I'll be getting Twilight Zone in February. As soon as it settles in and I start to get blooms, I'll post photos and comments. I'm guessing there will be lots of potential interest in the new Twilight zone, as large bloomed, fragrant, true purple roses aren't common. I'd also love to hear from anyone already growing it.

Thanks, harmonyp. I can't wait to see those photos! Diane

I got this one to this year and can not wait to get blooms. It seems very rugged so far with our up and down temps here in Washington state. It has already started leaving out with nice large crisp glossy foliage and has many strong thick growth buds for a newly planted rose. I was happy to see it listed as having a lemon sent as I loved the smell of Intrigue which is another true purple only a floribunda instead of a grandiflora. I will also post pics of it when it blooms to compare its results with others zones and conditions.

Well, thanks a lot you enabler! I'd never heard of this rose and looked it up because of your post. I just ordered one! :) I'm a sucker for purple as it was my daughter's color. She passed away last year.

My bare root Twilight Zone was planted two days ago, so here's hoping it's a good one. I'll update on its progress in the future. Diane

Diane,
Please do update us - I'd love to hear it's a success! I moved my ET to the N side of the house so it will only get 5 hours of our summer sun to, hopefully, avoid that crispy critter thing. ET is so stunning, sometimes. And irritates the fire out of me the rest of the time.

Oh geez, I was so excited to see this topic up on the list again, hoping someone had an answer. But looks like more waiting. I put my bareroot Twilght Zone in the ground the last week in February. Lots of leaves right now. Hoping in another month or so I'll have some blooms to post (and sniff).

Just bumping this thread to see if anyone has a TZ at flowering stage yet.Really want to hear more about this one.

EBB TIDE, which I have, is always talked about in association with it's ugly growth habit.

I don't know?? I don't have much problem with it. What is it about EBB TIDE that people don't like??

I just pruned it fairly heavily after this first flush, is that right for this bush? Just trying to learn more about it. I'll look for Twilight Zone, too

hosnemesis, how would you assess the fragrance for strength and style? Is it fairly strong, any clove notes from its Ebb Tide genes that you (or your mother) can detect?

Fabulous, hose! Please mulch! ;)

Okay, hoovb. As soon as she is done puttering with her little filler flowers I suppose I could give her a hand mulching (since she spent all day here pulling oxalis from my front lawn yesterday).

Betsy, she just got them in the ground. I doubt she would know about clove scents, since she is an allergy sufferer, but I'll ask, and try to remember to sniff when I go over there.

Renee

I have both Ebb Tide and Night Owl, always pictured as deep purple. Don't see that much here-- most often they are a deep raspberry-pink with purple undertones. And overall look rather ordinary.
But OH! the spring and fall when nights are cool--they're gorgeous.
I've learned the lesson about ordering a rose based on photos so I'll wait until I see and sniff Twilight Zone in somebody else's garden!

aggierose I am sorry to hear about your daughter...

Ok my TZ is finishing opening its first round of flowers. They look just like the photos above until the flowers start to age and then...Dark Purple like photos of ebb tide. Mine are that pretty burgundy magenta and smell wonderful and for the last half of their life are deep purple. They have a little white streak in the very center when the flower is fully open which I find distracting. Don't know if this is just my plant. All the roses had it. Flowers are nice and big on a sturdy upright plant. Perfume is first rate.

Here is my first bloom. Looks a little more burgandy than dark purple in person though after reading kmb's post, sounds like it will become more purple as it ages. Mine also has a misc. white streak. Fragrance seems almost as strong as Ebb Tide's (remembering that it is very first bloom in an unestablished bareroot). I think this is going to be one of those roses that will take until it's second year at least until we can really see the quality of it. Shows very good promise.

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I planted my Twilight Zone in February. Its Flushing its first 25 flowers now. I think i might prune it back a bit after the flush, as it has really leggy arms at this point. We have horrid time with roses here in Corpus because of the wonderful salt air and intense humid heat. Hopefully this one is as good as Wild Blue Yonder did me last year.

I was fairly pleased with Twilight Zone this past year. It definitely held its blooms' color better than Ebb Tide during our hot, sunny summer, but its growth was kind of spindly and not very robust. I don't think it smells quite as nice as Ebb Tide, which has a great scent. Meanwhile, my three Ebb Tides have become gnarly and nasty looking as far as the canes' growth. I'm so disheartened by this, I'm contemplating cutting them back to the ground and letting the chips fall where they may. I did this two years ago to several Evelyns, and it worked, but they are a much more vigorous plant. I will give Ebb Tide credit for improving over the years in the color of its blooms. Meanwhile, Wild Blue Yonder, which I disliked at first, has become better and better through the years, and now is a nice monster that blooms almost constantly.
This first pic is of Twilight Zone. Diane

I can't find my Ebb Tide pics, so I'll send a pic of Wild Blue Yonder. Diane

Finally, a pic of Ebb Tide and Ascot (my fav) in a vase together. Hmmm, which is which? Diane

Sorry to keep popping up here, but after looking closely, Ascot is on our left, and Ebb Tide on the right. Diane

Diane, what is the size and shape of Ascot? Is this like a DA shrub shape or more like a HT. I ask because lately some of the ruffly roses sold as HTs and Fls seem to get huge and bushy. No flowers yet on my TZ but the plant looks good with healthy leaves. I didn't have any disease problems last year.

My two Ascot roses have an identical trumpet shape (narrower at base), then growing outward like a so called trumpet shaped vase. They are approaching 6 feet tall in barely two years time, and the canes are large and thick. The shape is somewhere between a hybrid tea and an Austin rose so far. Palatine calls Ascot a grandiflora, I believe, and others call it a hybrid tea (I think they're pretty much the same). I don't think I've ever had such a vigorous rose. Diane

Uh......yum?

I like both parents of TZ. I wish Weeks had pushed Della Reese more because even tho' it is a deep pink, I think it would have done better than a deep purple roses.

Smiles,
Lyn

Lyn, I've really admired Della Reese. There is a photo on HMF that compares blooms of several "purple" roses. I'd like to collect them all.
I purchased 2 TZ's last summer and a 1/2 off sale (this was the real beginnings of the binge).
I love the fragrance! My blooms are the colors of Nana's. I think the shape of my bush is very pleasing too.
I have two wild blue yonder just planted bare root and I have 2 ascot waiting for their places (thanks to Nana's overwhelming praise of Ascot)...
Nana, what is growing with your Ascot and how large/mature is it...Do you have it climbing?
I want to do some kind of purple/apricot/citron bed...
Thanks!
Susan

Susan, My Ascots are just barely two years old, so I don't consider them mature yet. The Ascot in the front yard bed grows with coneflowers, dark red/wine hibiscus, a peony, rudbeckia Indian Summer, a big veronica, some yellow Asiatic lilies, a lot of coreopsis in yellow and purple, and other roses--Ebb Tide and Julia Child. There also some hollyhocks at the back. Sounds like a mishmash, but yellow and purple predominate. The peony and hibiscus are the same dark red/wine as the Ascot, which is a little lighter than the Ebb Tide. I have a lot of purple snapdragons scattered around, too. I could go on, but I don't want to bore you too much. In back near the other Ascot, I have lavenders, a wine and white dianthus, more coneflowers, helenium, rudbeckia, Russian Sage, Purple Emperor butterfly bush, coreopsis in both yellows and purples, and more. Again, yellows and purples predominate as far as perennials go.
Your TZs sound like they have grown more than mine. I'm a little disappointed in its spindly growth, but I need to give it more time, I know. Have fun with all your purples. Diane

My TZs in a bed with Othello, Chrysler Imperial and Pink Peace . I have a Rouge Royale in another spot, but I am thinking of getting another to put with the above roses because RR takes a while to get comfortable and he seems to like it where he is now

. I want it to be a tapestry of rich related colors. Right now, I have plum and purple pansies and violas there and want to add dianthus in different pink hues with pink and purple alyssums.

My Twilight Zone didn't really recover last year from the gopher dig/cage/replant, and it was barely touched by the gophers unlike so many others that still rebounded back - so I'm hoping it does better this year. Nice to hear favorable comments on Wild Blue Yonder and Della Reese, because both are new bareroots for me this year. I so love the purples/purple mauves. My gut is saying that Della will be fabulous.

Harmony, I was really gypped that Della Reese was sold out before I could get it. The only place I saw it was Heirloom, I believe.
Kitty and Nana, your beds sound right up my alley. And you are NOT boring me with companions. I love to get ideas.
I joked today that because of my seedlings and plugs I'm going to start a nursery here--or at least have a plant sale.
I have 240 foxglove in 4" pots! wtheck?
Susan

Ummm ..... YES

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Awesome, harmonyp!

Do you think TZ can be planted in a large pot? I have Ebb tide and love it. It did well in a pot for me. My Tzone got Cerpospera it's first season. I dug it up and put all by itself.

Hi come_n_up_roses, I potted my Ebb Tide a week ago and so far it seems to be fine. We have had a lot of rain this season so it's getting more than it needs as some of the leaves are yellowing. And the buds are getting bigger and bigger. It's my first Ebb Tide and I potted it in a 22wx20h half sized whiskey barrel. I can't wait to smell it.

I was surprised to see this post reappear, since I'd forgotten about it, so I thought I'd give a short update on my Ebb Tide compared to my TZ in the intervening years. I have three ETs and one TZ, and I like all of them, though they're not perfect. Two ETs have gotten fairly large for that rose and one is a lot smaller, due to a more shaded growing spot. Beyond that they are quite alike. All still have awkward growth habits and all fade terribly in the heat and sun. My TZ has changed some by getting quite a bit larger, which pleases me. It's a good size. And it is blooming more. It still doesn't fade much, and still doesn't smell as good as ET. These roses all still have a place in my garden--not perfect, but have stood the test of time. Here are a few pics taken through the years.

Ebb Tide, June 2013, showing fading, along with a few dark blooms. This plant is much larger now.Twilight Zone, 2013, very small plant, very dark purple. A giant Julia child towers to the left of TZ.TZ 2013 close up. Very dark.Ebb Tide 2014 featuring different shades of darkness.

Continuing briefly, I promise, are a couple of pics from 2015. Diane

Ebb Tide in 2015.Another shot of ET 2015, showing less fading. Twilight Zone, 2015.Another close up of TZ in 2015. I can't find a full bush shot. But TZ is gearing up for a big show, so I'll get some photos then. Diane

I moved my TZ and the plant split into pieces so now I have own roots growing in pots. They are doing well as potted plants. I'm moving them around to see where they they like it best. The hot wall was a disaster because the petals fried with the reflected heat. The color seems prettiest and longer lasting in morning sun ( no surprise).

Here are a few more end of season Twilight Zone photos showing how well the purple holds up in all kinds of weather. Diane

Twilight Zone October 11

Twilight Zone October 8

Twilight Zone July 26, hotter than heck

Diane

Ebb Tide

Diane, Twilight Zone is being released here later this year, so is it worthwhile me trying it? I might have to make the choice between TZ and Dark Desire. Melodye

I really like Twilight Zone, Melodye. It's a very easy care, non prima donna rose for me. We don't have fungal diseases here, so I can't comment on that aspect. TZ looks a little more true purple than Dark Desire, but DD is a gorgeous rose, that I know nothing about. Munstead Wood is another dark rose to consider. I love it, too. Ascot is wonderful, but grows huge here, and might for you, too. Diane

Fungal diseases aren't a problem for me either. I already have Munstead Wood and although it faded in the hot sun, it flowered deep burgundy in the cooler weather. I love it too. I have seen photos of your Ascot and wish it was available here. I have Ebb Tide and another purple rose called Blackberry Nip, and they both fade a little, even in dappled afternoon shade but their fragrance is really good. Your TZ seems to hold the colour better in the heat. BUT I am a sucker for dark red roses too.....decisions, decisions! Of course I could try 'counting roses' to justify getting both. :-D Melodye

I grew Twighlight Zone for the first time this last growing season and mine was a bit of a disappointment. I'm not sure if it was the thrips or just got burned up in the sun, but the blooms got pretty nasty looking almost immediately after opening. 10 feet away was my Ebb Tide which smells stronger and didn't have the bloom burning thing going on. I'll be more proactive for thrips this year, as I really like TZs color.ET really isn't great for cutting, but TZ seems like it will be better for the vase. The jury is still out..

I think it takes some time or maturity for TZ to reach its potential. ET was the same--my three all still fade a lot but not as bad as the first few years. As far as burning up, my TZ handles that better than the ETS--but they do smell better. Diane