ROSES - "Pa to Pr"

PAUL’S HIMALAYAN MUSK: Rambler. Bred by George Paul, Jr. 1916 in the United Kingdom. The colour is blush pink to white and it forms huge clusters of moderately fragrant blooms. Individually, they are small and about an inch in diameter which are massed in exceedingly large trusses of 100 blooms or more. Hence the air is saturated with their fragrance. As with all old ramblers, it only blooms once in the season, but how SPECTACULAR. It makes a huge statement in our garden when it is blooming. It climbs at least 35’X40’ way up into the tall cedar trees. It is a real sight for sore eyes. We love it, and so does everyone else who gets the pleasure of seeing PHM in bloom. BREATHTAKING!!

PINK PEACE: Hybrid Tea. Bred by Francis Meilland 1958 in France. Large bright pink flowers usually born singularly on long stems. This spectacular rose is Intensely fragrant – a pleasure to own. I have three. They are wonderful, floriferous and tall and upright in my garden – also fabulous vase life.

PRETTY JESSICA: English Rose. Bred by David Austin 1983 in England. This rose is medium pink and is a true beauty. Short to medium height Blooms of many petals born in clusters on longish stems (for an English Rose). It has an intoxicating wonderful strong fragrance and is a lovely all round rose. I have three of them. Whenever I have more than one of the same rose, it means, I particularly love the rose.

PRINCESS OF WALES: Floribunda. Bred by Harkness 1997 in United Kingdom. Large creamy white trusses, born on medium stems. It bears an abundance of small double flowers, always in bloom. A rose I waited two years for, before I received it from England. We used to have a nursery nearby that ordered directly from Harkness, so it was wonderful to pour through the catalogue and pick out a good order. Very exciting!

Then one year I looked at their catalogue and there was a beautiful picture of Princess Diana holding a huge bouquet of these rose, “Princess of Wales”. The rose was introduced by Harkness to honour her 10 years of work with the British Lung Foundation. So, with every purchase of this rose there was to be a small donation collected for the foundation. They looked so beautiful to me that I happily included it in my order.

She passed away when my order was going through and there was such a demand that my order was not fulfilled for another two years. But I was glad to receive it. It was so tiny, but flourished amazingly. Then our deer problems cut in, and we almost lost it. It is now nurtured in a new bed and is doing excellent.

One year, I cut one stem, the huge truss was like a large bridal bouquet all on it’s own. And I won the best in its class at the Horticultural Society in it’s first season. So Princess Diana lives on through this rose for me and it will always have a special place in my heart. To my nose, there is virtually no fragrance, but She is a keeper regardless.