How about you? What old rose, or Austin rose, have you enjoyed in a container for the long haul?

Randy

PJ in a Pot:

I have a few English Roses in pots. My favorite is The Squire. He's a bit tempermental, named for the Bard and all, but gives me the most exquisite blooms, several at a time all summer. This spring, I planted Munstead Wood and Darcy Bussell in pots beside him. So I have had the chance to compare him to Munstead Wood. For bloom form, colur and asthetic appeal, The Squire is still the best red rose ever IMHO. He has the darkest black/scarlet perfectly cupped old fashioned blooms. Munstead Wood is also gorgeous, obviously a much better plant as far as shrubby habit, bloom production, health and also more fragrant. An excellent new cultivar, but just not quite as lovely a flower. Darcy Bussell will be blooming in another day or two, so I will be able to compare her as well soon.

The Squire was one of my first roses to bloom and I cut the first two blooms to bring into the kitchen in a bud vase, each a few days apart. I have now replaced him with a bloom of Jude the Obscure in my kitchen island bud vase. Only the most exquisite blooms make it there.

I also grow Radio Times in a pot and like him a lot. Lots of bloom this spring and very vigorous. The blooms are large and blowsy in this cool wet spring. In the heat of summer last year, they were smaller, tighter with more petals and potently fragrant of Damask rose. Still, I like him very much in my pot condo development.

I bought two plants of Pretty Jessica this spring. She is perhaps the most controversial rose that Mr. Austin has produced, love/hate. But I think I will likely be in the love camp. I was going to put one in a pot, but ran out of room, so they are in my front bed which I had to reniovate and replant after last summer's drought. One plant is getting ready to bloom and I am extremely excited to see a bloom and stick my nose in it, even though it will be all of six inches off the dirt. I hear she is slow to develop, as has been Jude who is now in her third year in my garden and finally putting on some growth.

Perhaps P.J. will be the next exquisite bloom to take pride of place in my connoisseur bloom bud vase.

Good to see you back on the forum.

Cheers,

Rick

I hope a PJ bloom makes it to your connoisseur bloom bud vase some day.

Randy