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hollie_z9

Valencia or Over the Moon?

hollie_z9
9 years ago

I've grown and loved Valencia for many years. I've moved to coastal California and need a tall HT for a sunny corner of my garden. It will get some salt spray and fog but lots of sunshine too and I think they both are hardy enough to make it.

I was taken by Pat's photos of Over the Moon, she sounds like a real bloom machine and tall. My old Valencias were fairly tall, put out quite a few blooms but I wouldn't call them bloom machines.

Trying to choose between these two, anyone growing them?

Thanks

Hollie

Comments (19)

  • seil zone 6b MI
    9 years ago

    I just got my Valencia this spring so I can't say how it will do but when I asked about it I got a lot of positive feed back.

  • michaelg
    9 years ago

    Unless somebody warns about susceptibility to West Coast diseases, get Valencia because you love it. To me it is the most splendid of all HTs for cutting, and a good garden rose as well, once it gets strong enough to hold up the enormous blooms.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    When I started this thread, my inclination was to say "Get Valencia, of course!" Then I looked at the photos of Over the Moon, and now I want to say "Get them both!"

    Over the Moon is probably somewhat taller than Valencia which is a shorter HT. Over the Moon may have slightly larger blooms also--although Valencia also has very large blooms. Valencia may be slightly more fragrant and more disease-resistant--but Over the Moon is also fragrant -- I'm not sure how it does on disease-resistance.

    From the pictures above, I would guess that Over the Moon is more floriferous than Valencia is. Valencia is a bit slow to bloom and re-bloom, but retains its beautiful blooms longer that almost any rose I know.

    Over the Moon may have a bit more dramatic coloring, although both are in the same general bloom color range.

    They are both beautiful. Impossible to choose between them since the differences are minor as a whole. I prioritize disease-resistance, so that might make a stronger argument in favor of Valencia--if I had to settle for one.

    Kate

  • michaelg
    9 years ago

    Who can comment on resistance to rust and mildew?

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    Good point, Michael. When I said "disease-resistance," I was referring only to black spot. Rust and mildew aren't significant problems where I live, so I know little or nothing about them.

    Kate

  • hollie_z9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks everyone. As far as disease resistance, we have some rose bushes growing around the house that are doing just fine with no spraying. And the local nursery has Over The Moon in stock, they stock roses that can make it in this climate.

    OK, now to the nitty gritty. For the first time in my life I'm using this rose for landscape purposes, not just as a rose in my rose garden. Of course I hope to get cutting blooms from it also for the vase.

    I'm going to post some photos of the spot where I'm looking to place this bush. One of these photos is from some time ago before there was not much planted there and the others have a Polka climber that I intend to take out and replace with OTM or V. I'm taking out Polka because it is too big and tall, a guy from the County told me it is a perfect rat staircase to the upper floor. I don't see a lot of lower blooms happening on Polka, they are mostly at the very top. The scraggly bush on the left is usually full and has purple flowers in winter, it has just been cut back.

    I plan to take out some small plants in front of Polka, but getting to the back of the bush could be difficult. I have a 4' width and about 4' 9" height to work with.

    I was thinking I might be able to put both in this space but Pat says OTM is really wide and tall so there would be no room.

    I'm leaning toward OTM because of the constant blooms and size. I don't know where to put Valencia since I don't have much room here.

    This is a one year old photo, rose bush to go in corner behind chairs

  • hollie_z9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here is where the bush goes, I'm taking out Polka, too vigorous, not enough flowers....it is only one year planted :)

  • hollie_z9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Pat, those pictures of OTM are to die for. Can't believe this plant puts out so many blooms and is a good looking bush. I think the sun glare in the first pic makes it look lovely, like fog.

    I'm not sure what to do with an HT that gets this big and sounds like it is half climber. Perhaps it won't get as big in my climate. I'm in heaven thinking about it!

    Thanks
    Hollie

  • pat_bamaz7
    9 years ago

    I wish I had experience with Valencia so I could give you more of a comparison. OTM is a pretty bush...full, well rounded with foliage to the ground and flowers top to bottom unlike so many HTs that get bare knees and bloom only up top. Roses seem to get really big here in our heat/humidityâ¦I rarely have one that stays anywhere near what itâÂÂs marketed size is supposed to be. OTM could get the height of a small climber here if I didnâÂÂt cut it back as much while deadheading, but has very strong canes that wouldnâÂÂt work for training on a support. OTM gets almost as wide as tall by end of seasonâ¦that would be more my worry with your allotted space. You could control height easier than width without it looking whacked up. My first thought was that it would be even bigger in a climate that doesnâÂÂt get as much winter chill, but maybe it would stay smaller without our heat/humidity/rainfall? Even so, I don't think you could fit both OTM and Valencia there. I hate to steer you to OTM when you know Valencia will grow well for you, but it is a great rose for me here. Maybe someone from CA will chime in and let us know how it grows for them.

  • kentucky_rose zone 6
    9 years ago

    If I had a Over the Moon bush like yours Pat, it would be my favorite! Wow, what a beautiful rose bush!

  • ms. violet grey
    9 years ago

    Nice windows!

  • iris_gal
    9 years ago

    City rats like telephone wires that pass thru citrus trees.

    Love your house!

  • hollie_z9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the house compliments. It is about 90 years old, I did major remodel 2 years ago. Windows are Marvin.

    Hollie

  • hollie_z9
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    It's been a year now with Over the Moon and I absolutely love it. A gorgeous bush, huge flower heads and it is a bloom machine.

    Thank you Pat for your advice.

  • pat_bamaz7
    8 years ago

    Holly, Glad to hear Over the Moon is doing well for you, and you're happy with it! I added Valencia this spring and do like it, but still prefer my Over the Moon so far.

  • pat_bamaz7
    8 years ago

    Hollie...so sorry I misspelled your name in my post above...I'm not quite with it this morning :)

  • hollie_z9
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    OTM is a much prettier bush than Valencia and for my placement I need that. Compared to Valencia, OTM blooms much more often, it hasn't stopped blooming continuously this summer. And the huge blooms last a long time in the vase, nearing a week or so. And OTM is thriving and blooming in a seacoast location continually hit by salt spray! I can't tell you how many perennials, bushes and even grasses cannot withstand these conditions.

    Valencia does have an unusual bloom form which I still love and miss.

    Thanks again Pat!


  • cadiarose
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    OTM is really quite lovely. I'm glad it suited your purpose!