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lazydaisies

Variegata di Bologna??

Hi again.

I should probably tell my husband to just unplug the internet router until spring so I stop finding more roses that I can't live without....

I discovered Variegata di bologna and I'm pretty sure I'll be getting it this year! I never swooned much for striped roses until I saw this one. Antique Rose Emporium has them in stock and I'm JUST about to add it to my order.

But, before I do I have a quick question. For those of you in colder climates, are the canes hardy? It says it's hardy to zone 3b on HMF, which would make me think it'd be fine in my zone 5 garden but wanted some feedback. The arbor I'd grow it on will have a clematis paired with it that would bloom after the rose is done. If I need to grow it as a shrub then I will need to get creative since I am going to run out of room since that will be 12 roses I've got on order for spring.

And if anyone has any photos of theirs I won't say no to looking at them! :)

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Michaela

Comments (70)

  • Alana8aSC
    9 years ago

    I got both Ferdinand Pichard and VDB last year as bands and both have put on alot of thick beautiful growth. Christopher I don't know what yours isn't putting on good growth maybe it's a plant better own-root or could be the location? Michaela I'm one for growing what I like and at least trying it to see how it does here before I say no. Now neither of these have bloomed yet, but I'm hoping this spring I will see some blooms. I hope you enjoy your rose and it does well for you!!

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    9 years ago

    Alana -- my FP was also a band, on its own roots. I really have no explanation as to why mine is taking its time, other than simple conjecture that maybe it was very immature when it arrived in 2013. It did make some new stems since then, but none are thicker than a pencil. It's definitely "moving forward" rather than backward, but it's just a bit slower than expected. I think it'll get going in 2015.

    :-)

    ~Christopher

  • trospero
    9 years ago

    "I don't think she will be out of place if she's a little leggy and messy."

    Don't forget to add "frequently leafless" to that list of virtues! (Highly prone to defoliation from disease)

  • Alana8aSC
    9 years ago

    Ohh I thought you said you got her bare-root Christopher, sorry! I'm sure she will do better this year :) I'm hoping to see my first blooms this year :)

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Alana - thank for sharing your feedback on both of your roses! I hope it blooms for you as well. :o)

    Michaela

  • newtie
    9 years ago

    I've had it a number of years in zone 8b. it's a survivor and I just let it flop on whatever is around. It is probably better suited to growing on some kind of a support like a fence. Got it because of the name and because of Peter Beales description. I liked rattling off the name..

    What puzzles me is Beales description: purple stripes against a cream background mine is closer to crimsony pinky stripes on an almost white background. MIne looks exactly like the photo posted in this thread. Like a peppermint candy stripe. .I don't see purple and I don't see cream.

  • trospero
    9 years ago

    Curious.
    Mine displays the "black currant and cream" coloring I expected of it - not the red-on-white shown above. Climate undoubtedly plays a role in its look, no doubt. But I wouldn't discount the possibility that there are other cultivars in commerce erroneously distributed under that name.

  • mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
    9 years ago

    I have been so tempted to grow this rose because of its Italian sounding name. Haven't though because of the not so good reviews and lack of space. Where is our stripe-y rose person to weigh in on this? I am sure she has some fabulous suggestions that look similar but they do better in the garden.

  • Alana8aSC
    9 years ago

    Trospero,
    where did you get yours from? and the people who have it but it's having the white background, where did ya'll get yours from? I got mine from high country roses and I'll update when it blooms and with what color. maybe it would be easier to figure out if there is two different ones being sold as one?

  • windeaux
    9 years ago

    Trospero must be correct about environment having a role in the coloration of VdB. The earliest European sources describe the color as purple on cream. Mine produced flowers that were cherry red and white. VdB's supposed sport parent, 'Victor-Emmanuel' (often listed as an HP) is variously described in early sources as purple, black carmine, red to purple, purplish maroon.

    It's not been mentioned here that VdB commonly produces solid colored flowers which are assumed to be reversions to the sport parent. Several years ago there was an interesting discussion here on VdB and it's own "sports"t. I found it archived -- here's the link . . .

    Here is a link that might be useful: Mrs Yamada

  • trospero
    9 years ago

    I don't remember where my plant came from. The list of possibilities is fairly huge, so.....

    It did not come from Pickering, since I know its an own root plant. Its unlikely that it came from Errloom since I quickly discovered that 15 years ago, many of their OGRs were conspicuously mislabeled/misidentified (Ugh! So many incorrectly labeled roses!), so its unlikely I would have acquired it from there. The most likely origin is either Sequoia Nursery (who would likely have obtained it from Gregg/Vintage) or I got it as a cutting from our local public rose garden where I worked as a volunteer at that time. Now that I think of it, that is the most likely source.

  • erasmus_gw
    9 years ago

    I got mine last spring as a bareroot plant, probably from Palatine. It leaped into growth and put out a lot of blooms all along the canes. There is one cane going up into a small pear tree. It could be called an octopus or a big fountain. Blooms were a medium size but lots of them.
    For a brand new plant it was rewarding. I never have objected to octopi though. I never noticed any greater than average bs tendency.

  • erasmus_gw
    9 years ago

    A cluster:

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    9 years ago

    I've never grown VdB but have seen it, and have to say that the rose in Valerie's picture looks nothing like the plant I saw, both in color and in the turned-out outer petals. erasmus' photos do seem to show the genuine article, and the blooms are stunning. The plant I saw was long and straggly and at least on that specimen the appearance of the plant unfortunately seemed to decrease the impact of the blooms, which is not always the case. Yves Piaget's blooms to me make up for the unlovely structure of the rose, possibly because the flowers are so large and the bush is relatively small, which is just the opposite of VdB. However, I don't see any harm in growing it if your heart is set on it, Michaela. It may look much better in your situation and you could end up adoring it. I really liked the subtle coloring of Honorine de Brabant, but that rose seemed to be fond of growing leaves at the expense of flowers. I hope you'll let us know how this works out for you.

    Ingrid

  • onewheeler
    9 years ago

    I forgot to say I bought mine from Pickering and it bloomed the first year in the garden.

    This is an interesting thread. I love the way the roses respond to different soils, climates and temperatures. I also grew Honorine de Brabant. I love the striped roses. Then there is Moore's Striped, Village Maid, Varigata de Bologna, Vick's Caprice and Ferdinand Pichard. Excuse me please if I have spelled these incorrectly. I am just reading an old list of mine and it wasn't meant for other people to see, just my scribbles.

    Valerie

  • portlandmysteryrose
    9 years ago

    As Trospero mentioned, in our neck of Oregon, Variegata is rather (very) blackspotty and leafless when grown organically, BUT her fragrance is heavenly and clematis leaves can disguise a multitude of rose evils. I would describe the specimens I've grown as tall, sprawling if given the chance, and leggy. I'd decscribe the blooms as dark raspberry and creamy white. Full and fluffy whipped cream petticoat layers with drizzles of rich raspberry syrup. Like Erasmus' but with deeper stripes. For me, she's been a springtime dish only except for the rare odd bloom in the fall. Carol

    This post was edited by PortlandMysteryRose on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 14:23

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    erasmus, thank you so much for posting your experience & your photos of your VdB. What a beautiful rose. I also don't mind the octopus canes.

    Ingrid, thank you so much for your thoughts. I ordered it today, from Antique Rose Emporium. I know that climate and soil can affect a rose significantly, and since I have not found another striped rose that I love as much, I am going to give it a shot. I figure I have taken bigger risks than this & if it's an awful rose that I simply cannot stand, I will shovel prune it and move on. It's nothing that can't be undone and I will always wonder if I would have loved it if I had given it a try! I will definitely report back and let everyone know how it does.

    Onewheeler, it's very interesting! Thank you for that list of roses. I am going to take a peek at these as well!

    Carol, thank you so much for your feedback. I agree, the clematis will hopefully help fill in should the rose lose most of it's leaves.

    ---

    To everyone, thanks for all of your feedback. I mentioned this already to Ingrid, but I did order this rose today & will report back on my experience with it! Please feel free to continue to give feedback & share pictures if you would like to. It helps the countdown to spring go by faster.

    Michaela

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Valerie,Village Maid is very pretty. Reminds me of those strawberry vanilla hard candies my grandma always had around when I was a kid.

    Michaela

    This post was edited by thegardenat902 on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 16:10

  • scott_madison Zone 5a- Madison, WI
    9 years ago

    I love my VdB! Have had it for years and it always flowers beautifully for me. I live in Madison, WI, so we have some bitter winters. I grow mine over an arbor, and don't provide any winter protection. There is a bit of winter kill if we had a really severe winter, but usually not too much. This past spring I decided to move my VdB after 10 years in the ground. I was doing some garden renovation and wanted to take the arbor down. I pruned it back quite hard, tried to get as much root ball intact as possible and kept my fingers crossed. Most of the summer it just sat there doing nothing. Then, in September, started sending up healthy new canes! At the end of the growing season I had three strong new canes about three feet tall. So, I'm hoping it will flower for me this spring... I missed the bloom season last year due to moving it. The color and fragrance of this rose is outstanding!!

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Scott, thanks so much for sharing your experience with VdB!

    I'm happy to hear it was able to grow as a climber for you, as that's what I'm hoping to do with mine. Glad it survived for you, and I hope it thanks you with some lovely blooms in the spring! About when does it usually bloom for you in the spring? Do you have any photos of it on your arbor?

    Thanks again for sharing your feedback!

    Michaela

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    9 years ago

    Going back through this thread, the pic by onewheeler (Valerie) looks more like my 'Ferdinand Pichard' than 'Variegata di Bologna'. That there was some repeat-bloom nudges me even more in that direction.

    :-)

    ~Christopher

  • trospero
    9 years ago

    "the pic by onewheeler (Valerie) looks more like my 'Ferdinand Pichard' than 'Variegata di Bologna'. That there was some repeat-bloom nudges me even more in that direction."

    Agreed. I believe that is a misidentified plant.

    This post was edited by trospero on Mon, Feb 2, 15 at 19:38

  • onewheeler
    9 years ago

    It is possible that I mixed up FP with VdB. I got them both the same year from Pickering. I always believed I had VdB planted along the walkway. If you notice in the pic you can see a bit of the cement paver, that is how I knew it is what I thought to be VdB. When I read the description of Ferdinand though it says a clear pink background and that is what mine has. So confusing. All I can say is it must be mislabelled. I wish I had a decent pic of Ferdinand to share.

    Valerie

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Very interesting. When I look at the leaves of FP and the leaves of VdB, onewheelers looks much more like VdB. The leaves of Ferdinand are wider, shorter, and a lighter color of green than what I'm seeing seeing on Valeries rose? Those leaves look more narrow and long like VdB.

    How did your other rose do Valerie? Was it as healthy & happy as the rose you told us about?

    Michaela

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    9 years ago

    I wouldn't go so much by relative amounts of white, pink, or red to separate the striped roses, since each flower is unique and will thus vary. So far, my FP is more of a red base with white and pink stripes, but pics on HMF show that not to always be the case. For my eye, the distinction is in bloom shape and petal count. That's why I thought the pic looked more like FP than VdB.

    :-)

    ~Christopher

    This post was edited by AquaEyes on Mon, Feb 2, 15 at 22:04

  • erasmus_gw
    9 years ago

    Here's a darker pic of VdB:

  • erasmus_gw
    9 years ago

    Here's my Ferdinand Pichard, which is not as cup shaped, has fewer petals, has smaller blooms , more of a pink background, and is a smaller plant:

  • rosefolly
    9 years ago

    I love striped roses and have grown several of them over time. The only one I have right now is Rosa Mundi, one of the prettiest, but alas, a gallica, and therefore probably will not be happy long time in my climate. I don't mind the once blooming, I just wish they would thrive!

    Problems I've had: instant shattering (Scentimental), awkward plant and faded blooms (Honorine de Brabant), growing backwards (Tricolore des Flandres, Village Maid, and Camaieux), tiny fleeting blooms and faded color (Ferdinand de Pichard).

    That last one (FdP) did at least bloom generously and repeat well. I grew it for about 18 years then got tired of the work of maintaining it. Perhaps if I had grown it as a shrub and did not have to be constantly pruning on the obelisk I would have been happier, so in all fairness it was probably my own fault.

    Rosefolly

  • onewheeler
    9 years ago

    Erasumus that is what my FP looks like. It is not a big rose by any means. I think he may be a bit tender for my zone but he does get to be about 3 feet tall and a foot or so wide each summer. I love your pic of VdB.

    Valerie

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    They are both beautiful roses, erasmus. I do prefer VdB's bigger blooms though, they are hard to beat.

    Michaela

  • erasmus_gw
    9 years ago

    Thank you. I like VdB better too so far. I think Ferdinand Pichard might repeat better. Another striped one I like a lot is Vick's Caprice. It is pink with white stripes, very fragrant, and repeats well. Blooms can be fairly large. It usually stays healthy for awhile , then gets a good bit of blackspot. Still, it seems to have good vigor and puts out new leaves.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    9 years ago

    Vick's Caprice is an absolute charmer and I'm sorry it wouldn't do well in my dry climate. I really prefer "stripeys" in which the contrast between colors is subtle and elegant, as in this rose and VdB. Camieaux is another one of that kind.

    Ingrid

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Those blooms are beautiful erasmus! Such a neat "stripey" - I like that word Ingrid!

    Camieaux is also gorgeous. I never liked stripeys until I found VdB and now you guys are making me want MORE! ;o)

    Michaela

  • rosefolly
    9 years ago

    I forgot about Vick's Caprice. It is a really pretty rose, and I thought about it a lot. I used to grow its sport parent Archiduchesse Elizabeth d'Autriche. The Archiduchesse was a martyr to rust for me, so bad that I could never bring myself to experiment with Vick's Caprice.

    Rosefolly

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Well my VdB that arrived in April completely died. I'm not sure what happened. All the leaves fell off and the canes turned black. ARE is so nice and is sending me a replacement that's supposed to arrive tomorrow. Hopefully this one will do better. :/

  • thorngrower sw. ont. z5
    8 years ago

    I wouldn't get it. 5 yrs here not too many blooms and not very hardy....

  • nikthegreek
    8 years ago

    I would advise against VdB for any climate were PM is a major (or minor for that matter) problem...


  • professorroush
    8 years ago

    Michaela, your VdB will grow great in Zone 5. I don't know about hardy to Zone 3, but Zone 5 I can attest to. Others are right, it is essentially once a year, but it's fabulous when it does. I also have good luck with Ferdinand Pichard, but it is not quite cane hardy here in Kansas.



  • Kelly Tregaskis Collova
    7 years ago

    Just checking in. How is your vdb doing?

  • widdershins3
    7 years ago

    I've fallen in love with a striped rose I visit almost daily on my walks and today when I researched it, it turned out to be VdB and I found this thread. I wanted to tell anyone still following it that here in the San Francisco Bay Area, there's one growing in the Oakland Hills that's in (sparse, but lovely) bloom right now (September) and it's had a couple of blooms on it for most of the past 3 months. The spring bloom was spectacular, despite the bush being sited in partial shade under some very tall old evergreens. It has some diseased leaves, but that doesn't seem to have slowed it down. I'm going to order one today, despite having at least half a dozen other roses in large pots, waiting to get their feet in the ground...it's an addiction, buying roses ;o)

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Hi there. It is actually doing very well. It's been relatively healthy despite being in partial shade. The canes are about 4 feet tall now.

    I took a gorgeous picture of a cluster of blooms this spring but lost the photo when transferring pictures to my new phone. It's definitely taking a little longer to settle in compared to other two gallon roses I've purchased but I'm still happy with it so far. Hopefully next year I can get photos again. The blooms are breathtaking. Definitely one of my favorite roses I have.
  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    widdershins3 it is definitely an addiction. Where are you ordering from? Sounds like you have a gorgeous daily walk. Do you have any photos of this vdb you visit?
  • widdershins3
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I found it on this site: http://www.highcountryroses.com/variegata-di-bologna But I'm sure it's available elsewhere too. I just haven't had time to search. I'd take photos of the bush, except we have a family emergency and are flying across the country tomorrow. When I get back, hopefully it will have a bloom on it and I'll take one. (And hopefully I can figure out how the heck to post one here, too!)

  • scott_madison Zone 5a- Madison, WI
    7 years ago

    Every garden needs a VdB! In a previous post I mentioned I had moved my VdB that had been in the ground for 10 years. It survived... Not only survived... But thrived. It actually seems to be growing more lustily in the new location than it ever did in the original location. Here are some photos of the flowers from this past spring.

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    widdershins3, I have never shopped with HCR but I have heard good things. If for any reason you can't order there, Antique Rose Emporium still has them in stock: http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/roses/607/variegata-di-bologna

    Sorry to hear you have a family emergency, hope everything gets better. No rush on the photo of course, take care.

    scott_madison, what an absolutely gorgeous rose. It has definitely survived and thrived for you. It looks so pretty with your greyed fence as a backdrop. Thank you for sharing and I'm glad it is still doing so well for you!

  • widdershins3
    7 years ago

    Thank you for the other option to buy VdB--by the time Life settles down again and I can comparison shop, I worry that choices will be limited. But this is one of those roses I've truly fallen in love with--even if I don't get it now, I'll keep looking for it. The scent was such an unusual one--a spicy note above the florals.

  • summersrhythm_z6a
    7 years ago

    Palatine has it listed on their site. I exchanged this rose to other rose last year, because I heard the blooms won't last.

  • Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
    6 years ago

    I love mine too.

  • Ashley Zone6b
    6 years ago

    I love this Rose! It's definitely on my list. I have Raspberry Cream Twirl which is kind of similar but not as romantic. VdB is very charming, I love the bloom shape.

    Raspberry Cream Twirl

    very healthy plant