANNOT BE COPIED nor STOLEN like in Facebook. Any pics. I post in HMF has the "HMF sign" so someone else can't claim it as his/her pic. either.

  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    I love how you know your rose stuff. I'm so inspired by all your knowledge.

    I think that Swithun over Strawberry Hill makes more sense. It has not grown that big and I see it is a smaller plant of the two.


    Sorry for all my grammar errors. I suffer from dyslexia =(

    strawchicago z5 thanked Z10Socal
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    strawchicago

    I do not need likes but I do like engagement. Maybe its because I turn people off with my grammar/syntax, it's atrocious and my dyslexia does not help.

    I picked that title because yesterday I made a post to thank everyone here ,and only three people commented. I'm not sure how often everyone gets thanked here so I felt like it was way overdue. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6459526/thank-you#29185612

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  • 10 months ago

    Straw - your Evelyns are beautiful!!! Happy, happy rose dance!! Ooooh!!! I'm in love with your WS2000!!! That color is exquisite!!


    Jemma - what a gorgeous bloom!! Is the one you put in the fridge Spirit of Freedom? Stunning!! Oh, I see, Straw said it's St. Swithin. I never noticed any grammatical/spelling errors. lol They're not what matters anyway.

    strawchicago z5 thanked rosecanadian
  • 10 months ago

    rosecanadian and Jemma Z10Socal This thread is getting long with the topmost comments got hidden, so I close this thread, and start another thread below for further discussion. Thanks for joining the below discussion:

    Mislabeled roses, healthy roses, tips for healthy roses and our health (houzz.com)