A very popular climbing rose, Joseph’s Coat can be found in almost every garden center. The reason for the popularity is the unique color of the blooms, a bright orange-yellow blend which mature through shades of orange and red. Flowers are produced consistently; at any one time, Joseph’s Coat will sport flowers of different stages of maturity (and thus, colors - providing the basis for this rose named after Joseph’s multi-colored coat).

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Blackswamp Girl wrote in a recent blog comment: I noticed that you have not yet reviewed Dortmund….Dortmund is going in my front yard where it can ramble all it wants over my otherwise boring front porch. We have a Lake Erie microclimate that allows us to grow climbers and ramblers to the top of our porch roofs here in my suburb–and our old houses from the early 1900s seem to provide good hosts for them–so it seems a damn shame not to take advantage of it! Well, Blackswamp Girl, you love grasses thus must be a person of character (admittedly, I have some strange methods for judging character). This (brief) review is for you.

Climbing rose Dortmund has many strong points: Bright red blooms are borne repeatedly throughout the entire season. Growth is vigorous. Foliage is dark green and disease resistant. Large hips are produced in fall. Excellent winter hardiness to Zone 4b. Dortmund is a spectacular rose. Dortmund is well-armed, so beware.

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Pure white roses are actually quite rare; Bourbon rose Boule de Neige bears clusters of buds tinged red, but opens to a flower of unblemished, chaste white. Blossoms are fully double and globular in form. Due to the many petals, Boule de Neige is susceptible to balling, but this should not stop you from including this magnificent rose in your garden.

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I just finished my annual cross-country trip (see Two Turntables and a Microphone). On these trips I drive the smallest roads I can find just thinking mostly. Well, looking and thinking. On this past trip, I went to Memphis specifically to drop in on Elvis over at Graceland. I figured it was time and that he might be wondering where I’d been and how things have turned out since we last saw each other. I was shocked he hadn’t changed the decor since the last time I was over - that shag carpet is so out it’s in again. Also, you should know that those photos of him as a great big fatso aren’t really fair. Elvis has a bit of a pudgy face but if you see the cut of his clothes (again, Elvis, update the wardrobe…it’s all so 1977), he’s still fairly svelte. What led me to share all of this (and more) with you was my discovery of another iconic figure from the South, the mysterious shadow known as Sue Woo.

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Hybrid Tea rose Sheer Bliss is recommended as a bedding rose and is most attractive planted in beds specifically dedicated to roses.  The reasoning behind this recommendation is twofold.  First, the stiff, erect form of many Hybrid Teas makes them awkward in the mixed border; grouping Hybrid Tea roses together in a dedicated bed creates a cohesive structure, transforming an uncomfortable fit into a specimen planting which can stand on its own.  The second reason is that Hybrid Teas often require specialized cultivation practices which are more easily managed in dedicated beds.

The chief attraction of Sheer Bliss is the quality of  the flowers, which are indeed graceful examples of classic Hybrid Tea rose elegance.  Double flowers of thirty five petals open to a soft creamy blush, and fragrance is strong and sweet.  Foliage is dark and glossy.  In summary, highly recommended for the rose bed or as a cut flower.

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Seemingly on fire in the landscape, Grandiflora rose Candelabra is a bold statement in the garden.   Large, coral flowers smolder against the backdrop of healthy, dark green foliage.   Growth habit is upright to four feet or so. But…there is more to the story.  Introduced by Bear Creek Gardens and a 1999 All-America Rose Selection, it would seem that Grandiflora rose Candelabra would be a perennial favorite.  But where to buy this Grandiflora? Candelabra seems to be hard to find, almost impossible in fact.  How could this be? After all, it’s an ALL AMERICA ROSE SELECTION.  Hold on. Is Bear Creek Gardens still in business?  No, and this is not a happy statement.

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Tempo is a rose for those searching for a climber with flowers which are similar to the  form and color of those roses found in a florist shop. Beautifully shaped blooms are the very picture of high-centered elegance, and the dark red color is like velvet.  Flowers are fully double, with 35 to 40 petals.  Growth is vigorous and the foliage is dark green and glossy.  Disease resistance and cold hardiness are good.  Fragrance is slight.

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Hybrid Tea rose Elina is our example for today as we ferret out the true meaning behind the carefully-worded descriptions our friendly garden retailers use when describing a rose. Elina is admittedly a stunning Hybrid Tea rose that has quite a bit of virtue; thus, it is not my intention to castigate the fair Elina nor the retailers who sell this rose, but merely to read between the lines. Let’s get right to it. Heirloom Roses describes Elina’s growth habit as: “An upright plant with glossy, deep green foliage….” Translation: A stiff plant that will not play well with her fellow garden plants. From a design standpoint, Hybrid Tea roses in general do not integrate well into the garden. Thus, anytime you find a rose described as ‘upright’ or ‘formal’ beware. You should be prepared to send the prissy fellow to timeout, preferably in a dedicated rose bed in a distant part of the garden.

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Mediterranean spurge, Euphorbia characias, isn’t seen too much in the garden, but I have to admit an ongoing fondness for the Euphorbia clan. No less an authority than Gertrude Jeckyll called Mediterranean spurge “one of the grandest and most pictorial of plants.” Light and airy, Euphorbia characias is reminiscent of the arid seaside landscapes that are among my favorite places. Southern Europe, north Africa, or parts of the California coast all fall into this realm. No wonder Mediterranean spurge holds sway with me, since it is native to Portugal and Spain along the Mediterranean Sea. Often plants look out of place when not surrounded by cousins from similar environments, but Euphorbia characias has a presence that can meld into temperate gardens.

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David Austin English rose Tradescant is a good choice for those who favor dark roses. Large clusters of ten to fifteen buds open to flat, fully double blooms of the deepest crimson; in fact, Tradescant would be a good rose for gardeners who are looking for a black rose (although all black roses are actually very dark red). Fragrance in Tradescant is strong, and reminiscent of many of the old roses. Foliage is light green and disease resistant on arching canes which may reach eight feet in southern gardens.

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