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zaphod42_gw

Let's talk red shrubs, floribundas, etc.

zaphod42
10 years ago

I'm on a bit of a red kick. Planted Ascot and Munstead Wood this year. To me they are more crimson than ruby as reds. Not quite a true red the way Ingrid Bergman is. I'm considering the following reds and wondering if anyone has them and can describe the red, shrub shape and size, scent, hardiness, disease resistance, and overall bloom characteristics. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

Out of Rosenheim
Darcy Bussell
Scarlet Velvet
Braveheart
Astrid Gräfin von Hardenberg
Geranium Red

Comments (19)

  • Campanula UK Z8
    10 years ago

    I only have 2 reds.....but what reds they are. If you are not keen on gigantic singles, look away.....but if you have space and no aversion to crimson overload, them you could do no better than the species rose, moyesii (a truly remarkable specimen rose) or the huge gallica hybrid, Scharlachglut - an outstanding Kordes rose from the 50s which has that true velvet finish without a hint of white to dilute the fiery glow.

  • seil zone 6b MI
    10 years ago

    If you want constant bloom look at Home Run or the poly Zenaitta. Other reds I have that I like are Crimson Bouquet, Frankly Scarlet and Black Cherry. Of those CB is the cleanest all the time with nice dark glossy leaves.

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    10 years ago

    I think Astrid is pretty much the same color as Ascot. They were both hybridized by Evers. I don't know of any U.S. or Canadian seller of this rose, but if you find one, zapho, please let us know. I want Astrid! Diane

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    10 years ago

    Here is picture of Braveheart :
    {{gwi:277659}}

    That's a mini-rose and the hardy garden geranium crowding her on the right. Other than that, she forms a nice rounded and symmetrical shape.

    Braveheart blooms a lovely red--and stays red! It reblooms quite well and has some disease-resistance although it will probably occasionally need some assistance with a fungicide spray.

    She does tend to grow a bit heavy on the ends--I sometimes have to prop up the heavy blooming canes. I am learning how to prune it better and have lessened that problem considerably as a result. Basically, after its gorgeous spring bloom, I lightly prune the ends of those heavy-laden canes. Braveheart responds by putting out lots of new growth, but it is more spread out rather than clustering just at the heavy-laden ends of the canes.

    I've had Braveheart for about 6-8 years now and love this rose--wouldn't be without her.

    Kate

  • TNY78
    10 years ago

    Out of Rosenheim is a very true bright red. I just got it this spring from RU and it seems like a winner. Another few that might be that bright red you are looking for are Liebeszauber, Eutin, LD Braithwaite, Linda Campbell, Pied Piper and Red Ridinghood Fairytale.

    Tammy

  • rosetom
    10 years ago

    IMHO, Europeana is the finest floribunda every hybridized. It will get BS without spraying but it fits every definition of a floribunda. Relatively low growing, but with huge clusters of blooms that are so heavy the canes flop over. Yet, the red never bleaches or purples, even in the very hottest sun - just pure red.

  • zaphod42
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Diane - I'm on a waiting list for Astrid from Angel Gardens. I'm super happy with Ascot so if Astrid is anything similar I'll be thrilled.

  • zaphod42
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thoughts on whether I could get away with R. moyesii here in Wisconsin? I'm just warm enough for it so could be iffy. Since I'm on the colder side for it, does that mean it would stay smaller?

  • Zyperiris
    10 years ago

    I HATED Europeana....

  • caldonbeck
    10 years ago

    L D Braithwaite is by far the clearest red I grow.

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    10 years ago

    Zapho, thanks for your info, but I checked Angel Gardens' website, and Astrid was nowhere to be found. Has it been discontinued from their list of roses? I would like to get on that waiting list, too. Diane

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    10 years ago

    Among those you mention, I have Scarlet Velvet, Darcy Bussell, and I've planted Braveheart twice (but it didn't overwinter for me in zone 5). Scarlet Velvet is anything BUT scarlet - it's definitely crimson, and a shy rebloomer. I've liked Darcy Bussell already in her second year, and here she is below blooming with some partial shade. The picture is a little pinker than she is in real life, but for me she's more dark pink than what I'd call crimson. Definitely pinker than Ascot in my yard.

    Among the most floriforous reds that stay true red, my choices would be: Black Cherry, The Prince's Trust and Dublin Bay (climbers), Preference, Pied Piper, JC Thornton and for the darker reds that I love, LavaGlut, Schwarze Madonna, Peggy Rockefeller, and Harry G Hastings.

    Cynthia

  • ratdogheads z5b NH
    10 years ago

    Yesterday I was at a garden and saw this - Champlain. I had never seen it before; what a nice rose. The bushes all held many blooms, no fading and I noticed that it cleaned well which was nice because the garden hadn't been tended lately. Now, the photo might look a bit pink but in person this rose was not pinkish. For comparison, I grow these red roses and put them all in the crimson end of the spectrum: Munstead Wood, Falstaff (both with decidedly pink tendencies), Black Cherry, Oh My! and Lavaglut. Compared to these I'd say Champlain was a "true" red.

  • ratdogheads z5b NH
    10 years ago

    Also, just noticed zaphod's zone and wanted to add that this was growing in a garden in NH up on top of a mountain; I'm going to guess they are zone 4. The plants were big and healthy and quite full of blooms.

  • zaphod42
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Diane - Go through HMF. I emailed them about it. It wasn't currently available, but she was working on starting some.

  • zaphod42
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Cynthia - Do you grow your Peggy Rockefeller in a pot? If not, do you heavily winter protect? HMF says zone 7b. How is it with BS and how big does it get?

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    10 years ago

    Thanks so much, Zapho. I'll do as you said. Diane

  • wirosarian_z4b_WI
    10 years ago

    Check out Lavaglut , a dark rich red, & Black Forrest, an ADR rose, both sold by Palatine. 2 good red Easy Elegance roses that should be hardy for you in z5 are Kashmir & Como Park & also Dr. Buck's Polonaise.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    10 years ago

    Hi Zaphod

    First, to be perfectly honest, I'm an unrepentant zone pusher and I don't mind trying roses that aren't supposed to be hardy in my zone only to find that they are. There may be some roses that'll survive in MY zone 5 (but not other zone 5 areas) because we have really hot dry summers, which may give them a stronger start to survive the winters. Also, I do winter protect the roses with leaves around their bases, though I've been getting slacker about that in the past few years.

    Having said that, I grow Peggy Rockefeller in the ground, an own root from Roses Unlimited. She's on the side of my house that's a zone 4 pocket, so that speaks well to her winter survival odds. As I recall, I think she's one of the roses that appreciates having the winter protection and I usually remove most of her cane that's above the protection (in that case, it's an intact bag of leaves rolled up against her side for the winter). Still, I think she's at least root hardy in my zone, and I'd definitely give her a try. She has a great dark red color and grows at least 3 feet for me, probably average on the blackspot resistance. By now, the BS sensitive roses have defoliated for a while, but she's OK (I'm also pretty tolerant of BS, though).

    Cynthia

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