I never seem able to go to the garden centre and get what I go for without coming back with something I didn't go for. Today I came back with the much needed compost and Joie de Vivre, awarded the title of the Rose of the Year 2011. It is supposed to have a good scent. Time will tell. To be fair, I had been on the lookout for another rose but hadn't seen one that I wanted anywhere until today. I don't tend to go for deep coloured red roses or bright oranges in my garden although this is not a rule writ in stone. Not that I don't like them, I do, but they tend to dominate in colour and red roses never seem to have much by way of fragrance if any fragrance at all. As far as I know, the rose breeders are still trying to create a fragrant true red rose. The custard yellow Arthur Bell that I had growing in a pot got moved to the bed running across the front of my house because it stood out like a sore thumb, which meant my buying other Arthur Bells in the hope of having a glorious row of rich yellow roses this summer.
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| Joie de Vivre |
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| The rose bush I bought today: Joie de Vivre |
Arthur Bell are very similar to Joie de Vivre; not in colour but in habit, disease resistance, and leaf shine. Arthur Bell grew very happily in a terracotta pot for two years but he is doing better now in a border. Good old Arthur!
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| Arthur Bell - such a wonderful rose |
I have an English climbing rose adorning my back fence called William Morris by David Austin nurseries and the leaves are very dull and rather disappointing although the flower is glorious - if and when it opens. William Morris roses do not like the rain and tend to hang their heads, refuse to open, and rot. I'm afraid, William, dear boy, if you don't get your act together this year, you are going to have to go!
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| William Morris - hangs down his head in the rain |
I do make an exception regarding strong colour although it isn't as deep as a red rose; I grow Princess Alexandra of Kent... It's fabulous. Strong perfume, prolific flowerer, healthy. How could I not?
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| Princess Alexandra of Kent - a David Austin rose |
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